Roof surfacing having increased reflectance

Abstract

A roof surfacing having increased reflectance comprises a roof membrane with a bituminous layer and a layer of generally flat particles placed in a generally overlapping geometry so as to substantially cover the bituminous layer. The composition of the particles includes a polymer and a filler. The polymer may be polyvinyl acetate (PVA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyester, acrylic, polymethylmethacrylate, or methylmethacrylate (MMA). The filler may be calcium carbonate, dolomite, or barium sulfate. The particles may further include a pigment, fire retardant, and/or anti-microbial agent. A method of creating a roof surfacing having increased reflectance includes creating a thin sheet of material having increased reflectance, dividing that sheet into multiple particles, feeding the particles through a hopper onto a curved directional plate, and placing the particles on a roof membrane having a molten bituminous layer in a generally horizontal direction to create an overlapping, scaled appearance.

1 . A roof surfacing having increased reflectance, comprising: 
 a roof membrane, having a bituminous layer; and    a layer of generally flat particles placed in generally overlapping relationship to each other so as to substantially cover said bituminous layer.    
   
   
       2 . The roof surfacing of  claim 1 , wherein said particles are adhered to said roof surfacing by said bituminous layer.  
   
   
       3 . The roof surfacing of  claim 1 , wherein said bituminous layer comprises a material selected from the group of bitumen, modified bitumen, tar, pitch, or asphalt.  
   
   
       4 . The roof surfacing of  claim 1 , wherein said particles have a mean width to thickness ratio of about 2:1 to about 50:1.  
   
   
       5 . The roof surfacing of  claim 1 , wherein said particles have a mean width of about ⅛ inch.  
   
   
       6 . The roof surfacing of  claim 1 , wherein said particles comprise a material having increased reflectance, comprising: 
 a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl acetate (PVA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyester, acrylic, polymethylmethacrylate, and methylmethacrylate (MMA); and    a filler selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, dolomite, and barium sulfate.    
   
   
       7 . The roof surfacing of  claim 6 , wherein said particles further comprise a pigment.  
   
   
       8 . The roof surfacing of  claim 6 , wherein said particles further comprise a fire retardant.  
   
   
       9 . The roof surfacing of  claim 6 , wherein said particles further comprise an anti-microbial agent.  
   
   
       10 . The roof surfacing of  claim 7 , wherein said pigment comprises titanium dioxide.  
   
   
       11 . A roof surfacing having increased reflectance, comprising: 
 a roof membrane, having a bituminous layer; and    a layer of particles, having a mean width of about ⅛ inch and a mean width to thickness ratio of about 2:1 to about 50:1, placed in generally overlapping relationship to each other so as to substantially cover said bituminous layer.    
   
   
       12 . The roof surfacing of  claim 11 , wherein said particles comprise a material having increased reflectance, comprising: 
 a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl acetate (PVA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyester, acrylic, polymethylmethacrylate, and methylmethacrylate (MMA); and    a filler selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, dolomite, and barium sulfate.    
   
   
       13 . The roof surfacing of  claim 12 , wherein said particles further comprise a pigment.  
   
   
       14 . The roof surfacing of  claim 12 , wherein said particles further comprise a fire retardant.  
   
   
       15 . The roof surfacing of  claim 12 , wherein said particles further comprise an anti-microbial agent.  
   
   
       16 . The roof surfacing of  claim 13 , wherein said pigment comprises titanium dioxide.  
   
   
       17 . A method of making a roof surfacing having increased reflectance, comprising the steps of: 
 creating a sheet of material having an increased reflectance;    dividing said sheet into a plurality of generally flat particles;    feeding said particles through a hopper onto a curved directional plate;    depositing said particles onto a molten bituminous layer of a roof membrane in a generally horizontal direction to create an overlapping, scaled appearance.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said directional plate orients said particles in a generally horizontal direction.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of solidifying said bituminous layer to adhere said particles to said roof surfacing.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said particles have a mean width to thickness ratio of about 2:1 to about 50:1.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said particles have a mean width of about ⅛ inch.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said sheet has a thickness of about 0.1 to about 0.4 mm.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said sheet comprises: 
 a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl acetate (PVA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyester, acrylic, polymethylmethacrylate, and methylmethacrylate (MMA); and    a filler selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, dolomite, and barium sulfate.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said sheet further comprises a pigment.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said sheet further comprises a fire retardant.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said sheet further comprises an anti-microbial agent.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said pigment comprises titanium dioxide.  
   
   
       28 . A composition of matter suitable for forming particles for use in a roof surfacing having increased reflectance, comprising: 
 a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl acetate (PVA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyester, acrylic, polymethylmethacrylate, and methylmethacrylate (MMA); and    a filler selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, dolomite, and barium sulfate.    
   
   
       29 . The composition of matter of  claim 28 , wherein said composition is about 10 to about 100 percent by weight polymer and about 0 to about 90 percent by weight filler.  
   
   
       30 . The composition of matter of  claim 28 , further comprising a pigment.  
   
   
       31 . The composition of matter of  claim 28 , further comprising a fire retardant.  
   
   
       32 . The composition of matter of  claim 28 , further comprising an anti-microbial agent.  
   
   
       33 . The composition of matter of  claim 30 , wherein said pigment comprises titanium dioxide.  
   
   
       34 . The composition of matter of  claim 30 , wherein said composition is about 10 to about 100 percent by weight polymer, about 0 to about 90 percent by weight filler, and about 0 to about 10 percent by weight pigment.  
   
   
       35 . The composition of matter of  claim 30 , wherein said composition is about 10 to about 15 percent by weight polymer, about 75 to about 85 percent by weight filler, and about 5 to about 10 percent by weight pigment.