Adhesive caulking material which can mimic the appearance of a multicolored stone surface

Abstract

An adhesive caulking material comprising granular solid colored particles dispersed in a base formulation is disclosed. The adhesive caulking material exhibits a cosmetic capacity to take on the appearance of a natural or synthetic solid substrate. A method is provided for producing the adhesive caulking material comprising the steps of: (a) providing a base formulation exhibiting a desired background color; and (b) adding to the base formulation an amount of granular solid colored particles effective to achieve a desired appearance. The invention also relates to colored solid chips comprising a coagulated or aggregated mixture comprising a polymeric resin and an amount of one or more pigments sufficient to obtain a desired single- or multi-colored appearance. The chips have a granular shape and have a size in the range from about 0.25 mm to about 20 mm in diameter. A solid material is also described which comprises: (a) a solid substrate comprising a plurality of sections with gaps therebetween; the substrate having a speckled or grainy appearance; and (b) a curable adhesive caulking material comprising granular solid colored particles dispersed in a base formulation, the adhesive caulking material substantially filling the gaps and essentially matching the appearance of the substrate.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . Granular solid colored chips comprising a coagulated or aggregated mixture comprising a polymeric resin and an amount of one or more pigments sufficient to obtain a desired single- or multi-colored appearance, said chips having a granular shape and having a size ranging from about 0.25 mm to about 20 mm in diameter.  
     
     
         2 . The granular solid colored chips of    claim 1    in which said polymeric resin comprises a water-based resin selected from acrylic, styrene-acrylic, styrene-butadiene, ethylene vinyl acetate, vinyl acetate, or urethane resins.  
     
     
         3 . The granular solid colored chips of    claim 1    in which said one or more pigments is selected from iron oxides, titanium dioxide, chromium oxides and organic pigments.  
     
     
         4 . The granular solid colored chips of    claim 1    in which said coagulated or aggregated mixture further comprises a surface-active agent.  
     
     
         5 . A process for the preparation of granular solid colored chips comprising: 
 (a) mixing a polymeric resin and one or more pigments or pigment dispersions until a substantially uniformly dispersed resin mixture is obtained; and    (b) adding said substantially uniformly dispersed resin mixture to a stirred salt solution at an addition rate effective to provide a coagulated or aggregated pigmented resin mixture containing solid colored chips having a granular shape, a majority of which granular solid colored chips having a diameter falling within a desired range.    
     
     
         6 . The process of    claim 5    which further comprises mixing a surface-active agent with said coagulated or aggregated pigmented resin mixture.  
     
     
         7 . The process of    claim 6    which further comprises separating said granular solid colored chips into at least two separate portions according to size.  
     
     
         8 . The process of    claim 7    in which said separation step includes straining said granular solid colored chips through one or more screens.  
     
     
         9 . The process of    claim 7    which further comprises washing at least one of said portions to remove excess pigment.  
     
     
         10 . The process of    claim 9    in which said granular solid colored chips are stored under water.  
     
     
         11 . An adhesive caulking material comprising granular solid colored particles dispersed in a base formulation, which adhesive caulking material exhibits a cosmetic capacity to take on the appearance of a natural or synthetic solid substrate.  
     
     
         12 . The adhesive caulking material of    claim 11    which exhibits on a single- or multi-colored aggregate appearance.  
     
     
         13 . The adhesive caulking material of    claim 12    in which said granular solid colored particles have a size ranging from about 0.25 mm to about 20 mm in diameter.  
     
     
         14 . The adhesive caulking material of    claim 11    which takes on the appearance of a solid granite surface or a solid sandstone surface.  
     
     
         15 . The adhesive caulking material of    claim 11    in which said base formulation comprises a water-based synthetic polymeric resin.  
     
     
         16 . The adhesive caulking material of    claim 11    in which said base formulation comprises a non-water based polymeric resin.  
     
     
         17 . The adhesive caulking material of    claim 16    in which the polymeric resin comprises a non-water-based resin selected from silicone, urethane, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         18 . The adhesive caulking material of    claim 17    in which the silicone comprises acetoxy cures or non-acetoxy cures; the urethane comprises single-component urethanes or multi-component urethanes; the rubber comprises natural rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, or polychloroprene.  
     
     
         19 . The adhesive caulking material of    claim 11    in which the polymeric resin comprises a fluoroelastomer resin, silicone resins, or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         20 . The adhesive caulking material of    claim 11    in which said granular solid colored particles comprise granulated colored solid chips, granulated pigmented polymeric aggregates, granulated, shredded, or ground pieces of rubber or used tires, or colored chunks or granules of plastic.  
     
     
         21 . The adhesive caulking material of    claim 20    in which said granular solid colored particles have a size ranging from about 0.5 mm to about 13 mm in diameter.  
     
     
         22 . The adhesive caulking material of    claim 21    in which said granular solid colored particles comprise ground recycled tires or chunks of colored plastic.  
     
     
         23 . A method for producing an adhesive caulking material comprising granular solid colored particles dispersed in a base formulation; said method comprising: 
 (a) providing a base formulation exhibiting a desired background color; and    (b) adding to said base formulation an amount of granular solid colored particles effective to achieve a desired appearance.    
     
     
         24 . The method of    claim 23    which further comprises preparing said base formulation by a process comprising: 
 (a) adding one or more pigments to an aqueous mixture of a polymeric resin to provide a desired background color;  
 (b) adding a desired amount of a surface-active agent to the mixture of step (a); and  
 (c) mixing the surface-active agent-treated mixture of step (b) for a period of time sufficient to provide a substantially uniformly colored base formulation.  
 
     
     
         25 . The method of    claim 24    which further comprises preparing said aqueous mixture of polymeric resin by a process comprising: 
 (a) combining an aqueous mixture of a water-based polymeric resin with a plasticizer, a coalescing solvent, a surface-active agent and a thickening agent; and  
 (b) mixing the mixture of step (a) for a period of time sufficient to provide a smooth consistency.  
 
     
     
         26 . The method of    claim 25    which further comprises addition of a biocide and a blueing agent to the water-based polymeric resin.  
     
     
         27 . The method of    claim 23    which further comprises (c) adding a filler to the mixture of step (b).  
     
     
         28 . The method of    claim 27    in which said filler is selected from a talc, silica, clay and calcium carbonate.  
     
     
         29 . The method of    claim 27    which further comprises removing air from the mixture of step (c) for a period of time effective to provide an adhesive caulking material that exhibits a cosmetic capacity to take on the appearance of a natural or synthetic solid surface.  
     
     
         30 . The method of    claim 23    which further comprises preparing said base formulation by a process comprising: 
 (a) providing a non-aqueous-based base formulation and, optionally, adding to the non-aqueous-based base formulation one or more pigments to provide a desired background color;  
 (b) optionally adding a desired amount of a surface-active agent to the mixture of step (a); and  
 (c) mixing the mixture of either step (a) or step (b) for a period of time sufficient to provide a substantially uniformly colored base formulation.  
 
     
     
         31 . A solid material comprising: 
 (a) a solid substrate comprising a plurality of sections with gaps therebetween; said substrate having a speckled or grainy appearance; and    (b) a curable adhesive caulking material comprising granular solid colored particles dispersed in a base formulation, said adhesive caulking material substantially filling said gaps and essentially matching said speckled or grainy appearance.    
     
     
         32 . A method of repairing a damaged natural or synthetic solid substrate comprising applying in, on, or about the damaged area an effective amount of an adhesive caulking material comprising granular solid colored particles dispersed in a base formulation, which adhesive caulking material exhibits a cosmetic capacity to take on the appearance of a natural or synthetic solid substrate.  
     
     
         33 . The method of    claim 32    in which the damage comprises a chip, crack, or break.