RU2821210C1 - Finishing panel and method of producing finishing panels - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: construction.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a finishing panel, such as a floor, wall or ceiling panel. Finishing panel comprises at least one base and possibly an upper layer, wherein said base contains synthetic material and at least one filler. Filler is present in said base in amount of 30.0 to 47.5 wt. %, based on the weight of the base, and said at least one filler contains talc in an amount of at least 50 wt. %, based on total weight of said filler.

EFFECT: by providing a base with an optimized amount of filler and when selecting the type of filler, especially with a very low amount of plasticiser and preferably without a plasticiser, the invention solves such disadvantages of the finishing panel as the degree of curling, dimensional stability and expansion.

15 cl, 2 tbl, 5 ex

Description

Field of technology

The present invention relates to the field of finishing panels and methods for producing finishing panels.

State of the art

Finish panels, such as floor panels, wall panels and ceiling panels, can be produced by laminating or calendering multiple layers on top of each other, each layer being provided with a specific functional feature. Such panels are known in the art.

WO 2013/026559 describes a floor panel in the form of a multi-layer rectangular laminate with a soft inner layer of plastic, a decorative film on the top side of the inner layer, a transparent finishing layer and a clear lacquer layer applied to the finishing layer, as well as a layer with anti-tension properties on the reverse side inner layer, with a locking tongue and groove connection at at least two mutually opposite edges of the panel.

Other technologies provide panels with noticeably different compositions. WO 2014/108465 describes a specific composition comprising a propylene-based elastomer and polymer-containing floor covering waste, preferably polypropylene-containing carpet waste, and a surface covering in the form of a sheet, panel, tile or strip, in particular for covering a floor, wall or ceiling for interior or exterior decoration, including this composition.

However, an important disadvantage of finishing panels of the existing level of technology is a certain tendency to warp. Warping is the result of expansion and shrinkage and is often observed in sheet-type products that have a heterogeneous composition and/or contain areas of internal stress that develop during processing. More specifically, for laminate trim panels, it is believed that as the temperatures of the multi-layer laminate vary, varying degrees of shrinkage and/or expansion of the individual layers making up the multi-layer laminate impart either positive or negative warping to the laminated product. Due to expansion and/or shrinkage responsible for warping, installed panels typically become non-flat. As a result of warping, installed panels tend to separate from each other, leading to visible problems such as gaps between panels. Moreover, such panels have a weakened adhesion to the underlying surface and may peel off in the case of laminated panels.

Another factor determining the suitability of a panel for finishing applications is its dimensional stability. The base and top layer may have different properties, resulting in warping, poor dimensional stability and expansion.

It is believed that thermal stress during the manufacturing process is one of the reasons that contributes to the (different) shrinkage of the layers in the panel, which leads to warping. The post-processing annealing step can eliminate said thermal stress.

In thermoplastic laminate trim panels, the sandwich structure may further undergo irreversible structural change when the thermoplastic material is heated and cooled, causing poor dimensional stability.

Depending on the nature of the materials used to create the sandwich panel, expansion may occur.

Other disadvantages relate to problems in cutting the panel material during installation to ensure correct dimensions and to problems relating to mechanical strength, sound and thermal insulation and/or water repellency, density or weight of the panel, which are important during transport and installation.

Brief description of the invention

The present invention provides a solution to at least one of the above problems by providing a finishing panel and a method for producing finishing panels described in the claims.

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a finishing panel, such as a floor panel, wall panel or ceiling panel, comprising at least one base and optionally a top layer, wherein said base comprises a synthetic material and at least one filler, wherein said filler is present in the specified base in an amount of at least 20.0 wt. %, based on the weight of said base, and said at least one filler contains talc in an amount of at least 50 wt. %, based on the total mass of the specified filler.

The inventors unexpectedly discovered that the use of filler in an amount of at least 20.0 wt. % of the base and the use of talc as a filler significantly reduces the coefficient of thermal expansion of the base. This reduction in the tendency to expand upon heating and shrink upon cooling greatly improves the dimensional stability of the panel, particularly when the panel is heated to temperatures up to and above the glass transition temperature of the synthetic material. Moreover, when using talc, the base has high rigidity. Warping, poor dimensional stability and expansion of a trim panel are undesirable as they limit the practicality and life of the panel for use as a trim panel for a floor, wall or ceiling surface.

More importantly, the inventors have discovered that the finishing panels of the invention, containing two or more layers with different thermal characteristics, suffer minimally from irreversible dimensional change during the heating-cooling cycle, especially when heated to temperatures of 80°C, 70°C and even up to 60°C.

In addition, the inventors have surprisingly discovered that the degree of warpage, lack of dimensional stability and expansion can be significantly suppressed by providing the base with an optimized amount of filler and by selecting the type of filler, especially with a very low amount of plasticizer and preferably without plasticizer.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for producing trim panels, such as floor panels, wall panels or ceiling panels, each trim panel comprising at least one base and optionally a top layer, wherein said at least one base comprises a synthetic material and at least one filler, and the method includes the steps of:

- mixing synthetic material and at least one filler in an amount of at least 20.0 wt. % filler, based on the total weight of said mixture, where said at least one filler contains at least 50 wt. % talc by weight of the filler, thus obtaining a mixture,

- extruding said mixture to thereby obtain a base,

- if necessary, annealing the specified base,

- if necessary, laminating the top layer to the specified base, thereby obtaining a finishing panel.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Specifying numeric intervals using end values includes all numbers and fractions included in the interval, as well as the specified end values. All percentages should be understood as mass percentages, and abbreviated as mass. % unless otherwise specified or unless another meaning is obvious to one skilled in the art from its application and from the context in which it is used.

1. Finishing panel

The present invention relates to surface coverings, such as flooring, made from rigid panels or tiles that can be assembled together, for example, by mechanical connections. This document often refers only to panels to simplify discussion. Throughout this document, when reference is made to “panels” of the present invention, the description thereof may be understood to apply equally to “tiles” unless otherwise indicated.

The finishing panel of the present invention can be any surface covering such as a floor panel, a wall panel, a ceiling panel and the like. Trim panel can be used in essentially any room in a home or industrial setting, including the kitchen, bathroom, living room, dining room, recreation room, garage and outdoor living space such as a porch, deck, shed, deck, gazebo, etc. P. The finishing panels of the present invention can be used for interior and exterior decoration, mainly because the finishing panels of the present invention are water-resistant and do not warp when wet. In fact, the warpage of the surface coatings of the present invention is negligibly small (eg, zero or zero to less than 0.01 mm or 0.0001 mm to less than 0.001 mm) when tested LF 3.2 NALFA LF 01-2003. Thus, the waterproof panel can be used indoors or outdoors. For example, the panels are so water-resistant that they do not warp when submerged in water for several hours. In addition, the panels are resistant to various chemicals and detergents and can therefore even be used in industrial, leisure or garage environments.

When the base of the invention is provided in the form of a laminate, the panel laminate structure contains various layers of plastic materials. It has excellent sound-absorbing properties. The layers, especially the structure and composition of the base, contribute to sound absorption, so the panel is excellent in this aspect.

The definition of the expression "laminate" used in the present invention must be understood in the broad sense of the word, implying that the laminate consists of two or more layers of materials. These materials may have various properties, such as, but not limited to: light and sound impermeability, density, modulus of elasticity, modulus of elastic compression, material composition, thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion, electrical conductivity, abrasion resistance, etc.

The trim panel may be of any suitable length and/or width and may be provided in any shape, such as a rounded shape and a polygonal shape (triangle, rectangle, square, pentagon, hexagon, heptagon or octagon). Preferably the coating is provided in the shape of a rectangle or square. The panels of the present invention can also have a three-dimensional shape, such as an angle-type shape, which can be suitably used as a panel connection between surfaces that are perpendicular to each other, for use, for example, in wall and ceiling coverings with a printed image and an embossed surface, and even for stairs. In one preferred embodiment, the panel may be formed as a rectangle with two pairs of opposite sides, where the pairs of sides may be the same or different lengths relative to each other. In one example, the panel is a rectangle. The rectangular panel may have opposite shorter sides having a width, for example, from 10 cm to 50 cm, preferably from 10 cm to 30 cm, or other width, and opposite longer sides, having a length, for example, from 50 cm to 300 cm , preferably from 80 cm to 250 cm, or other length. In one example, the panel may also be square in shape and have four sides of equal length. In one example, the surface coverings of the present invention may be, for example, square-shaped panels. The dimensions of these panels are not necessarily limited in terms of large dimensions, except for possible practical considerations, for example in relation to transport and unloading and the like. Smaller panel sizes should suitably allow for the formation and application of profiled panel edges. In some examples, the panels have square shapes with a side length of from 20 cm to 100 cm, preferably from 25 to 80 cm, more preferably from 30 cm to 60 cm, or other side length.

The finishing panel of the present invention may further include connecting parts for assembling multiple panels with each other. Connection mechanisms have been widely used for many years and are well known to those skilled in the art. The most popular fasteners are adhesive-free interlocking systems, in which both horizontal and vertical interlocking of panels is achieved using a lip along one side (edge) and a groove along the opposite side (edge) of the panel. Typically tongue and groove coupling systems are fabricated along with the panel. An alternative clutch system includes a plurality of staggered folded projections extending outward from the edges of the panel. Such a system is, for example, described in European patent application 14164155.5, BerryAlloc NV. Accordingly, in one preferred embodiment, the invention provides a trim panel comprising a backing with one or more engaging means for engaging adjacent trim panels.

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a finishing panel, such as a floor panel, wall panel or ceiling panel, comprising at least one base and optionally a top layer, wherein said base comprises a synthetic material and at least one filler, wherein said filler is present in the specified base in an amount of at least 20.0 wt. %, based on the total weight of said base, and said at least one filler contains talc in an amount of at least 50 wt. %, based on the total mass of the specified filler.

This is advantageous because the optimized amount and type of filler, preferably in combination with a low amount of plasticizer or even without it, provides a high-stiffness base that has a reduced degree of expansion and shrinkage. Using this backing in the final trim panel significantly reduces warping, improves dimensional stability and reduces the amount of expansion of the trim panel. Poor dimensional stability, expansion and warping of the finishing panel are undesirable as they limit the practicality and service life of the panel for use as a floor, wall or ceiling surface covering. Ideally, such panels remain flat in an undisturbed position for long periods of time under conditions of varying exposure to humidity, water (for example, during cleaning) and temperature.

Without limiting ourselves to any theoretical or mechanical conclusions, the authors believe that due to the heterogeneous technical characteristics of the layer and, in the case of laminates, under the influence of temperature differences, varying degrees of shrinkage and/or expansion of the individual layers constituting a multi-layer laminate impart either positive, or negative warping of a product such as a trim panel.

The inventors also believe that the lower coefficient of thermal expansion of the base leads to less deformation of the finishing panel when heated, for example, up to 80°C, 70°C and even up to 60°C. At these temperatures, the substrate undergoes plastic deformation, resulting in permanent deformation of the finishing panel after returning to room temperature.

Faced with the problem of poor dimensional stability, expansion and warping of the trim panel, a person skilled in the art would be inclined to introduce a reinforcing layer, i.e., non-woven fiberglass, to increase the rigidity of the trim panel, thereby attenuating any warping effects. The inventors have surprisingly discovered that the degree of expansion and warping can be significantly reduced by providing a finishing panel having a core with an optimized selected type and optimized amount of filler according to the invention and preferably a low amount or even no plasticizer, thereby increasing dimensional stability.

Another important advantage of this panel is that it can be cut with a sharp, durable knife. No saw is required to cut the panel into pieces because it is primarily made up of layers of plastic materials. This makes the installation process very easy even for untrained people. In most cases, even a cut on the surface of the panel is enough to create a line of softening on the top surface of the panel, so that it can subsequently be broken along this line.

In a preferred embodiment, the base contains at least 25.0 wt. % filler, based on the total weight of said base, and more preferably at least 30.0 wt. %. Experiments show that increasing the amount of core filler improves panel properties such as increased dimensional stability, reduced expansion and limited warping. In a preferred embodiment, the base contains no more than 50.0 wt. % filler, based on the total weight of said base, and most preferably no more than 47.5 wt. %. When the amount of filler becomes too high, especially in combination with a low amount of plasticizer, extrusion of the filler with the synthetic material becomes difficult.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the invention provides a finishing panel according to the first aspect, in which said filler is present in an amount of from 30.0 to 47.5 wt. %, based on the total weight of the specified base. Preferably, said filler is present in the base in an amount of from 35 to 45 wt. % and more preferably in an amount from 38 to 43 wt. %, based on the total weight of the specified base.

In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a finishing panel according to the first aspect, wherein said base has a thickness of from 1.0 to 5.0 mm and preferably from 1.5 to 4.0 mm and more preferably from 2.0 to 3.5 mm .

In a preferred embodiment, the base has a thickness of from 1 mm to 5 mm.

In one embodiment, the base has a thickness of from 1.0 mm to 2.5 mm, and more preferably a thickness of from 1.5 mm to 2.0 mm. Such finishing panels can be effectively used, namely for adhesive floor panels without mechanical adhesion systems, wall panels or ceiling panels in which the requirements for very high mechanical strength are limiting.

In one embodiment, the base has a thickness of from 2.5 mm to 4.5 mm, and more preferably a thickness of from 3.0 to 4.0 mm. Such finishing panels can be effectively used, namely, for floor panels for which the mechanical strength requirements are high, but the surface density (g/m ² ) of the panel is preferably low to ensure environmentally friendly transportation and ease of installation.

In the context of the present description, the “dimensional stability” of the finishing panel is measured “according to DIN EN ISO 23999 at 70°C”. Thus, it is assumed that the finishing panel is heated at 70°C±2°C for 6 hours, while according to DIN EN ISO 23999 the finishing panel is heated at 80°C±2°C for 6 hours. Other test parameters were identical to those described in DIN EN ISO 23999.

In preferred embodiments, the invention provides a finishing panel according to the first aspect having a dimensional stability in the range of -0.20% to +0.20%, determined according to DIN EN ISO 23999 at 70°C. Preferably, said panel has dimensional stability in the range of -0.15% to +0.15% and more preferably in the range of -0.10% to +0.10% and even more preferably in the range of -0.05% to +0.05%, determined according to DIN EN ISO 23999 at 70°C.

In one preferred embodiment, the invention provides a finishing panel comprising a base comprising a synthetic material and a filler in an amount of from 20 to 50 wt. %, based on the total weight of said base, where said at least one filler contains talc in an amount of at least 50.0 wt. %, based on the total mass of said filler, and said finishing panel has a dimensional stability in the range of -0.20% to +0.20%, determined according to DIN EN ISO 23999 at 70°C. Preferably, said base is substantially free of plasticizer. More preferably, said finishing panel contains a base containing a synthetic material and at least one filler in an amount of from 30.0 to 47.5 wt. %, based on the total weight of said base, where said at least one filler contains talc in an amount of at least 50.0 wt. %, based on the total mass of said filler, and said finishing panel has a dimensional stability in the range of -0.20% to +0.20%, determined according to DIN EN ISO 23999 at 70°C, and more preferably in the range of -0 .10% to +0.10%, determined according to DIN EN ISO 23999 at 70°C.

1.1 Synthetic material

The term "synthetic material" as used in the context of this invention is to be understood as including one polymer or a mixture of two or more polymers. The synthetic material may be composed of any one or more polymers. For example, the synthetic material may consist of a thermoplastic or thermoset polymer. The synthetic material can be composed of any polymer, including mixtures of natural and synthetic polymers. The synthetic material may be, for example, a thermoplastic polymer, a thermoset polymer, rubber (elastomer), or any combination thereof. In addition, the synthetic material may be composed, for example, of any type of polymer such as a homopolymer, copolymer, random polymer, interleaved polymer, graft polymer, block copolymer, star polymer, comb polymer, cross-linked polymer and/or vulcanized polymer . A synthetic material may consist of one or more polymer blends. The synthetic material may, for example, be composed of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN), a simultaneously interpenetrating polymer network (IPO) or an interpenetrating elastomeric network (IPE).

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a trim panel according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein said synthetic material is a thermoplastic material or a thermoset material or a mixture thereof.

The synthetic material may, for example, consist of a silicone-containing polymer, for example polydimethylsiloxane, fluorosilicones, organosilicon polymers or organosilicon hybrid polymers. Other examples of synthetic materials include, but are not limited to, olefin-containing, diene-containing, and butene-containing polymers and copolymers. Examples of elastomers include styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) solution, natural rubber, SBR emulsion, polybutadiene, polyisobutadiene, polyisoprene, polychloroprene, nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM), ethylene-propylene copolymer (EPDM). EPM), isobutene elastomers and their functionalized or modified derivatives or mixtures thereof. Other examples of polymers include, but are not limited to, linear and nonlinear polymers such as polyethylene, poly(vinyl chloride), polyisobutylene, polystyrene(s), polycaprolactam (nylon), polyisoprene, and the like. Other common classes of polymers include polyamides, polycarbonates , polyelectrolytes, polyesters, polyesters, (polyhydroxy)benzenes, polyimides, sulfur-containing polymers (such as polysulfides, (polyphenylene)sulfide and polysulfones), polyolefins, polymethylbenzenes, polystyrene and styrene copolymers (including acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer (ABS) )), acetal polymers, acrylic polymers, acrylonitrile polymers and copolymers, halogen-containing polyolefins (such as polyvinyl chloride and polyvinylidene chloride), cellulose acetate, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyacrylonitrile, fluoropolymers and fluoroplastics, ionomer polymers, polymers containing ketone group(s) ), polyketones, liquid crystalline polymers, polyamide imide, polyaryletherketone, polymers containing olefin double bond(s) (such as polybutadiene, polycyclopentadiene), polyphenylene oxides, polyurethanes, thermoplastic elastomers, polyolefins (such as polyethylene, 1 -butene, polypropylene, 1-hexene, 1-octene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, substituted alpha-olefins, etc.), polyolefin copolymers (such as copolymers of ethylene, 1-butene, propylene, 1-hexene, 1-octene, 4-methyl-1-pentene and substituted alpha-olefins, etc.), polyolefin terpolymers, polycarbonates, silicone polymers, alkyd, epoxide, unsaturated polyester, vinyl ester, urea, melamine or phenol-formaldehyde resins and so on. Other examples of the polymer may be an acrylic polymer, a methacrylic polymer, or a styrene polymer, or a silicone polymer. The polymer present in the synthetic material of the present invention may be a polyolefin. The molecular weight of the polymer may be, for example, from 10,000 to 1,000,000, or from 50,000 to 500,000, or from 100,000 to 200,000, or other values based on weight average molecular weight.

In one specific example, the polymer material is a thermoplastic polymer, which includes, but is not limited to, vinyl-containing thermoplastics such as polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl butyral and other vinyl and vinylidene resins and copolymers thereof; polyethylenes such as low-density polyethylenes and high-density polyethylenes and copolymers thereof; styrene such as ABS, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN), and polystyrene and its copolymers, polypropylene and its copolymers; saturated and unsaturated polyesters; acrylic compounds; polyamides such as those containing nylon; engineering plastics such as polycarbonate, polyimide, polysulfone and polyphenylene oxide and sulfide resins, etc.

In a preferred embodiment, said thermoplastic material consists of a polymer or a mixture of two or more polymers with a high amorphous phase content and a low degree of crystallinity, determined by differential scanning calorimetry in a nitrogen atmosphere from room temperature to 250°C with a temperature increase of 10°C/min , measured according to ISO 11357-2. In a preferred embodiment, said polymer or said mixture of two or more polymers is formulated to have a degree of crystallinity of less than 40% as measured by differential scanning calorimetry. More preferably, said degree of crystallinity is less than 20% and even more preferably less than 10%. Most preferably, said degree of crystallinity is 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 10%, or any value in between. This is advantageous because a thermoplastic material containing a polymer or a mixture of two or more polymers with a high amorphous phase content exhibits a reduced degree of shrinkage during cooling of the thermoplastic melt and exhibits increased dimensional stability. Moreover, such polymers or polymer blends exhibit good impact resistance as well as excellent processability during secondary processing such as blending and high frequency bonding.

The synthetic material being processed may be in powder, liquid, briquetted, granular or any other extrudable form. Also, synthetic material can be virgin, recycled, or a mixture of both. Moreover, the synthetic material can be combined with blowing agent(s), or a mechanically injected gas, or a supercritical fluid, such as supercritical carbon dioxide, during the extrusion process to create a cellular foam structure.

The synthetic material used to form the base, which may be polyvinyl chloride, may be a homopolymer resin produced by slurry or bulk polymerization having a preferred molecular weight as reflected by its K value. The K value of a polymer is a measure of the chain length of the polymer and is described detailed by K. Fikentscher in "Cellulosechemie", 13, 58 (1932). The preferred K value of the polymer in the synthetic material is from 55 to 70 and preferably the molecular weight and particle size distribution is narrow to provide a good balance between processability and material properties. It has been observed that synthetic material with lower K values is preferred for foam applications. Also, high porosity and uniform porosity of the resin particles are preferred to optimize aspects of compounding and processing, including rapid and uniform absorption of any stabilizers present, as well as other ingredients, during compounding. The synthetic material mixture used to form the base may be a PVC powder mixture, which has good impact strength, good processability, high extrusion speed, good surface properties, excellent dimensional stability and indentation resistance.

In one example, the synthetic material may comprise a vinyl chloride homopolymer and a vinyl copolymer, such as a vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, wherein the vinyl chloride homopolymer may be present in the composition in an amount of from about 1 wt. % to more than 50 wt. % of the combined amount of vinyl chloride homopolymer and vinyl copolymer, such as vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer (e.g., from about 1 wt. % to about 20 wt. %, from about 20 wt. % to about 40 wt. %, from about 40 wt. % % to about 60 wt.%, from about 60 wt.% or more, about 70 wt.% or more, or from about 75 wt.% to about 99 wt.%. As a non-limiting example, the amount of vinyl chloride homopolymer in the starting polymer can range from about 80 wt. % to about 99 wt. % of the combined amount of vinyl chloride homopolymer and vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, or may be from about 70 wt. % up to 99 wt. % (or more) of the combined amount of vinyl chloride homopolymer and vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, or may be from about 80 wt. % up to 90 wt. % of the combined amount of vinyl chloride homopolymer and vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer. The vinyl chloride copolymer and homopolymer can have any K value or molecular weight and preferably have a K value of 50 to 70, more preferably 55 to 65, and most preferably 56, 58, 60, 62 or 64, or any value in between.

In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a trim panel according to the first aspect, wherein said synthetic material comprises a recycled thermoplastic polymer (eg, recycled PVC or recycled polyvinyl butyral). In a preferred embodiment, said synthetic material contains a recyclable thermoplastic polymer in an amount of from 1 wt. % up to 70 wt. %, based on the total weight of the synthetic material and more preferably more than 5 wt. %, and even more preferably more than 10 wt. %. Most preferably, the synthetic material contains a recyclable thermoplastic polymer in an amount of from 40 wt. % up to 60 wt. %. Recycled material results in improved cost-effectiveness of the base material.

1.2 Filler

In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a finishing panel according to the first aspect, wherein said core filler contains at least 60 wt. % and preferably at least 80 wt. % talc, based on the total weight of the specified filler. More preferably, said filler contains at least 85 wt. % talc, at least 90 wt. % talc, at least 95 wt. % talc. Most preferably, said filler consists essentially of talc. Talc has proven to be the preferred choice as a core material with respect to filler availability and technical considerations such as improved rigidity, improved dimensional stability, reduced expansion and reduced warpage of the base and panel.

In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a trim panel according to the first aspect, wherein said filler comprises talc and one or more other fillers with a weight ratio of talc to other filler(s) of greater than 1.0. Preferably, said ratio is greater than 1.2, or more preferably greater than 2.0; 5.0; 10.0; 15.0 or even more than 19.0. The results showed that the dimensional stability of the panel improved significantly with increasing talc content. It was found that the finishing panel according to the invention containing a base with 40 wt. % filler, where said filler contains 61 wt. % talc and 39 wt. % chalk, shows a dimensional stability of -0.15%, determined according to DIN EN ISO 23999 at 70°C. When using a talc content of 57 wt. % and 95 wt. % achieve dimensional stability of -0.10% and -0.05%, respectively, determined according to DIN EN ISO 23999 at 70°C.

Accordingly, a base with a high elastic modulus is obtained. This allows the mass/stability ratio of the panel to be optimized, for example by optimizing the core void volume, as explained later in this document. In one preferred embodiment, the base is rigid. The term "rigid" in the context of the present invention refers to the characteristic of a substrate or panel with a modulus of elasticity of 1000 MPa or higher, measured according to ISO 527, a glass transition temperature ( _Tg ) of 60°C or higher, measured according to ISO 11357-2, and Vicat heat resistance 50°C or higher, measured according to ISO 306-A-50. Surprisingly, it has been found that an extremely high elastic modulus is not necessary for the desired results. A base having an elastic modulus at room temperature of 1000 MPa to 7000 MPa and preferably 1000 MPa to 3000 MPa has proven sufficient. However, it is possible to provide bases with a modulus of elasticity of 2000 MPa or higher, and more preferably with a modulus of elasticity of 4000 MPa or higher. Preferably, said base has a glass transition temperature ( _Tg ) of 60°C or higher, and more preferably a glass transition temperature ( _Tg ) of 70°C to 90°C, and even more preferably of 70°C to 80°C.

In another preferred embodiment, said base contains a filler, wherein said filler predominantly consists of a mixture of talc and chalk and the weight ratio of talc to chalk is greater than 1.0, preferably greater than 1.2, or more preferably greater than 2.0; 5.0; 10.0; 15.0 or even more than 19.0. Thus, it is intended that at least 80 wt. % and more preferably at least 90 wt. % of the specified filler consists of talc and chalk. Most preferably, said filler consists of at least 95 wt. % talc and chalk. In the most preferred embodiment, said filler consists of talc and chalk with a talc to chalk ratio of greater than 1.0, preferably greater than 1.2, or more preferably greater than 2.0; 5.0; 10.0; 15.0 or even more than 19.0.

The filler may further include any other filler, including any conventional filler that can be used in solid vinyl tiles and/or rubber compositions. The filler may be a natural filler or a synthetic filler. The filler can be in the form of particles, short fibers, flakes and other dispersed forms. The panel having the base preferably uses an inorganic filler. Examples of inorganic fillers may include, but are not limited to, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium carbonate, magnesium calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, silica, precipitated silica, fumed silica, fly ash, cement dust, clay, limestone, marble, mica, calcium carbonate, barium sulfate, silicates, aluminum trihydrate, kaolin, wollastonite, gypsum, solid or hollow glass microspheres, etc. Inorganic fillers can be, for example, mineral fillers. The filler may also be a non-mineral or organic filler such as carbon black, wood flour, cellulose-derived materials, milled rice hulls, solid or hollow temperature-stable polymer microspheres or microbeads (eg, phenolic microspheres), and the like. Carbon black, for example, can be used as a filler in rubber-containing backing or other types of panel backing.

The base may further comprise at least one filler or source of filler, such as post-manufacturing or post-consumer recycled materials such as gypsum, glass, energy by-products, wood, plastic or parts thereof, PVC, recycled vinyl tile, etc. .P. or all of them.

In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a finishing panel according to the first aspect, wherein said filler material consists of particles and at least 95% of said particles have a size between 5 µm and 200 µm, measured according to ISO 13317-3. Preferably, said particles have a size of from 10 μm to 150 μm, and more preferably from 15 μm to 100 μm.

In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a finishing panel according to the first aspect, wherein at least one filler contains natural fibers.

In a preferred embodiment, the synthetic material further comprises natural fibres, preferably fibers derived from plants, such as fruit fibres, such as coconut fibres; seed fibers such as cotton fibers, kap fibers; bast fibers such as flax fibers, hemp fibers, jute fibers, ramie fibers, rattan fibers, grape fibers; hardwood fibers such as sisal fibers, banana fibers, agave fibers, manila hemp fibers; and stem fibers such as wheat fibers, rice fibers, barley fibers, wood fibers, grass fibers, bamboo fibers, cork fibers. In a preferred embodiment, said natural fibers include cellulosic fibers such as cotton and flax, hemicellulose fibers and/or processed cellulosic fibers such as rayon, rayon and cellulose acetate fibers. In many cases, these fibers can provide an alternative to commonly used reinforcing layers, such as fiberglass layers, and thus offer an environmentally friendly alternative to glass fibers. In addition, carefully selected natural fibers, such as wood fibers, make it possible to provide a natural look and, when present in large quantities in said synthetic material and partially penetrate the surface, even a natural feel of the suitably prepared base. In a preferred embodiment, the base comprises wood, bamboo and/or cork. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the base is a wood-plastic composite material containing wood flour and/or wood fibres.

In a preferred embodiment, said natural fibers are contained in an amount of from 1 wt. % up to 20 wt. %, based on the total weight of the specified base. More preferably, said natural fibers are present in an amount of 2 wt. % up to 5 wt. %, based on the total weight of the specified base.

The base may consist, for example, of one or more layers containing a mixture of polymeric material and filler, in the form of a sheet. The synthetic material may form, for example, a continuous phase in which the filler is dispersed as a dispersed phase. In another example, the base may comprise a laminate of various layers, including one or more base layers (e.g., two or three or more base layers that may be the same or different in composition and/or physical properties), each layer containing a mixture of synthetic material and filler.

In one preferred embodiment, the present invention describes a trim panel according to the invention, wherein said base contains 100 parts synthetic material, 75 parts filler, 4 parts stabilizer, 0.5 parts processing aid and 2 parts lubricant, wherein said filler is talc.

In another preferred embodiment, the present invention describes a finishing panel according to the invention, in addition to finishing panels, containing a base containing 100 parts of synthetic material, 75 parts of filler, 4 parts of stabilizer, 0.5 parts of processing aid and 2 parts of lubricant, wherein said filler is talc, fiberglass, mica or wollastonite.

1.3 Top layer

In one embodiment, the panel comprises a base and a top layer. In one embodiment, the top layer comprises a printed layer or printed film and a wear layer. The top layer is entirely attached to the upper surface of the base. The top layer may also in some cases comprise a backing layer below the printed image and a protective layer on top of the wear layer. The top layer(s) may be, for example, PVC, olefins, urethane, ionomer, acrylic, polyester, thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), thermoset polyurethane (TPU), or other materials commonly used for this type of layer or material. The protective layer may be, for example, a thermally curable coating system such as a water-based polyurethane dispersion system, a water-based acrylic compound, or a vinyl emulsion coating, or a radiation-curable coating system such as epoxyurethane or polyester acrylates, or other materials typically used for this type of layer or materials.

In one embodiment, the top layer further comprises natural fibers. Preferably, said natural fibers are obtained from plants such as those described above. Carefully selected natural fibers can be selected from the list of natural fibers described above. For example, wood fibers provide a natural appearance when present in large quantities in said synthetic material. In a preferred embodiment, said natural fibers are contained in an amount of from 1 wt. % up to 20 wt. %, based on the total mass of the specified top layer. More preferably, said natural fibers are contained in an amount of 2 wt. % up to 5 wt. %.

As indicated, some panels of the present invention may have a laminate structure in which the substrate comprises a multi-layer substrate, which in this embodiment may be referred to as a layered substrate, and the substrate has a top surface and a printed layer located or attached to the surface of the substrate. The printed layer has a top surface and a bottom surface. The wear layer attached on the surface of the printed layer has a top surface and a bottom surface. Between the bottom surface of the printed layer and the top surface of the base, a lining layer can be positioned and attached if necessary. These panels do not require a backing, but in some cases they may have a backing.

Said support may contain synthetic material and natural fibers, preferably in an amount of 1 wt. % up to 20 wt. %, based on the total weight of said substrate and more preferably in an amount of 2 wt. % up to 5 wt. %.

In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a finishing panel according to the first aspect, wherein said top layer comprises a reinforcing layer, preferably a glass fiber layer. Examples of reinforcing layers are described below.

In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a finishing panel according to the first aspect, wherein said top layer comprises an elastic layer.

1.4. Printed image

In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a finishing panel according to the first aspect, wherein said top layer comprises a printed layer or a printed film.

In a more preferred embodiment, said printed layer comprises a printed decorative layer, as described later herein.

In one embodiment, the printed layer may be a printed PVC plastic film. The printed plastic film is a printed plastic film, preferably a thermoplastic film, as described later herein.

In one embodiment, the base is prepared by extruding at least one thermoplastic material containing filler in an amount of from 30.0 to 47.5 wt. %, based on the total weight of said base, possibly containing one or more dyes, wood fibers, wood particles, etc., after which a printed design is applied directly to the base. The printed design can be directly applied to the substrate using any technology known in the art.

Preferably, the printed design is applied using laser printing, inkjet printing, intaglio printing, screen printing, or any combination thereof. Preferably, the printed design is applied using digital printing technology such as inkjet printing or laser printing. The use of digital printing technologies improves the applicability of the process and provides a greater degree of flexibility in the printed designs that can be applied to the substrate compared to similar printing technologies such as screen printing and gravure printing. Other preferred embodiments involving a printed design applied directly to the substrate are described in co-pending European patent application EP 15151552.5, entitled “Coating and Method for Making Finishing Panels,” filed by the applicant on January 16, 2015.

1.5 Wear layer

The wear layer can be made from any suitable material known in the art for producing such wear layers, for example, polymer film or textured paper. The wear layer may be, for example, a transparent layer of polyvinyl chloride. The dry film thickness of this PVC wear layer is preferably from about 0.10 mm to about 1.00 mm, and more preferably from about 0.25 mm to about 0.70 mm. Other examples of this wear layer include, but are not limited to, acrylic polymers, polyolefins, and the like. The wear layer may be a plasticized or rigid polyvinyl chloride composition and/or other polymers such as pure polymers.

The wear layer may further comprise a topcoat, which may be a thermoset layer or a thermoplastic layer. The wear layer topcoat may be, for example, a water-based system, a solvent-based system, a radiation-curable system, a non-radiation-curable system, an ultraviolet-curable system, or a non-ultraviolet-curable system. For example, the wear layer topcoat may consist of acrylics, acrylates, urethanes, epoxy compounds, other types of vinyl, other types of polymers, and mixtures thereof, as long as the composition is cured to produce a rigid thermoset coating with an appropriate cross-link density.

In the present invention, one or more layers, such as a wear layer and/or a wear layer overcoat (eg, a protective layer), may contain wear-resistant particles. One example is at least one layer containing aluminum oxide. The aluminum oxide used in the present invention is also known as alumina or Al ₂ O ₃ . Aluminum oxide can be fused or calcined. The refractive index may be from about 1.4 to about 1.7.

1.5 Volume of voids

In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a finishing panel according to the first aspect, wherein said base has a void volume of 10 vol. % up to 70 vol. %, determined according to ISO 4590. Preferably, said base has a void volume of 30 vol. % up to 50 vol. % and more preferably from 35 vol. % up to 45 vol. %. Most preferably, said support has a void volume of about 40 vol. %. Providing a rigid trim panel with optimized filler content and high void volume ensures a low weight trim panel without negatively impacting the mechanical durability of the panel. This is an advantage since the low weight of these panels is advantageous during transportation and installation, while the excellent mechanical properties ensure a long service life of the panels.

In one embodiment, the finishing panel may contain a base with a void volume of 10 vol. % up to 70 vol. %, where the specified base contains foam with an open cell structure. An open cell means that the gas in such a cell is not very restricted and is able to escape without passing through any walls of the polymer cells into the atmosphere. When filled with, for example, air or any similar gas, said substrate provides a relatively good insulator. In a preferred embodiment, said base has a void volume of 20 vol. % up to 50 vol. %, more preferably from 35vol.% to 50vol.%.

In another embodiment, the finishing panel may contain a base with a void volume of 10 vol. % up to 70 vol. %, where said base contains foam with a closed cell structure. A closed cell means that the gas inside such a cell is isolated from another cell by the polymer walls that form the cell. Accordingly, a base with a comparatively high compressive strength is obtained. Preferably, the closed cells are filled with a special gas to provide improved insulation. In a preferred embodiment, said base has a void volume of 30 vol. % up to 70 vol. %, more preferably from 45 vol. % up to 60 vol. %.

In another embodiment, the finishing panel may contain a multi-layer core with a void volume of 10 vol. % up to 70 vol. %, where the specified base contains at least a first layer containing foam with a closed cell structure. Each foam layer contains a synthetic foam composition. The synthetic foam composition contains a continuous polymer matrix material and a filler material with cells formed inside. The term "cellular structure" (foam) is well understood by those skilled in the art and means that the polymer has a void volume essentially consisting of cells that are either closed or open. Said multi-layer base may further comprise 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 foam layers or a combination of foamed and non-foamed layers.

In another embodiment, the finishing panel may contain a base with a void volume of 10 vol. % up to 70 vol. %, where the specified base contains a foam of a mixed structure containing closed cells and open cells. The percentage volume fraction of open and closed cells is determined according to ISO 4590. The open cell content of the closed cell foam is less than 30 percent, preferably 20 percent or less, more preferably 10 percent or less, and even more preferably 5 percent or less, and most preferably one percent or less. The open cell content of closed cell foam can be zero percent. In turn, the open cell content of the open cell foam is 30 percent or more, preferably 50 percent or more, even more preferably 70 percent or more, even more preferably 90 percent or more. The open cell content of open cell foam can be 95 percent or more and even 100 percent.

1.7 Foaming agent

The terms "blowing agent" or "foaming agent", used interchangeably herein, refer to a compound capable of forming a cellular structure in a wide range of materials, usually under the influence of heat, through a foaming process. This cellular structure typically reduces the density of the material and typically results in increased volume of the material. The blowing agent in the plastic foam material may include at least one selected from a chemical blowing agent, a physical blowing agent, or a mixture thereof. Physical blowing agents are typically added to the material in the liquid phase and then the temperature is increased, thereby transferring the blowing agent to the gas phase and hence causing the material to become cellular and expand, although they can also be added directly to the material in the gas phase. Chemical blowing agents undergo a chemical reaction when exposed to heat, thereby producing gaseous products that form a cellular structure. Any compound can be used as the chemical blowing agent, provided that the compound can decompose at a particular temperature to form a gas, and examples thereof may include azodicarbonamide, azodiisobutyronitrile, benzenesulfonyl hydrazide, 4,4-hydroxybenzenesulfonyl semicarbazide, p-toluenesulfonyl semicarbazide, barium azodicarboxylate, N, N'-dimethyl-N,N'-dinitrosoterephthalamide, trihydrazinotriazine, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, ammonium carbonate, as well as any derivative thereof or any combination thereof. In addition, examples of the physical blowing agent may include an inorganic blowing agent such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen, argon, water, air, helium and the like, or an organic blowing agent such as aliphatic hydrocarbons containing 1 to 9 carbon atoms including methane, ethane, propane, n-butane, isobutane, n-pentane, isopentane, neopentane, cyclobutane and cyclopentane; fully or partially halogenated alkanes and alkenes containing from one to five carbon atoms, preferably those that do not contain chlorine (for example, difluoromethane (HFC-32), perfluoromethane, ethyl fluoride (HFC-161), 1,1-difluoroethane (HFC -152a), 1,1,1-trifluoroethane (HFC-143a), 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134), 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134a), pentafluoroethane (HFC -125), perfluoroethane, 2,2-difluoropropane (HFC-272fb), 1,1,1-trifluoropropane (HFC-263fb), 1,1,1,2,3,3-heptafluoropropane (HFC-227ea), 1 ,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane (HFC-245fa) and 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluorobutane (HFC-365mfc)); fully and partially halogenated polymers and copolymers, preferably fluorinated polymers and copolymers, even more preferably chlorine-free fluorinated polymers and copolymers; aliphatic alcohols containing from one to five carbon atoms, such as methanol, ethanol, n-propanol and isopropanol; carbonyl-containing compounds such as acetone, 2-butanone and acetaldehyde; ether-containing compounds such as dimethyl ether, diethyl ether, methyl ethyl ether; and carboxylate compounds such as methyl formate, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate and carboxylic acid or any combination thereof.

The amount of blowing agent can be determined by one skilled in the art without undue experimentation for a given foamable synthetic material based on the type of synthetic material, the type of blowing agent, and the void volume required. The density of the base is usually selected depending on the specific application. Preferably, the base density is less than or equal to about 1600 kg/m ³ , more preferably less than about 1400 kg/m ³ , even more preferably less than about 1300 kg/m ³ and most preferably less than about 1200 kg/m ³ . Particularly preferred is a density of less than about 1150 kg/m ³ . Preferably, the foam density is greater than or equal to about 400 kg/m ³ , more preferably greater than about 600 kg/m ³ , even more preferably greater than about 800 kg/m ³ and most preferably greater than about 1000 kg/m ³ . Particularly preferred is a density greater than about 1050 kg/m ³ . Particularly preferred is a density of about 1100 kg/m ³ . Obviously, any density value between the above density values is considered suitable as a base density.

The cells of the foam layer may have an average size (largest dimension) of from about 0.05 mm to about 5.0 mm, especially from about 0.1 to about 3.0 mm, as measured using ASTM D-3576-98.

1.8 Plasticizer

In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a finishing panel according to the first aspect, wherein said base contains one or more plasticizers in an amount of less than 6.0 wt. %, based on the total weight of the specified base. Preferably, said base contains one or more plasticizers in an amount of less than 5.0 wt. %, less than 2.0 wt. %, less than 1.0 wt. % or even more preferably less than 0.5 wt. % and most preferably less than 0.1 wt. %.

This is advantageous because a reduced amount of one or more plasticizers provides a base with a high modulus of elasticity and a reduced degree of thermal expansion. This high modulus of elasticity and reduced thermal expansion of the base improves dimensional stability, reduces warping and expansion, and increases panel rigidity.

The term "plasticizer" as used herein is to be understood as a compound used to increase the flow or ductility of a material, typically a polymer. The plasticizer may be any plasticizer known in the art. For example, the plasticizer may be a phthalic diester such as diisononyl phthalate (DINP). Other examples of plasticizers include, but are not limited to, ditridecyl phthalate, diisodecyl phthalate, dipropyl heptyl phthalate, diisooctyl terephthalate (DOTP), benzoates, adipates, any non-o-phthalate plasticizers, natural material based plasticizers, and the like.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a finishing panel according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein said base is substantially free of one or more plasticizers.

By "substantially free of one or more plasticizers" it is meant that no plasticizers are intentionally mixed into the synthetic material to form the base. Accordingly, said plasticizer is contained in said base in an amount of less than 1 wt. %, based on the total weight of said base, more preferably in an amount of less than 0.5 wt. % and even more preferably in an amount of less than 0.1 wt. %. Most preferably, said base contains no plasticizer.

In the case where a recycled synthetic material is used in the base, it may be that the recycled material contains a plasticizer. The amount of recycled synthetic material used in the base must be such that the total amount of plasticizer present in the base is less than 6.0 wt. %, based on the total weight of said base and preferably lower as indicated above, or even the plasticizer should be substantially absent.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a finishing panel according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein said top layer is substantially free of one or more plasticizers.

1.9 Reinforcing layer

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a trim panel according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein said base further comprises a reinforcing layer.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides a trim panel according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein said top layer comprises a reinforcing layer.

In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a trim panel according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein the reinforcing layer is present at the bottom of the top layer (facing the top surface of the base).

The reinforcing layer can be impregnated with polyvinyl chloride.

The reinforcing layer has high thermal stability, that is, its dimensions almost do not change with temperature changes.

This reinforcing layer may be designed to reduce expansion of the trim panel due to temperature changes. The present inventors have discovered that providing a reinforcing layer can reduce panel expansion by at least 10% for a 35 g/m ² reinforcing layer.

Another important benefit of providing a reinforcing layer on/in the top layer is to improve the panel's resistance to local pressure exerted by a sharp object, such as a trim piece. This is due to the fact that the dense fiberglass fabric that forms the reinforcing layer provides strong resistance to local pressure generated by a sharp or pointy heavy object resting on the top of the panel.

1.9.1 Fiberglass

The reinforcing layer may be a non-woven fiberglass web. In one example of the reinforcing layer, a non-woven fiberglass web having a basis weight of 35 to 65 ^gsm may be used. Preferably, the glass fiber in the web has an average length of at least 3.0 mm and preferably an average length of at least 4.5 mm. Preferably, said length is not more than 20.0 mm, more preferably not more than 12.0 mm and even more preferably not more than 9.0 mm. The fiberglass sheet is impregnated with a plastic material such as PVC material. The PVC material may also contain fillers to impregnate the fiberglass sheet. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a panel according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein said glass fiber in said web has a diameter of from 5 to 25 microns.

1.9.2 Alternative reinforcing layers

In an alternative embodiment, steel fibers, carbon fibers, aramid fibers, polyethylene fibers and/or polypropylene fibers are used to provide the reinforcing layer.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the reinforcing material is a spunbond nonwoven material. Spunbond non-woven material is preferred over other non-woven materials such as needle-punched non-woven material because spunbond non-woven material has high strength. Preferably, the nonwoven material consists of two synthetic materials, where the two synthetic materials have different melting points. The various polymers from which the nonwoven fabric is made are present either in individual filaments or together in a single filament. Therefore, it is possible that the nonwoven material contains two types of threads. The two types of threads are predominantly made from different polymers with different melting points, so-called “biniti”. The term "predominantly" as used herein means at least 90%. It is preferable that the melting temperatures of the two different polymers differ by at least 10°C. More preferably, the melting temperatures differ by at least 50°C. Such a product can also be thermally bonded by exposing the nonwoven product to a temperature in the range of the melting point of the lower melting point polymer. However, this nonwoven product does not need to be bonded at every intersection point since fibers containing higher melting point polymer may intersect each other. Only fiber intersections with a combination of high and low melting points or low and low melting points should be bonded, not high melting point fiber intersections. Therefore, a nonwoven carrier made from bicomponent yarns is preferred. The two-component threads of the nonwoven carrier are thermally bonded. Bicomponent threads are threads made from two polymers of different chemical structures. The main distinction is made between three types: side-by-side type, core-shell type and matrix/fiber type. The nonwoven material preferably comprises a two-component core-sheath nonwoven material. Preferably, the nonwoven material contains two-component core-sheath yarns. This two-component core-sheath nonwoven fabric has a core that acts as a frame and a shell that binds the frame. The structure of such a product becomes very stable because the threads are tied at each point where the threads intersect, thus creating a nonwoven material with the largest number of bonding points. The dimensional stability of the nonwoven carrier can be made regular in length and width by optimizing the distribution of the threads. This structure provides sufficient resistance to the high local impregnation pressure required to obtain a smooth impregnated surface over the entire width. The large number of bonding points ensures a stable nonwoven fabric even at low densities, while leaving enough open space for the thermoplastic material to penetrate the nonwoven textile layer, resulting in good mechanical bonding. The two-component core-sheath nonwoven fabric has uniform stability. The properties of the described two-component core-sheath nonwoven fabric enable stable processing at low weight and thickness. Preferably, the two-component core-sheath nonwoven fabric comprises a core consisting primarily of polyester and a sheath consisting primarily of polyamide. Alternatively, the shell is primarily composed of polyamide 6 and the core is composed primarily of polyethylene terephthalate. Preferably, the shell/core ratio is between 95/5 vol. % up to 5/95 vol. %. More preferably, the shell/core ratio is from 50/50 vol. % up to 5/95 vol. %. The nonwoven material preferably has a basis weight of from 50 g/m ² to 2500 g/m ² . More preferably, the nonwoven material has a basis weight of from 75 g/m ² to 1000 g/m ² . Even more preferably, the nonwoven material has a basis weight of from 100 g/m ² to 350 g/m ² . Most preferably, the nonwoven material has a basis weight of from 150 g/m ² to 280 g/m ² . The basis weight of the nonwoven material within these limits ensures that the nonwoven material is sufficiently open for penetration of the thermoplastic material, which provides good mechanical bonding.

1.10 Impact Modifier

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a finishing panel according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein said base further comprises at least one impact modifier, preferably in an amount of from 0 to 10 wt. %, based on the total mass of the specified base.

Impact modifiers are key additives to improve flexibility and impact strength to meet the physical property requirements of rigid parts. Impact modifiers are elastic or rubbery in nature with a lower elastic modulus than the base polymer. The dispersed rubber phase provides shock energy absorption or dissipation to stop the propagation of fine cracks or cracking. To stop the propagation of fine cracks and achieve good impact modification, the rubber phase must be very well dispersed and the impact modifier must be compatible with the base polymer. Good adhesion is necessary to prevent crack propagation around the elastomeric particle. The rubber particle must also have sufficient cohesive strength to prevent cracks from rapidly propagating through the rubber particle. To withstand impact at low temperatures, the glass transition temperature ( _Tg ) of the impact modifier must be very low.

Selected impact modifiers are produced by the following companies, but not limited to: Crompton (Blendex), Atofina (Clearstrength), Kaneka (Kane Ace), Atofina (FinaClear), KRATON Polymers (Kraton D), KRATON Polymers (Kraton G), KRATON Polymers ( Kraton FG), Atofina (Durastrength), DuPont (Elvaloy and Elvaloy TIP), Rohm and Haas (Paraloid, Advastab, Advalube), Kaneka, Optatech (PACREL), DuPont-Dow (Tyrin), Crompton (Royalene), DuPont-Dow (Nordel), ExxonMobil (Vistalon), Crompton (Royaltuf), DuPont (Fusabond), Crompton (Royaltuf), DuPont (Elvaloy PTW), DuPont (Surlyn), Dow (AFFINITY Polyolefin Plastomers, VERSIFY), DuPont-Dow Elastomers (Engage ), ExxonMobil (Vistamaxx), Atofina (Lotryl), DuPont (Elvaloy AC), Crompton (Interloy), Atofina (Lotader), DuPont (Fusabond, Elvaloy PTW), Baerlocher (Degalan), Arkema (Durastrength), Akcros.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a finishing panel according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein said base further comprises stabilizers, processing aids, lubricants, dyes and/or adhesion promoters.

1.11 Stabilizer

The base may also contain at least one heat stabilizer. The stabilizer typically provides thermal stability and/or UV resistance to the synthetic material formulation. As a non-limiting example, when PVC is used as the polymer, the stabilizer may be a calcium-zinc stabilizer. You can use a calcium-zinc stabilizer containing approximately 5.5 wt. % or more zinc, for example, from about 6.0 wt. % to about 10.0 wt. % zinc. Specific, non-limiting examples of calcium-zinc stabilizers are available from Baerlocher. Other examples of stabilizers include, but are not limited to, barium-cadmium stabilizers, barium-zinc stabilizers, organotin stabilizers, epoxidized soybean oils, and the like.

The base may contain other ingredients such as flame retardants, UV stabilizers, antistatic agents, wear resistant particles, antimicrobial additives, pigments, processing aids, dispersants, lubricants, colorants, modifying resins, cross-linking agents, antioxidants, blowing agents, tackifiers and /or other conventional organic or inorganic additives commonly used in polymers (eg vinyl) used in surface coatings.

1.12 Adhesives

Suitable materials for use as adhesion promoters or adhesives or for use in the adhesive layer may be the same or different in different layers. Any adhesive capable of bonding a particular layer to another layer is within the scope of the present invention. The effective type and amount of adhesive can be determined by one skilled in the art without undue experimentation for a given (foam) layer/(foam layer) combination.

Without being limited to the following adhesives, a suitable adhesive may be a compound such as a chemical adhesive, which, for example, may be a one-component or multi-component adhesive such as a two-component polyurethane liquid adhesive, for example, polyurethane or epoxy resin; a film, such as double-sided adhesive tape or pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA), or another layer or film containing a material that is compatible with (that is, bonds to) both the first and second layers.

Suitable materials for use as adhesives or for use in adhesive layers include those adhesives known in the art to be suitable for plastic surfaces and foams, see US 5,695,870. Examples include polyolefin copolymers such as ethylene/vinyl acetate, ethylene /acrylic acid, ethylene/n-butyl acrylate, ethylene ionomers, ethylene/methyl acrylate and anhydride-grafted ethylene or propylene. Other suitable adhesives include urethanes, copolyesters, styrene block copolymers such as styrene/butadiene and styrene/isoprene polymers, acrylic polymers, and the like. The adhesives may be thermoplastic or curable thermoset polymers and may include tacky pressure-sensitive adhesives. The adhesive or adhesive layer is preferably reusable in the panel manufacturing process. The adhesive material must not adversely affect to a significant extent the physical integrity or properties of the panel.

In one embodiment, mechanical means may be used to bond two or more layers of the present invention. For example, fasteners, latches, clips, attachment points, butt joints, grooves, Velcro, etc. may be used. In this embodiment, it is possible to further provide an adhesive layer between the first and second layers or any layers that are bonded by these means.

In one embodiment, heat means can be used to bond or weld together two or more layers of the present invention.

In one embodiment, sonic vibrations can be used to bond or weld together two or more layers of the present invention.

In one embodiment, physical means may be used to bond or weld together two or more layers of the present invention. In one embodiment, chemical agents may be used to bond or weld together two or more layers of the present invention. In this context, chemicals refer to chemically curable adhesives, which are reactive materials and require a chemical reaction to convert them from a liquid or thermoplastic state to a solid state through curing.

In one embodiment, one or more of thermal means, mechanical means, physical means, chemical means and/or adhesives can be used in combination to bond two or more layers to each other. To promote adhesion or bonding of said two or more layers, one or both bonding surfaces may optionally be smoothed, grooved, scratched, roughened, sanded, or subjected to surface modification such as, but not limited to, plasma treatment, corona treatment etc. to promote chemical and/or mechanical adhesion.

1.13 Various additives

The base(s) composition contains synthetic material, fillers and optionally pigments and/or multi-color pigments mixed with suitable lubricants and processing aids. Other conventional additives include any one additive or combination of more than one of the following: IR radiation attenuating agents (eg, carbon black, graphite, metal plates, titanium dioxide); crystallization nuclei (for example, magnesium silicate); flame retardants (eg, brominated flame retardants, such as brominated polymers, hexabromocyclododecane, phosphorus flame retardants, such as triphenyl phosphate, and flame retardants, which may include co-actants, such as, for example, dicumyl and polycumyl); internal lubricants (for example, calcium stearate and barium stearate, fatty alcohols, low esters, ethylene vinyl acetate waxes, etc.) to reduce melt viscosity and increase clarity; External lubricants (eg, polyethylene waxes, oxidized polyethylene waxes, paraffins, metal soaps, highly esterified esters, amides, fatty acids, etc.) to reduce friction between the polymer melt and the extrusion mold; acid scavengers (eg magnesium oxide and sodium tetrapyrophosphate); UV stabilizers, heat stabilizers and colorants such as paints and/or pigments.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a trim panel according to the first aspect of the invention, in which any embodiments described herein are combined to further improve the dimensional stability of said trim panel.

2. Method of obtaining finishing panels

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for producing trim panels, such as floor panels, wall panels or ceiling panels, each trim panel comprising at least one base and optionally a top layer, wherein said at least one base comprises a synthetic material and at least one filler, and the method includes the steps of:

- mixing synthetic material and at least one filler in an amount of at least 20.0 wt. % filler, based on the total weight of said mixture, where said at least one filler contains at least 50 wt. % talc by weight of the filler, thus obtaining a mixture,

- extruding said mixture to thereby obtain a base,

- if necessary, annealing of the specified base,

- if necessary, laminating the top layer to the specified base, thereby obtaining a finishing panel.

These panels can be generated using a variety of methods. For example, the floor panel can be formed by separately preforming the base(s) and/or any layer that contains the printed image. The top layer may be present as a cap layer or it may be formed later. The top layer may comprise a protective layer, a reinforcing layer, or the like. The base(s) can be separately formed by calendering, extrusion or other techniques after the base(s) composition is prepared. The layers that make up all or part of the sheet can then be placed on top of each other in a stack in the correct order and hot-pressed using a hydraulic press to form a panel body, which can be milled to form lip or groove edge profiles.

In a preferred embodiment, said synthetic material and said filler are mixed, wherein said filler is mixed with said synthetic material in an amount of from 30.0 to 47.5 wt. %, based on the total mass of the specified mixture. The mixture is then extruded, preferably through an extrusion head with a sheet profile, thus obtaining a base.

In a preferred embodiment, the substrate is annealed to relieve stress before said substrate is further processed to form a finishing panel. Accordingly, excellent warping properties are achieved. In embodiments in which the panel does not contain a reinforcing layer, the entire panel can be annealed.

Annealing may occur in a furnace or other heating device. Annealing can occur at a temperature above the glass transition temperature determined using ISO 11357-2, and most preferably at a temperature of from about 80°C to about 135°C. This annealing can be carried out on a conveyor belt by means of an infrared oven, a conventional air blast oven or by means of a double belt contact heated press, the speed being any suitable speed depending on the length of the oven and the set temperature. For example, the conveyor belt speed may be from about 3 m/min to about 10 m/min, such as from about 3.5 m/min to about 8 m/min. The panel may then be exposed to ambient conditions such as about 25°C for several hours, for example about 1 day (about 24 hours), about 2 days (about 48 hours), about 3 days (about 72 hours) or more.

The panel can then be cut or die cut to fit the panel. The sides of the resulting panels can then be profiled by cutting (eg routing) to create the required interlocking means, such as snap profiles.

The panel according to the first aspect of the invention can also be produced, for example, by printing an image directly onto the top surface of the substrate using any number of printing technologies, such as gravure printing, image transfer printing, digital printing, flexographic printing, and the like. Or a thermoplastic film (for example, PVC) with a pattern or wood veneer, etc. can be laminated onto the base.

A protective coating can then be provided over the printed image. Any type of protective coating or wear layer may be used, for example a polyurethane type coating with or without wear particles in the coating. The protective coating can be applied using conventional techniques such as a roll coater, a direct roll coater, a vacuum coater, a multi-roll coater, an air scraper coater, or a spray coater.

The top surface of the panel may further comprise a textured or embossed surface. This structure can be imprinted into the surface of a transparent finishing layer to imitate the structure of wood. This imprinting method can be accomplished by, but is not limited to, rolling under heat and pressure to deform the surface of the clear protective coating.

Additionally, an additional protective coating can then be placed over the textured surface. Any type of protective coating can be used, such as a polyurethane type coating with wear-resistant particles or without wear-resistant particles in the coating. The protective coating can be applied using conventional techniques such as a roll coater, a direct roll coater, a vacuum coater, a multi-roll coater, an air scraper coater, or a spray coater.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method according to the second aspect of the invention, wherein the surface of the extruded substrate is not subjected to a surface modification step prior to further processing. Meanwhile, the term “surface modification” refers to the method of leveling, grooving, scratching, roughening, grinding, corona or plasma treatment, etc. to change surface characteristics. This is advantageous since abrasion of the surface layer of an open or closed cell foam core will damage the cell structure and essentially result in a loss of mechanical properties of the core.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method according to the second aspect of the invention, wherein said backing is attached to said top layer at a temperature above the softening point but below the melting point of the base polymer contained in said backing.

The softening point is the temperature at which the material softens, acquiring plasticity that is greater than a certain conditional plasticity. It can be determined, for example, using the Vicat method (ASTM D 1525 or ISO 306). The term “base polymer” refers to a polymer in said base composition, wherein said base polymer constitutes a major or predominant portion of the total polymeric material in said base composition.

When using a method whereby said base is attached to said top layer at a temperature above the softening point but below the melting point of the base polymer contained in said base, heat in said base contributes to good adhesive properties between said base and said top layer.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method according to the second aspect of the invention, wherein at least the surface of said substrate is reheated before attaching said substrate to said top layer.

When using a reheating step using PC heating, a portion of said base on the top surface that needs to be bonded to said top layer is locally reheated to improve adhesion to said layer without having to reheat the entire surface. This results in an energy advantage for the lamination process.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method according to the second aspect of the invention, wherein said base and said top layer are then subjected to a double-row lamination process.

When using the double-row lamination method, both the base and the top layer are directed between the upper and lower roller system, thereby connecting and attaching both layers to each other and providing a laminated panel.

Examples

The following are examples included to better appreciate and further clarify the concept of the present invention. These examples are intended to illustrate the description of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention disclosed.

Examples 1-5

Granular material is formed by mixing 100 parts of synthetic material (PVC or a mixture of PVC and a copolymer of PVC and polyvinyl acetate containing 11% polyvinyl acetate, in a mass ratio of 70:30) with a mixture of one or more fillers, 4 parts of a stabilizer (Baeropan MC 90060P), a technological additive , impact modifier and 2 parts lubricant (Baerolub L-PL, Baerlocher) in the ratios shown in Table 1. Unless otherwise specified, no plasticizer is added to the granular material to provide a rigid PVC mixture. According to examples 1, 3 and 4, a foaming agent is also added. The compositions of Examples 1, 2 and 4 have chalk to talc ratios ranging from 1:1 to 1:38. Compositions of examples 3 and 5 contain only talc as a filler.

The compounds of Table 1 were fed into an extruder using a sheet-type die to produce a base of 3.5 mm thickness. Before further processing, the base was annealed at 80°C for 15 hours. The base was then attached to a shock-absorbing vinyl pad containing a glass fiber reinforced PVC layer, printed PVC foam and a 0.5mm wear layer. To improve the lamination process, the surface of the extruded sheet was coated with a polyurethane coating before being brought into contact with the shock-absorbing vinyl pad.

The resulting panels show that very good dimensional stability can be obtained, as can be concluded from the results presented in Table 2.

For practical applications as surface coverings, the trim panels can be sized to be suitable for transporting and installing the trim panels according to standard industrial methods.

Examples 6 and 7

The starting material for extrusion consists of 23.0 wt. % PVC and 22.0 wt. % talc, 52.3 wt. % recycled thermoplastic material and 2.7 wt. % additives.

According to an embodiment of Example 6, the extrusion feedstock is metered at 15% recycled thermoplastic material, 48.05% non-recycled PVC dry mix, and 34.25% talc. The base obtained as a result of sheet extrusion, the starting material for extrusion, contains a total amount of 39.16 wt. % filler or more specifically 37.82 wt. % talc and 1.25 wt. % mixture of CaMg(CO ₃ ) ₂ and CaCO ₃ , 0.09 wt. % glass fiber and 1.00 wt. % plasticizer.

In an embodiment of Example 7, the extrusion feedstock is dosed at 60% recycled thermoplastic material, 15.6% dry blend non-recycled PVC, and 21.7% talc. The base obtained as a result of sheet extrusion of extrusion raw materials contains a total amount of 39.45 wt. % filler or more specifically 34.07 wt. % talc and 5.01 wt. % mixture of CaMg(CO ₃ ) ₂ and CaCO ₃ , 0.37 wt. % glass fiber and 4 wt. % plasticizer.

Claims (19)

1. A finishing panel, such as a floor panel, wall panel or ceiling panel, comprising at least one base and optionally a top layer, wherein said base contains a synthetic material and at least one filler, characterized in that said filler is present in said basis in an amount from 30.0 to 47.5 wt. %, based on the weight of said base, and said at least one filler contains talc in an amount of at least 50 wt. %, based on the total mass of the specified filler. 2. Finishing panel according to claim 1, in which said filler contains at least 80 wt. % talc, based on the total weight of the specified filler. 3. Finishing panel according to any one of paragraphs. 1 or 2, in which said filler consists of talc. 4. Finishing panel according to any one of paragraphs. 1 or 2, in which said filler consists of a mixture of talc and at least one other filler in a mass ratio of talc: other filler(s) of more than 1:1. 5. Finishing panel according to any one of paragraphs. 1-4, wherein said filler contains particles, and at least 95% of said particles have a size between 5.0 µm and 200.0 µm, measured according to ISO 13317-3. 6. Finishing panel according to any one of paragraphs. 1-5, in which said base has a void volume of 10 vol. % up to 70 vol. %, preferably from 30 vol. % up to 40 vol. % determined according to ISO 4590. 7. Finishing panel according to any one of paragraphs. 1-6, in which said base contains one or more plasticizers in an amount of less than 6.0 wt. %, based on the total mass of the specified base. 8. Finishing panel according to any one of paragraphs. 1-6, wherein said base is substantially free of plasticizer. 9. Finishing panel according to any one of paragraphs. 1-8, wherein said synthetic material comprises a recyclable thermoplastic polymer. 10. Finishing panel according to any one of paragraphs. 1, 2 or 4-9, in which at least one filler contains natural fibers. 11. Finishing panel according to any one of paragraphs. 1-10, wherein said top layer comprises a reinforcing layer. 12. Finishing panel according to any one of paragraphs. 1-11, wherein said top layer comprises an elastic layer. 13. Finishing panel according to any one of paragraphs. 1-12, wherein said top layer comprises a printed layer or a printed film. 14. Finishing panel according to any one of paragraphs. 1-13, wherein said base has a thickness of from 1.0 to 5.0 mm, preferably from 1.5 to 4.0 mm and more preferably from 2.0 to 3.5 mm. 15. A method for producing finishing panels, such as floor panels, wall panels or ceiling panels, wherein each finishing panel contains at least one base and optionally a top layer, wherein said at least one base contains a synthetic material and at least one filler and the method includes the steps: - mixing synthetic material and at least one filler in an amount from 30.0 to 47.5 wt. %, filler, based on the total weight of said mixture, where said at least one filler contains at least 50 wt. % talc by weight of the filler material, thus obtaining a mixture, - extruding said mixture to thereby obtain a base, - if necessary, annealing of the specified base, - if necessary, laminating the top layer to the specified base, thereby obtaining a finishing panel.