Microbe mitigating architectural barriers, compositions for forming such barriers and related methods

Abstract

The invention includes a microbe-mitigating architectural barrier that includes a barrier forming material, and at least one biocide. The barrier forming material may be a bitumen product, an elastomeric polymer and combinations thereof. The microbe-mitigating architectural barrier may be formed by applying an emulsion composition directly to an architectural surface, or it may be preformed and adhered or otherwise secured to the architectural surface in the form of a sheet or film. The invention also includes architectural assemblies and/or building envelopes that include the microbe-mitigating barrier. Related methods are encompassed within the scope of the invention. Such methods include a method of preparing an architectural barrier that includes: (a) preparing an emulsion that comprises a barrier forming material chosen from a bitumen product, an elastomeric polymer and combinations thereof, and at least one biocide, (b) applying the emulsion to at least one architectural surface, and (c) drying and/and or curing the emulsion to form a barrier.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A microbe-mitigating architectural barrier comprising:
 a. a barrier forming material, and   b. at least one biocide, in an amount effective to mitigate microbes,   wherein the barrier forming material is chosen from a bitumen product, an elastomeric polymer and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The barrier of  claim 1 , wherein the bitumen product is chosen from an asphalt, a tar and a polymer modified bitumen. 
     
     
         3 . The barrier of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric polymer is an acrylic polymer. 
     
     
         4 . The barrier of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric polymer is chosen from polymers of materials chosen from acrylates, methacrylates, acrylonitrile, acrylamides, methacrylamides, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The barrier of  claim 4 , wherein the elastomeric polymer contains at least one functional group selected from a vinyl group, a styrene group and an olefin. 
     
     
         6 . The barrier of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one biocide is chosen from silver-containing materials, gold-containing materials, aluminum-containing materials, carbamates, copper-containing materials, antimycotics, bacteriosides, virocides, triclosan, fungicides, and/or azoles. 
     
     
         7 . The barrier of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one biocide is chosen from apyrithione complex and therachloro-isophthalonitrile. 
     
     
         8 . The barrier of  claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of barrier forming material to biocide is about 1:about 200 to about 1:about 2. 
     
     
         9 . The barrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a component selected from crumb rubber, calcium carbonate, carbon black, bentonite, laponite, clay, quartz, silica, titanium dioxide, cellulose, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The barrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a flame retardant, a colorant, a pigment, an odorant, petroleum distillates, and rheology modifiers. 
     
     
         11 . The barrier of  claim 1 , further comprising styrene-butadiene-styrene. 
     
     
         12 . The barrier of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier is pre-formed into a film or sheet prior to application to an architectural surface. 
     
     
         13 . The barrier of  claim 12 , wherein the barrier film or sheet further comprises an adhesive layer. 
     
     
         14 . The barrier of any of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier formed by application of an emulsion to the architectural surface and cured and/or dried. 
     
     
         15 . The barrier of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier is permeable. 
     
     
         16 . The barrier of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier is impermeable. 
     
     
         17 . A building envelope comprising the architectural barrier of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . An architectural assembly comprising an architectural element coated with the architectural barrier of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the assembly is a wallboard. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the wallboard is chosen from sheet rock, oriented strand board, and composite board. 
     
     
         21 . A method of preparing an architectural barrier comprising:
 a. preparing an emulsion that comprises a barrier forming material chosen from a bitumen product, an elastomeric polymer and combinations thereof, and at least one biocide,   b. applying the emulsion to at least one architectural surface, and   c. drying and/and or curing the emulsion to form a barrier.   
     
     
         22 . A method of preparing an architectural barrier comprising:
 a. preparing an emulsion that comprises a barrier forming material chosen from a bitumen product, an elastomeric polymer and combinations thereof, and at least one biocide,   b. applying the emulsion to a substrate.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the substrate is an architectural surface. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the substrate is a detachable base substrate and the method further includes applying the emulsion to the detachable base substrate to form a film or sheet for application to an architectural surface and detaching the film or sheet from the substrate. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising applying an adhesive layer to the film or sheet. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the bitumen product is chosen from an asphalt, tar and polymer modified bitumen. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the elastomeric polymer is an acrylic polymer. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the elastomeric polymer is chosen from polymers of materials chosen from acrylates, methacrylates, acrylonitrile, acrylamides, methacrylamides, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the elastomeric polymer contains at least one functional group selected from a vinyl group, a styrene group and an olefin. 
     
     
         30 . The methods of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one biocide is chosen from silver-containing materials, gold-containing materials, aluminum-containing materials, carbamates, copper-containing materials, antimycotics, bacteriosides, virocides, triclosan, fungicides. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the weight ratio of BFM to biocide is about 1:about 200 to about 1:about 2. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the emulsion further comprises a component selected from crumb rubber, calcium carbonate, carbon black, bentonite, laponite, clay, quartz, silica, titanium dioxide, cellulose, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         33 . The methods of  claim 22 , wherein the emulsion further comprises a flame retardant, a colorant, a pigment, an odorant, petroleum distillates, and rheology modifiers. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the emulsion further comprises SBS. 
     
     
         35 . An emulsion for use in the preparation of a microbe mitigating architectural barrier comprising:
 a. water,   b. a barrier forming material, and   c. at least one biocide,   wherein the barrier forming material is chosen from a bitumen product, an elastomeric polymer and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         36 . The emulsion of  claim 35 , wherein water is present in an amount of about 50% or less, the barrier forming material is present in an amount of about 20% to about 90%, and biocide in an amount of about 0.01 to about 1%. 
     
     
         37 . The emulsion of  claim 35 , wherein the bitumen product is chosen from an asphalt, tar and polymer modified bitumen. 
     
     
         38 . The emulsion of  claim 35 , wherein the elastomeric polymer is an acrylic polymer. 
     
     
         39 . The emulsion of  claim 35 , wherein the elastomeric polymer is chosen from polymers of materials chosen from acrylates, methacrylates, acrylonitrile, acrylamides, methacrylamides, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         40 . The emulsion of  claim 35 , wherein the elastomeric polymer contains at least one functional group selected from a vinyl group, a styrene group, and an olefin. 
     
     
         41 . The emulsion of  claim 35 , wherein the at least one biocide is chosen from silver-containing materials, gold-containing materials, aluminum-containing materials, carbamates, copper-containing materials, antimycotics, bacteriosides, virocides, triclosan, fungicides, and/or azoles. 
     
     
         42 . The emulsion of  claim 35 , further comprising a component selected from crumb rubber, calcium carbonate, carbon black, bentonite, laponite, clay, quartz, silica, titanium dioxide, cellulose, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         43 . The emulsion of  claim 35 , further comprising a flame retardant, a colorant, a pigment, an odorant, petroleum distillates, and rheology modifiers. 
     
     
         44 . The emulsion of  claim 35 , further comprising SBS.