Method of marking pavement with sheet comprising ceramic fibers

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of marking pavement marking with a conformable sheet comprising ceramic fibers dispersed within a polymeric material.

1 . A method of marking pavement comprising: 
 providing a conformable pavement marking sheet wherein the sheet comprises ceramic fibers dispersed within a polymeric material;    bonding the sheet to a pavement surface.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the pavement marking sheet is a tape comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive and the sheet is bonded my means of the adhesive.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least 50% of the ceramic fibers have a fiber length of at least about 5 microns.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said composition is substantially free of ceramic fibers having a length of less than 1 micron.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least 50% of the ceramic fibers have a fiber length of at least about 20 microns.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the ceramic fibers have an average diameter ranging from about 1 to about 4 microns.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least 50% of the ceramic fibers have an aspect ratio of at least 20:1.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the ceramic fibers comprise at least about 10% by weight aluminum oxide.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the ceramic fibers comprise at least about 55% by weight silicon dioxide and at least about 20% by weight calcium oxide.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the ceramic fibers have a melt point of greater than about 1000° C.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the sheet has a downweb direction and crossweb direction and a thickness ranging from about 0.25 mm to about 5 mm.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the sheet has a downweb to crossweb tensile ratio having an absolute value of less than about 3.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the sheet has a downweb to crossweb elongation ratio having an absolute value of less than about 5.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the sheet has an average downweb tear to average crossweb tear having an absolute value of less than about 1.5.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the sheet comprises from about 30 to about 50 weight-% reflective elements.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the pavement marking sheet comprises: 
 a) from about 0.2 weight-% to about 50 weight-% ceramic fiber;    b) from about 5 weight-% to about 30 weight-% polymeric material; and    c) up to about 75 weight-% of other ingredients selected from reflective elements, extender resins, fillers and pigments.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the sheet comprises from about 5 to about 30 weight-% of an extender.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the polymeric material comprises a substantially non-crosslinked elastomer precursor.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the ceramic fiber ranges from about 5 weight-% to about 20 weight-%.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the ceramic fiber ranges from about 0.2 weight-% to about 10 weight-%.