JP7244345B2 - antifouling flooring - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a novel antifouling flooring material.

Floor materials used in houses, commercial facilities, etc. are processed to be non-slip in order to prevent pedestrians from falling over. In particular, floor surfaces that are wet with water such as tap water and rain, such as toilets, outside stairs, and outside corridors, require higher anti-slip properties.

Various floor materials have been developed as floor materials capable of exhibiting such anti-slip properties. For example, on a base sheet made of a polyolefin-based sheet, wood grain printing with urethane ink, and on the wood grain printing, wood grain conduit embossing made of polyolefin resin with a depth of 5 μm to 150 μm and an interval of 5 μm to 5 mm. The embossed surface of the wood grain conduit is provided with a large number of fine projections and a surface protective layer made of an ultraviolet curable resin or a thermosetting resin and having a layer thickness of 1 to 7 μm, and the height h of the projections is 10 to 100 μm. The width w of the convex portion from an arbitrary side end to the opposite side end of the convex portion is 15 to 300 μm, and the distance from one point on the arbitrary convex portion to the shortest point on the other convex portion. An anti-slip decorative sheet characterized by having d of 50 to 1000 μm and a point density of 1 to 300 points/mm 2 in convex portions is known (Patent Document 1).

Further, for example, an ultraviolet curable resin layer, a resin film layer, and a base material layer are bonded and integrated in this order, and embossing is applied from the ultraviolet curable resin layer side to give an uneven shape. A wet floor material characterized by this has been proposed (Patent Document 2).

In addition, for example, in a sheet composed of a surface layer 2, an intermediate layer 3, and a lower layer 4 and having an embossed surface, the surface layer 2 is a thermoplastic resin layer having weather resistance of grade 3 or higher, or the surface layer 2 and an intermediate layer 3 having a pattern with grade 3 or higher weather resistance, and an emboss of 0.1 mm or more and 2 mm or less on the surface has been proposed (Patent Document 3).

Thus, in the prior art, the desired anti-slip property is imparted by forming predetermined irregularities on the surface. In this case, if, for example, the embossing is made deeper in order to improve the anti-slip property, dirt tends to accumulate in the concave portions, and the anti-fouling property deteriorates. For this reason, the size of unevenness and the like are set in consideration of the balance between anti-slip properties and antifouling properties.

JP 2016-186215 A JP 2016-89472 A JP-A-2000-129855

In addition to general soiling of the floor surface due to sand, dirt, dust, etc., the floor surface of toilets and washrooms, for example, has soiling specific to the water environment. More specifically, earth and sand and water combine to form muddy water, which enters into recesses in the floor surface and causes stain-like black spot stains (also referred to as "sesame salt stains") as shown in FIG. .

There are two methods for removing such stains: wet cleaning and dry cleaning. Wet cleaning is a cleaning method in which dirt is rubbed off using a deck brush, detergent, etc. while running water on the floor surface on the premise that a drain port is provided on the floor surface. Dry cleaning is cleaning by wiping dirt with a dry or moist mop, rag, etc., without running water on the floor surface.

However, in recent years, there is a tendency to increase the number of toilets, washrooms, etc. that can only be used for dry cleaning from a sanitary point of view, and these facilities do not have drainage ports, so wet cleaning that flows water onto the floor cannot be performed. For this reason, even if sesame-salt stains occur on a floor surface on which wet cleaning cannot be performed, the problem arises that the sesame-salt stains remain because only dry cleaning can be performed. For this reason, there is a demand for a flooring material that is resistant to sesame-salt stains, or a flooring material that can be relatively easily removed by dry cleaning even if sesame-salt stains do occur, but such flooring materials have yet to be developed. The current situation is that this has not yet been achieved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the main object of the present invention is to provide a flooring material that exhibits good anti-slip properties and antifouling properties against general fouling with earth and sand, as well as antifouling properties against sesame salt fouling and easiness of cleaning.

As a result of intensive research in view of the problems of the prior art, the inventors have found that the above objects can be achieved by adopting a flooring material having a specific surface shape, and have completed the present invention.

That is, the present invention relates to the following antifouling flooring material.
1. A flooring material mainly made of synthetic resin,
(1) The surface of the flooring material consists of a substantially flat base region and peaks protruding upward from the base region,
(2) the base region has unevenness on the surface, and the height difference between the bottom of the recess and the top of the protrusion is 40 μm or less;
(3) the peak has a height of 50 μm or more from the top of the peak to the bottom of the recess in the base region;
(4) When the surface of the flooring material is viewed in plan, the ridges are island-like and independent of each other, and substantially all of the base regions are in communication.
An antifouling flooring material characterized by:
2. 2. The antifouling flooring material according to item 1, wherein the width of the base region between the adjacent peaks is 1.3 mm or more and 15 mm or less.
3. 3. The antifouling floor material according to item 1 or 2, which is used as a floor material for a toilet or washroom.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a floor material that exhibits good anti-slip properties and antifouling properties against general stains such as earth and sand, as well as antifouling properties against sesame salt stains. In particular, since the flooring material of the present invention has a ridge and a specific base region is continuously formed around the ridge, even if dirt adheres, it can be removed relatively easily. can. For this reason, even dirt (especially sesame salt stains) that could only be removed by wet cleaning in the past can be relatively easily removed by dry cleaning using existing or commercially available cleaning tools (especially dry cleaning tools) such as mops and rags. can be removed. That is, it is possible to relatively easily wipe off sesame and salt stains by dry cleaning with a dry or wet mop, dust cloth, etc., without pouring a relatively large amount of water on the floor surface.

A flooring material having such characteristics can be suitably used as a flooring material for a facility in which it is difficult to perform wet cleaning even though it is in a wet environment. In particular, the flooring material of the present invention is most suitable as a flooring material for toilets, washrooms, and the like, which are in an environment where they become dirty with muddy water.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the surface shape of the flooring of this invention. It is a schematic diagram when the flooring material of the present invention is viewed in plan. It is a schematic diagram when the flooring material of the present invention is viewed in plan. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the concept of the height difference (or the height of peaks) of unevenness in a base region in a cross-sectional curve output from a surface roughness measuring instrument. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the concept of the width of the base region in the cross-sectional curve output from the surface roughness measuring instrument; 1 is a diagram showing a layer structure of a floor material produced in Example 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the surface texture obtained by molding the embossing roll used in Example 1 with silicone resin. 1 shows the result (image) of the surface of Example 1 observed with a three-dimensional scanning electron microscope (3D-SEM). FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a part of a cross-sectional curve obtained by measuring the surface of the floor material of Example 1 with a surface roughness tester. It is a figure which shows a part of cross-sectional curve obtained by measuring the flooring material surface of the comparative example 1 with a surface-roughness measuring machine. It is a figure which shows a part of cross-sectional curve obtained by measuring the flooring material surface of the comparative example 2 with a surface-roughness measuring machine. It is a figure which shows a part of cross-sectional curve obtained by measuring the flooring material surface of the comparative example 3 with a surface-roughness measuring machine. It is a figure which shows a part of cross-sectional curve obtained by measuring the flooring material surface of the comparative example 4 with a surface-roughness measuring machine. It shows the appearance of a floor surface in which sesame and salt stains are applied to a conventional general flooring material. Black spots are sesame salt stains.

1. Antifouling Flooring Material The antifouling flooring material of the present invention (flooring material of the present invention) is a flooring material mainly composed of a synthetic resin,
(1) The surface of the flooring material consists of a substantially flat base region and peaks projecting upward from the base region,
(2) the base region has unevenness on the surface, and the height difference between the bottom of the recess and the top of the protrusion is 40 μm or less;
(3) the peak has a height of 50 μm or more from the top of the peak to the bottom of the recess in the base region;
(4) When the surface of the flooring material is viewed in plan, the ridges are island-like and independent of each other, and substantially all of the base regions are in communication.
It is characterized by

A. Surface Structure of the Flooring Material of the Present Invention An outline of the flooring material of the present invention will be described with reference to drawings. FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional structure (image diagram) near the surface of the flooring material of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the surface of the flooring material of the present invention is composed of a base region 11 and peaks 12 . The base region 11 has a substantially flat surface (that is, an uneven surface within a range lower than the peaks of the peaks 12), which is a so-called satin surface. The peak portion 12 exists in such a state as to protrude upward from the base region. In this way, the surface of the flooring material has a form as if peaks are scattered on a plain with a satin surface.

Moreover, FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a floor material surface in a wide area as viewed from the direction A in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the plurality of peaks 12 are scattered like independent islands, and substantially all of the base regions are in communication.

Here, the above-mentioned "mutually independent island shape" means that a base region is formed between each peak, and a plurality of peaks are in contact with each other and do not completely surround the base region. However, some peaks may be in contact with each other within a range that does not interfere with the effects of the present invention.

In addition, the above-mentioned "substantially all communicating" means that the base region on the surface of the flooring material is connected to one as a whole, and the base is isolated within the range that does not interfere with the effects of the present invention. It means that it may contain some area. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, an isolated base area (an area completely surrounded by ridges) 21 is allowed within a range that does not impede the effects of the present invention, but it allows dirt to be discharged smoothly. From this point of view, it is more preferable that the region 21 does not exist on the surface of the flooring material. Thus, in the flooring material of the present invention, even if dirt adheres to the surface of the flooring material, it can be discharged naturally or easily during cleaning by adopting a structure in which substantially all of the base regions are communicated with each other. Therefore, the floor surface can be kept relatively clean.

The overall shape itself as shown in FIG. 2, particularly the "mutually independent island shape" and the "substantially all communicating" points, are well known in, for example, a three-dimensional scanning electron microscope (3D-SEM). Or it can be confirmed with a commercially available analyzer.

Moreover, it is desirable that the peaks 12 are formed irregularly in a plan view of the floor surface. With no or little regularity, the anti-slip properties can be exhibited evenly in all plane directions.

Regarding the base region The base region has unevenness to the extent that it has a satin surface as described above. More specifically, the upper limit of the height difference is in the range of 40 μm or less, preferably 30 μm or less. Also, the lower limit is not limited, but is usually 1 μm or more, preferably 5 μm or more. By setting the degree of unevenness in the base region within the above range, more excellent antifouling properties and design properties can be obtained. Specifically, by forming unevenness within the above range, dirt-causing substances such as earth and sand come into point contact, making it difficult for the dirt to adhere, and even if it does adhere, it can be easily removed by dry cleaning. . In addition, since light is diffusely reflected by the satin surface due to unevenness, the glossiness of the mirror surface is lost, and the effect of making it difficult to visually recognize the adhesion of dirt is also obtained.

In the present invention, the height difference of the unevenness of the base region is determined by arbitrarily selecting a convex portion of the unevenness in the cross-sectional curve output from the surface roughness measuring machine, and determining the lower valley of the valleys on both sides of the convex portion. Refers to the difference between the bottom of the valley and the top of the convex portion. FIG. 4 schematically shows part of the cross-sectional curve. As shown in FIG. 4, when there is a peak T of a convex portion and valleys V1 and V2 on both sides thereof, the valley V2 is lower than the valley V1, so in that case the height difference is h. In the present invention, the height difference can also be expressed as an average value of height differences of 10 points (preferably 100 points) of the convex portions having a height difference of 40 μm or less.

A commercially available product can also be used as the surface roughness measuring device. An example of the commercially available product is "SURFCOM 130A-Monochrome" (Tokyo Seimitsu ACCRETECH Co., Ltd., Probe: DM43822). Such commercially available products can be similarly used in the measurement of each physical property described below.

The width of the basal region between adjacent peaks is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.5 mm or more and 15 mm or less, and more preferably 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less. As a result, it is possible to suppress or prevent retention or adhesion of sesame and salt stains while maintaining anti-slip properties.

In the present invention, the width of the base region between adjacent peaks can be measured by the following procedure. As a first step, as shown in FIG. 2, in a plan view of the surface of the flooring material, an arbitrary peak 12 is selected, and three peaks 12a, 12b, and 12c at the shortest distance from the peak are selected, Mark them all. As a second step, the unevenness of a straight line La that straddles the peaks of both the peaks 12 and 12a is measured by a surface roughness measuring machine, and the cross-sectional curve is output. As a third step, as shown in FIG. 5, a distance Wa between a valley V on the peak portion 12a side of the peak portion 12 and a valley Va on the peak portion 12 side of the peak portion 12a is measured from the obtained cross-sectional curve. This is the width of the base region. The width of the basal region can also be conveniently expressed as the average value of the widths of the basal region between 0.5 mm and 15 mm. In that case, following the third step, as a fourth step, the relationship between the peak portion 12 and the peak portion 12b is also similarly subjected to a series of steps from the first step to the third step to obtain the distance Wb. Ask for As a fifth step, the distance Wc is similarly obtained by performing a series of steps from the first step to the third step for the relationship between the peak portions 12 and the peak portions 12c. As a sixth step, average values of the distances Wa, Wb, and Wc obtained in the third to fifth steps are obtained. The average value of the three numerical values thus obtained can be used as the width of the base region in the present invention. Furthermore, the width of the base region in the present invention can be the average value of 30 pairs of combinations of Wa, Wb, and Wc (the number of samplings of widths to be measured is 90 in total).

The cross-sectional shape of the unevenness of the base region is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a shape with a steep slope or a gentle shape. In particular, in the present invention, it is preferable that neither the planar shape nor the cross-sectional shape of the unevenness in the base region have sharp corners. This makes it easier to discharge dirt attached to the surface of the floor material more reliably.

Moreover, in a plan view of the surface of the floor material, it is preferable that the unevenness of the base region is arranged irregularly. By arranging them randomly in this way, dirt can be uniformly removed regardless of which direction a cleaning tool such as a mop comes into contact with during cleaning.

Concerning the ridges The ridges are higher than the projections of the unevenness of the base region, and the height from the apex of the ridges to the bottom of the recesses of the base region is usually 50 μm or more. More specifically, the lower limit of the height is usually 50 µm or more, preferably 60 µm or more, and more preferably 70 µm or more. The upper limit of the height is usually 200 μm or less, preferably 150 μm or less, more preferably 130 μm or less. If it is at least the lower limit value, desired anti-slip properties can be exhibited, and if it is at most the upper limit value, desired antifouling property can be exhibited.

In addition, the height of the peak is the dimension from the highest peak of the peak to the bottom of the recess in the base region. Specifically, in the base region between two adjacent peaks, a concave portion of the unevenness in the base region is arbitrarily selected, and the dimension to the apex of the peak is measured. As a more specific measuring method, the same method as that for measuring the height difference of the unevenness of the base region may be used. That is, when it is assumed that the peak T of the cross-sectional curve in FIG. height. In the present invention, 10 points (preferably 50 points) of ridges having a height of 50 μm or more can be measured, and the average value thereof can be used as the height of the ridges for convenience.

The shape of the peaks in plan view is not particularly limited either, and may be, for example, substantially circular, substantially rectangular, irregular shape, or the like. The cross-sectional shape of the peaks is not particularly limited either, and may be a shape with a steep slope or a gentle shape. In this case, the hem width of the ridges is usually about 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm, particularly 0.7 mm to 1.5 mm, but is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the bottom width of the peak can be specified by the horizontal distance between the bottom of V1 and the bottom of V2 on both sides of the peak. This can also be represented by an average value like the height of the peaks.

In particular, in the present invention, it is preferable that neither the shape of the ridges in plan view nor the cross-sectional shape has sharp corners. As a result, the dirt adhering to the surface of the floor material can be more easily discharged. Moreover, in a plan view, it is preferable that the peaks are arranged irregularly. By arranging them randomly in this way, dirt can be uniformly removed regardless of which direction a cleaning tool such as a mop comes into contact with during cleaning. Such a shape can be confirmed, for example, based on a cross-sectional curve obtained by a surface roughness measuring instrument.

Although the density of the ridges in the flooring material of the present invention is not limited, it is generally preferable to be about 20 to 90 ridges/cm ² , particularly 30 to 70 ridges, from the standpoint of slip resistance and stain resistance. /cm ² is more preferable. By adjusting the content within the above range, better anti-slip properties and antifouling properties can be ensured. In addition, the above existence density was determined by checking the height of each ridge with a surface roughness measuring instrument, and arbitrarily selecting three fields of view of 1 cm × 1 cm in a plan view of the surface of the flooring material. etc. is the average number of peaks observed in each field of view.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, the surface of the flooring material is occupied by the base region and the ridges, and the ratio of the two in the plan view of the surface of the flooring material can also be appropriately set according to the desired anti-slip property. can be done. For example, the floor material surface is 100%, and the area ratio (%) is within the range of base region: peak = 50:50 to 90:10, and further within the range of base region: peak = 60:40 to 90:10. can be, but is not limited to. These ratios can be controlled, for example, by appropriately changing the surface shape and pattern of the embossing roll used in the production of the flooring material of the present invention.

Although the total thickness of the flooring material of the present invention is not limited, it is usually about 0.5 mm to 10 mm, preferably 1 mm to 5 mm.

B. Layer structure of the flooring material of the present invention The layer structure itself of the flooring material of the present invention may be composed mainly of a synthetic resin, and may include, for example, a resin-containing substrate layer. The resin-containing substrate layer may be used as a single layer as the flooring material of the present invention, or may be used as a laminate formed by laminating other layers. As for the layer structure itself as a laminate, a layer structure similar to that of a known or commercially available flooring material can be adopted. For example, it is possible to employ a laminate comprising a resin-containing substrate layer, a design layer and a clear layer in order from the bottom layer. This laminate may optionally contain other layers (adhesive layer, surface protective layer, etc.).

Examples of the resin-containing substrate layer include a layer containing at least one kind of synthetic resin such as vinyl chloride resin, polyolefin resin, polyurethane resin, and acrylic resin. In particular, at least one of vinyl chloride-based resins, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer-based resins, polypropylene-based resins, and the like can be preferably used in that high hardness can be obtained. A resin-containing substrate layer can be formed from a resin composition containing these synthetic resins as a main material. In this case, the resin composition may contain other components as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Examples thereof include plasticizers, fillers, stabilizers, processing aids, antifungal agents, flame retardants, antioxidants, lubricants, colorants and the like. In the present invention, "containing as a main material" means that the content of the component exceeds 50% by weight, preferably 70% by weight or more, more preferably 70% by weight or more, when the entire composition is 100% by weight. It means 80% by weight or more.

Moreover, the resin-containing substrate layer may be a single layer, or may be composed of a multilayer structure in which two or more layers of the resin-containing substrate layer are laminated. As the single layer, there is one that is composed of a single resin layer from the front surface to the back surface. Examples of the multi-layer include a single-layer sheet obtained by mixing vinyl chloride resin chips and integrating them by heating and pressing. Further, it may be a resin-containing substrate layer composed of multiple layers in which an upper layer, a reinforcing layer and a lower layer are laminated in order as described later, or a resin-containing substrate layer formed by laminating a plurality of resin layers having different compositions. good. In the case of multiple layers, the composition of each layer may be the same or different.

The resin-containing base material layer may contain a fibrous sheet as a reinforcing layer, if necessary. Examples of such a fibrous sheet include: a) a woven or nonwoven fabric sheet of organic fibers or inorganic fibers (hereinafter also referred to as "fiber sheet"); and b) the fiber sheet and the resin component of the soft resin-containing layer. At least one composite material containing

Examples of the fiber sheet a) include synthetic fibers made of high-molecular weight organic compounds, and woven or non-woven fabrics of natural fibers, glass fibers, carbon fibers, metal fibers, and the like. Nonwovens also include, for example, all spunbonds, felts, and the like. The composite material of b) includes a material obtained by impregnating the fiber sheet of b) with a synthetic resin. In addition, a material obtained by laminating the sheet-like body of the foam material of the above a) and the fiber sheet of the above b) can also be used. These can also use a commercial item. Therefore, for example, a commercially available glass mat or the like can be suitably used as the reinforcing layer.

The thickness of the reinforcing layer can be appropriately set according to the type of material forming the reinforcing layer, and is usually within the range of about 0.2 to 1 mm.

The reinforcing layer may be formed by laminating preformed reinforcing layer sheets at predetermined locations. Lamination may be carried out by bonding with an adhesive layer, or by heat-sealing (heat-sealing) a reinforcing layer sheet containing a resin component having heat-sealing properties to another layer. can also

The thickness of the resin-containing substrate layer is not limited, but it is usually about 0.5 mm to 2 mm, preferably 0.7 mm to 1.5 mm. This thickness is a value including the thickness of the reinforcing layer when the resin-containing substrate layer includes the reinforcing layer.

The method of forming the resin-containing base material layer is not particularly limited, and for example, a) a method using a preformed sheet, b) a coating liquid in which a resin component is dissolved or dispersed in a fiber sheet that serves as a reinforcing layer. Any method such as applying (paste) can be employed.

The design layer expresses a predetermined design such as a pattern, design, pattern, character, etc., and has a function of imparting design to the flooring material of the present invention.

The design layer is preferably formed from a composition containing a thermoplastic resin that can be easily bonded to the upper or lower layer. Examples of the thermoplastic resin include acrylic resins such as vinyl chloride resins, olefin resins, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, ethylene-methacrylate resins, amide resins, ester resins, vinyl acetate, olefin elastomers, styrene. At least one of various elastomers such as system elastomers, rubber, and the like can be used. In particular, it is preferable that the design layer is formed of a composition containing vinyl chloride resin as a main material. As a result, excellent flexibility is exhibited, and various designs can be easily formed by mixing a coloring agent or by printing, so that the design layer can be formed inexpensively and easily.

Various additives are blended in the composition forming the design layer. Examples of additives include at least one of fillers, plasticizers, flame retardants, stabilizers, antioxidants, lubricants, colorants, foaming agents, and the like. Known or commercially available products can be used for these.

The thickness of the design layer is not particularly limited, but is usually about 30 μm to 2.00 mm, preferably 50 μm to 1.50 mm, more preferably 70 μm to 1.00 mm.

A method for forming the design layer is not particularly limited. For example, a) a method in which a pattern is directly printed on the top surface of a thermoplastic resin sheet by a known printing method, b) a method in which a printed pattern film is laminated on the top surface of a thermoplastic resin sheet. c) a method of rolling a thermoplastic resin chip to form a pattern, d) a method of forming with a thermoplastic resin containing a colorant, e) a method of forming a thermoplastic resin containing colorants of different colors A method of forming by preparing a plurality of materials and kneading them, etc., can be mentioned.

The above-mentioned printing method is not limited, and for example, in addition to methods using various devices such as gravure printing, screen printing, and flexographic printing, printing using a transfer sheet, etc., can also be employed. In addition, a method of laminating a printed film having a design layer formed in advance on a resin film can also be used.

The clear layer is formed on the design layer to protect the design layer. The clear layer is formed, for example, from a resin composition containing a resin component as a main material. The resin component is not particularly limited, and the same materials as those used in known clear layers of flooring materials can be used. For example, at least one of vinyl chloride-based resins, polyolefin-based resins, acrylic-based resins, and polyester-based resins can be used. More specifically, thermoplastic resins such as polyvinyl chloride, low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polyester, and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer; unsaturated polyesters such as condensates of unsaturated dicarboxylic acids and polyhydric alcohols; At least one of. Among these, vinyl chloride-based resins are preferable because they are excellent in workability and strength.

Further, if the clear layer is transparent or translucent, it is possible to further enhance the distinguishability of the design layer formed therebelow, so it is preferable that the clear layer is more transparent.

Although the thickness of the clear layer is not particularly limited, it may be, for example, about 0.15 mm to 1.0 mm, particularly preferably 0.2 mm to 0.8 mm.

The surface protective layer has a function of protecting the upper layer from the outside. Therefore, it is desirable that the surface protective layer is formed as the outermost layer of the flooring material of the present invention, such as an upper layer of the clear layer.

The surface protective layer is formed, for example, from a resin composition containing a resin component as a main material. The resin component that can be used is not particularly limited. Specifically, an ionizing radiation curable resin such as an ultraviolet curable resin can be used. For example, at least one UV curable resin such as methacrylates such as polyester methacrylate, polyether methacrylate, polyol methacrylate, and melamine methacrylate, and acrylates such as polyester acrylate, epoxy acrylate, urethane acrylate, polyether acrylate, polyol acrylate, and melamine acrylate. is mentioned. Infringing goods can also be used. Such an ionizing radiation-curable resin can be coated by various coater methods, printing methods, etc., and then cured by irradiation with ionizing radiation such as ultraviolet rays to form a surface protective layer.

Among these, it is preferable to use an ultraviolet curable resin because it has surface hardness, transparency, and the like. If the surface protective layer is transparent or translucent, it is possible to further enhance the distinguishability of the design layer formed thereunder.

Although the thickness of the surface protective layer is not particularly limited, it may be, for example, about 0.01 to 0.05 mm, particularly preferably 0.015 to 0.030 mm.

As a method for forming the surface protective layer, for example, it can be formed by applying a coating liquid containing a resin component as described above and then curing the coating liquid. The curing method may be appropriately selected according to the type of the resin component, and can be carried out by, for example, aging, drying, ultraviolet irradiation, heating, and the like.

2. Method for producing antifouling flooring The method for producing the flooring of the present invention is not limited, but includes, for example: 1) A step of pressing an embossing roll from the design layer side of a laminated sheet containing a resin-containing substrate layer and a design layer. (embossing step) and 2) a step of forming a surface protective layer on the design layer (surface protective layer forming step) can be preferably employed. In addition, each layer may be formed by the method described above.

Embossing Step In the embossing step, an embossing roll is pressed from the design layer side of the laminated sheet including the resin-containing substrate layer and the design layer. Embossing can create a surface with integrally formed peaks and base region irregularities.

As the laminated sheet to be embossed, for example, in addition to a laminated sheet consisting of a resin-containing material layer/design layer, a laminated sheet consisting of a resin-containing material layer/design layer/clear layer, etc. can be employed. In these cases, the reinforcing layer may or may not be included in the resin-containing substrate layer.

The pressing itself with the embossing roll may be carried out in the same manner as the embossing of a known floor material. Therefore, known or commercially available embossing rolls (embossing plates) and equipment can be used.

However, a corresponding embossing roll is used to create a surface shape specific to the flooring material of the present invention. Also, the embossing process is not limited to one-time pressing with an embossing roll, and may be two or more pressings with embossing rolls having different surface patterns. Further, the embossing process may be a continuous type using a plurality of embossing rolls.

In the production of the flooring material of the present invention, the grooves of the embossing roll correspond to the ridges or the convexities of the base region, and about 40 to 50% of the depth of the embossing roll (groove depth) is reflected during transfer. be done. This is referred to as an emboss transfer rate of about 40-50%. Therefore, by designing the depth of the embossing roll by calculating backward from the height difference of the desired ridges or convexities of the base area, the desired base area and ridges can be formed more reliably.

Specifically, the embossing roll is preferably formed with gently recessed portions of, for example, 20 μm, 40 μm, 70 μm, 250 μm, or the like. For example, when the transfer rate is 50%, theoretically, the 250 μm recesses of the embossing roll form the ridges of the flooring material, and the 20 μm, 40 μm, and 70 μm recesses form the unevenness of the base area. becomes. In this embossing roll, if the embossing transfer rate is 50%, the height of the ridges of the floor material is theoretically 125 μm.

In the present invention, it is particularly preferable to use an embossing roll having grooves formed by etching. As a result, it is possible to more reliably form gentle unevenness as described above on the surface of the floor material. That is, as a result of being able to provide the embossing roll with grooves that are generally rounded and have no sharp corners, it is possible to efficiently form base regions and peaks that are substantially free of sharp corners. The etching method is not particularly limited. For example, the embossing roll can be etched according to a known method using a known or commercially available etchant.

Surface Protective Layer Forming Step In the surface protective layer forming step, a surface protective layer is formed on the design layer. In this case, when a clear layer is formed on the surface of the design layer, a surface protective layer is formed on the surface of the clear layer, and the surface protective layer becomes the outermost surface layer of the floor material.

The surface protective layer may be formed as described above. That is, it can be formed by applying a coating liquid containing a predetermined resin component and then curing the coating liquid. The curing method may be appropriately selected according to the type of the resin component, and can be carried out by, for example, aging, drying, ultraviolet irradiation, heating, and the like.

3. Use of Antifouling Flooring Material The flooring material of the present invention can be used as a flooring material in any location where slip resistance and antifouling properties are required. In particular, it can be suitably used as a floor material for toilets and the like.

The shape of the flooring material of the present invention when used is not particularly limited, and may be substantially rectangular (square, rectangle, rhombus, etc.) and various other shapes. The size can also be used within a range that fits within a rectangular frame of about 1 m×1 m, for example, but is not limited to this.

The method of installing the flooring material of the present invention may also follow the construction method of a normal flooring material. For example, the flooring material of the present invention is used by adhering it to a construction surface using an adhesive, and a floor structure composed of construction surface/adhesive layer/flooring material of the present invention can be constructed in this order from the bottom.

The adhesive is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include acrylic resin adhesives, rubber adhesives, urethane resin adhesives, epoxy resin adhesives, and emulsion-type water-based adhesives such as vinyl acetate. The flooring material of the present invention can be installed without any trouble even when using a urethane resin-based adhesive or an epoxy resin-based adhesive that generates a relatively large amount of gas.

In addition, the material of the construction surface is not particularly limited. etc. The construction surface is preferably a flat surface, more preferably a flat and relatively hard surface.

EXAMPLES Examples and comparative examples are shown below to describe the features of the present invention more specifically. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the examples.

Example 1
An antifouling flooring 10 composed of a laminate as shown in FIG. 6 was produced. First, a sheet capable of becoming the resin-containing base material layer 41 was prepared by laminating the lower layer 41b under the glass mat 41c serving as a reinforcing layer and the intermediate layer 41a on the glass mat 41c with a resin. More specifically, the “lower layer” paste shown in Table 1 was applied to the lower side of a commercially available glass mat (basis weight: 40 g/m ² ), and heated in an oven at 140°C for 1 minute to pre-gel. rice field. Next, the "middle layer" paste shown in Table 1 was applied to the upper side of the glass mat and heated in an oven at 140°C for 1 minute to pregel.

Next, after forming a design layer 42 by laminating a printed film on the pregelled intermediate layer 41a, the "clear layer" paste shown in Table 1 was applied on the design layer, and then placed in an oven. Each layer was gelled by heating at 200° C. for 3 minutes, and integrated while forming a clear layer 43 .

In addition, each component in Table 1 used the following.
Vinyl chloride resin: Trade name "Kanevinyl" manufactured by Kaneka Corporation. K value: 94.
Plasticizer: Dioctyl phthalate Filler: Calcium carbonate Stabilizer: Ba-Zn stabilizer Antibacterial agent: Zeomic KM10D (manufactured by Sinanen Zeomic)

An embossing roll was pressed from above the clear layer 43 of the laminated sheet thus obtained. In this embossing process, an embossing roll with grooves 30-250 μm deep with a pattern corresponding to the predetermined base areas and peaks was used. For reference, FIG. 7 shows the surface state formed by molding the embossing roll used with silicone resin. Since FIG. 7 shows a state in which the emboss transfer rate is 100%, when the same embossing roll is used to form the surface emboss of the antifouling flooring material, if the emboss transfer rate is 50%, the ridges and the base will be embossed. The height of the irregularities in the region is about half. After embossing, the surface of the clear layer 43 of the laminated sheet that has undergone such steps was coated with a coating liquid containing an ultraviolet curable resin, and then irradiated with ultraviolet rays to form a surface protective layer 44 .

In this manner, an antifouling flooring material composed of the laminate 10 as shown in FIG. 6 was produced. In addition, the unevenness|corrugation by embossing is abbreviate|omitted in FIG. This laminate 10 had a clear layer of 0.20 mm, a design layer of 0.15 mm, an intermediate layer of 0.30 mm, and a total thickness of the reinforcement layer and the lower layer of 1.4 mm. Moreover, the size of the laminate in plan view was 30 cm long×30 cm wide. The obtained laminate was cut into a size of 1 cm long×1 cm wide, and the surface properties of the surface (surface protective layer surface) were observed with a three-dimensional scanning electron microscope (3D-SEM). The results are shown in FIG. Furthermore, when the number of ridges on the surface of the obtained laminate was counted, the existence density of the ridges was about 57 pieces.

Test example 1
The surface properties of the flooring material obtained in Example 1 were examined with a surface roughness tester. More specifically, 1) the presence or absence of peaks of 50 μm or more, 2) whether or not the requirement that the unevenness of the base region is 40 μm or less is satisfied, and 3) the requirement that the width of the mutually adjacent base regions is 30 μm or more. 4) Whether or not the base region and peaks have rounded irregularities were confirmed. As a measuring device, mainly a surface roughness measuring machine (product number "SURFCOM 130A-Monochrome" (Tokyo Seimitsu ACCRETECH Co., Ltd., probe: DM43822) was used. The results are shown in Table 2. Table 2 shows a comparison The results of similarly investigating the surface properties of commercially available flooring materials are also shown as Examples 1 to 4. Furthermore, for each flooring material of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4, the output from the surface roughness measuring machine A portion of the cross-sectional curve is shown in FIGS. 9-13, respectively.

As is clear from the results in Table 2 and FIGS. 9 to 13, the floor material of Example 1 has peaks scattered in specific base areas on the surface thereof. In addition, while the cross-sectional curves of the floor materials of Comparative Examples 3 and 4 have sharp corners, Example 1 has no sharp corners, and the unevenness of the peaks and the base region is smooth without sharp corners. It can be seen that a curved line is drawn.

Test example 2
The flooring materials of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 were examined for antifouling properties and the like. Table 3 shows the results. In addition, the method of each test was implemented as follows.

(1) Tokyo Institute of Technology Test The floor materials of each example and comparative example were examined for dirt adhesion to the surface and dirt removability according to the Tokyo Institute of Technology dirt test method. A specific test method is as follows.
The floor material of each example and comparative example was cut into a rectangular shape of 15 cm long×15 cm wide, and three samples were prepared for each example and comparative example. The surface of the three samples opposite to the surface protective layer was placed in a regular hexagonal prism-shaped hollow container (6 The size of each of the two side surfaces was vertical (axial direction) x horizontal (circumferential direction) = 16.0 cm x 16.3 cm), and was attached to the inner wall of each side using double-sided tape. 150 g of silicon carbide (No. 80), 2 g of pastel powder, and 10 iron balls with a diameter of 3 cm were placed in this hollow container, and this container was rotated for 3 minutes (rotation speed: 20 rpm).
After the rotation was stopped, each sample was taken out from the container, and the surface (the surface of the surface protective layer in the case of the example, the surface of the surface layer in the case of the comparative example) was visually observed for contamination.
Subsequently, the surface of each sample was wiped with a dry cloth (dry wiping) and wet with water (water wiping), and the state of each stain after wiping was visually observed. This wet wiping assumes dry cleaning with a wet mop or rag.
The color difference ΔE from the initial adhesion stain, cloth wiping, and water wiping was measured with a color difference meter.

(2) BHM value <BHM test>
The floor materials of Examples and Comparative Examples were cut into squares of 22 cm long and 22 cm wide to prepare three samples of each. The surfaces of the three samples opposite to the surface protective layer were attached to the inner wall of a regular hexagonal prism-shaped hollow container. Six cubic rubber pieces measuring 5 cm long, 5 cm wide, and 5 cm high were placed in the hollow container, and the container was rotated clockwise for 15 minutes (rotation speed: 63 rpm) and then counterclockwise. was rotated for 15 minutes (rotation speed: 63 revolutions/minute). After the rotation was stopped, the sample was taken out and the contamination condition of the surface was visually observed.
Subsequently, the surface of each sample was wetted with water and wiped with paper (wiping with water), and the state of dirt after wiping was visually observed. This wet wiping assumes dry cleaning with a wet mop or rag.
The antifouling property and decontamination property of the surface after cleaning were visually evaluated according to the following criteria.
◎: Heel mark does not stick ○: Heel mark sticks, but can be wiped off in a short time with wet wiping △: Heel mark sticks, but can be wiped off with wet wiping over time ×: Slightly even after wiping with water Those with heel marks on

(3) Sesame salt stain <Sesame salt stain test>
A model sample of sesame salt stain was prepared according to the following procedure, and its removal effect was confirmed.
1. A square sample is prepared by cutting the floor sheet into a 300 mm square.
2. A mixture is prepared by mixing 3 g of pastel powder and 0.3 g of water. Pastel powder is finely crushed and sifted pastel pieces.
3. Apply the mixture to the center of the sample of Shaku, step on it with shoes for 1 minute, and let it spread over the entire surface of the sample of Shaku. .
4. Prepare a general long-handled “wiping mop” and a “bucket with a mop wringer”. Wet a wet mop with water and wring it out with a mop wringer. The surface of the soiled sample placed on the floor was reciprocated five times with a damp mop to remove surface soiling. This wet wiping assumes dry cleaning with a wet mop or rag.
5. The state of removal of dirt was visually observed and evaluated as follows.
◯: There was almost no sesame and salt stain, and it was removed cleanly.
Δ: Although sesame and salt stains were slightly observed, the level was acceptable in terms of appearance.
x: Many sesame-salt stains were observed.

(4) CSR value <CSR test>
Each flooring material was cut into a size of 30 cm long and 30 cm wide, and the CSR value was determined in a state where water and dust were scattered according to the slipping test of JIS A1454.

(5) Sensory slip evaluation <Sensory slip evaluation>
A sample piece of 500 mm square was produced. Approximately 200 ml of water was evenly sprinkled on the sample piece by shower. The evaluator stepped on the sample piece or kicked the sample piece to evaluate the degree of slippage. There were ten evaluators. The types of shoes were 4 leather shoes, 3 sports shoes, and 3 high heels.
[Evaluation criteria]
Five-level evaluation from 1 to 5. 1 is very slippery and 5 is the least slippery.

As is clear from the results in Table 3, the flooring material of Example 1, in particular, has a base region (within a vertical width of 40 μm) with gentle irregularities formed between the peaks, so that the recesses where sesame and salt stains accumulate. is not present, and the base region is formed with a constant width (30 μm or more), so that sesame and salt stains are less likely to accumulate. In addition, it can be said that sesame and salt stains are less likely to occur from this point of view because of the overall rounded uneven shape.
On the other hand, in Comparative Examples 3 and 4, since the depth of the concave portion is deep, it can be seen that dirt removal is poor. Furthermore, since the depth is shallow in Comparative Example 3, it can be seen that the slip resistance is poor. Also in Comparative Examples 1 and 2, since the flooring material of the present invention does not have a specific surface shape, it can be seen that the sesame and salt stains cannot be sufficiently removed with a wet mop.
Thus, it can be seen that the flooring material of the present invention exhibits high antifouling properties particularly against sesame and salt stains, and can exhibit good anti-slip properties.

Claims (5)

A flooring material mainly made of synthetic resin,
(1) The surface of the flooring material consists of a substantially flat base region and peaks protruding upward from the base region,
(2) the base region has unevenness formed on the surface thereof by a synthetic resin containing a plasticizer , and the height difference between the bottom of the concave portion and the top of the convex portion is 40 μm or less;
(3) the peak has a height of 50 μm or more from the top of the peak to the bottom of the recess in the base region;
(4) When the surface of the flooring material is viewed in plan, the ridges are island-like and independent of each other, and substantially all of the base regions are in communication.
An antifouling flooring material characterized by: 2. The antifouling flooring material according to claim 1, wherein the width of the base region between adjacent peaks is 0.5 mm or more and 15 mm or less. The antifouling flooring material according to claim 1 or 2, which is used as a flooring material for a toilet or washroom. The existence density of peaks is 20 to 90 pieces/cm ² The antifouling flooring material according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The antifouling flooring material according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the synthetic resin contains vinyl chloride resin.

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