Pigmented radiation cured wear layer

Abstract

A method and composition for providing a colored high performance wear surface for floor coverings is disclosed. Specifically, the floor covering includes a substrate and a high performance layer comprising a radiation cured pigmented composition. The exposed surface of the floor covering has a stain resistance of less than about 150 Delta E units. A pigmented high performance wear layer can be added in register with a printed design on the substrate or in register with an embossed texture of the substrate. Additionally, a high performance topcoat wear layer may be added. The pigmented high performance layer may include a nacreous pigment.

1 . A decorative floor covering comprising 
 a substrate; and    a radiation cured pigmented wear layer disposed on the substrate, the floor covering having an exposed wear surface with a stain resistance of less than about 150 Delta E units, wherein the wear layer consists essentially of at least one thermoset polymer and an ingredient selected from the group consisting of pigments, photoinitators, photosensitizers, surfactants, reactive monomers and combinations thereof, wherein the thermoset polymer is selected from the group consisting of ultraviolet light curable polymers, electron beam curable polymers and combinations thereof.    
     
     
         2 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the radiation cured pigmented wear layer has a gloss retention of at least about 80%.  
     
     
         3 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoset polymer is selected from the group consisting of acrylated polyesters, acrylated polyurethanes, vinyl ether polymers, maleic acid polyesters, epoxy polymers, epoxy acrylate polymers and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         4  (Canceled).  
     
     
         5 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein a printed pattern is interposed between the substrate and the wear layer.  
     
     
         6 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 5 , wherein the pigmented wear layer is in register with the printed pattern.  
     
     
         7 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate has a textured surface selected from the group consisting of a mechanically embossed texture, chemically embossed texture, and a chemically and mechanically embossed texture.  
     
     
         8 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 7 , wherein the pigmented wear layer is in register with the embossed texture.  
     
     
         9 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 7 , wherein the embossed texture has raised surfaces and indentations, and the pigmented wear layer is disposed mainly on the raised surfaces.  
     
     
         10 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 7 , wherein the embossed texture has raised surfaces and indentations, and the pigmented wear layer is disposed mainly in the indentations.  
     
     
         11 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the pigment is a nacreous pigment.  
     
     
         12 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a radiation cured topcoat disposed on and adjacent to the radiation cured pigmented wear layer, wherein the topcoat consists essentially of at least one thermoset polymer and an ingredient selected from the group consisting of pigments, photoinitators, photosensitizers, surfactants, reactive monomers and combinations thereof, wherein the thermoset polymer is selected from the group consisting of ultraviolet light curable polymers, electron beam curable polymers, and combinations thereof.    
     
     
         13 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 12 , wherein the radiation cured topcoat has a gloss retention of at least about 80%.  
     
     
         14 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 12 , wherein the thermoset polymer of the topcoat and the wear layer is selected from the group consisting of acrylated polyesters, acrylated polyurethanes, vinyl ether polymers, maleic acid polyesters, epoxy polymers, epoxy acrylate polymers and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         15  (Canceled).  
     
     
         16 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 12 , wherein a printed pattern is interposed between the substrate and the topcoat.  
     
     
         17 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 16 , wherein the topcoat or pigmented wear layer is in register with the printed pattern.  
     
     
         18 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 12 , wherein the substrate has a textured surface selected from the group consisting of mechanically embossed texture, chemically embossed texture, and chemically and mechanically embossed texture.  
     
     
         19 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 18 , wherein the topcoat or pigmented wear layer is in register with the embossed texture.  
     
     
         20 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 18 , wherein the embossed texture has raised surfaces and indentations, and the topcoat or pigmented wear layer is disposed mainly on the raised surfaces.  
     
     
         21 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 18 , wherein the embossed texture has raised surfaces and indentations, and the topcoat or pigmented wear layer is disposed mainly in the indentations.  
     
     
         22 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 56 , wherein pigment of the topcoat or pigmented wear layer is a nacreous pigment.  
     
     
         23 . A decorative floor covering component comprising 
 a rigid vinyl film; and    a radiation cured pigmented wear layer disposed on the rigid vinyl film, the floor covering component having an exposed wear surface with a stain resistance of less than about 150 Delta E units, wherein the wear layer consists essentially of at least one thermoset polymer and an ingredient selected from the group consisting of pigments, photoinitators, photosensitizers, surfactants, reactive monomers and combinations thereof, wherein the thermoset polymer is selected from the group consisting of ultraviolet light curable resins, electron beam curable resins, and combinations thereof.    
     
     
         24 . The decorative floor covering component of  claim 23 , wherein the rigid vinyl film further comprises a printed pattern disposed on the film opposite the pigmented wear layer.  
     
     
         25 . The decorative floor covering component of  claim 24 , wherein the radiation cured pigmented wear layer is disposed in register with the printed pattern.  
     
     
         26 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 12 , wherein the substrate comprises a laminated film.  
     
     
         27 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 26 , wherein the substrate further comprises a printed pattern disposed on the film opposite the wear layer.  
     
     
         28 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 27 , wherein the radiation cured pigmented wear layer is disposed in register with the printed pattern.  
     
     
         29 - 55 . (Canceled).  
     
     
         56 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 12 , wherein the radiation cured topcoat is pigmented.  
     
     
         57 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 56 , wherein the substrate has a textured surface selected from the group consisting of mechanically embossed texture, chemically embossed texture, and chemically and mechanically embossed texture.  
     
     
         58 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 57 , wherein the embossed texture has raised surfaces and indentations, and the pigmented topcoat is disposed mainly on the raised surfaces.  
     
     
         59 . The decorative floor covering of  claim 57 , wherein the embossed texture has raised surfaces and indentations, and the pigmented topcoat is disposed mainly in the indentations.