Polyurethane based rigid flooring laminate

Abstract

The laminate according to the invention is a multiple layer structure and contains predominantly urethane-based polymeric materials in the cap and base layers thereof, with no significant amount of PVC. As such, under combustion conditions, the laminate releases substantially no harmful halogen-based bases, such as HCl or other toxic gases, and exhibits toxicity and smoke generation parameters well below acceptable industry standards.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laminate structure comprising:
 a backing layer comprising, by weight, from about 20% to about 80% a fiber reinforcement and from about 80% to about 20% with a thermoset or thermoplastic polymer resin matrix;   a base layer comprising an alloy layer made of polyurethane in combination with a terpolymer comprising polyamide, polyester and polyether or a combination thereof; and an adhesive layer disposed on a first surface of the base layer between the backing layer and the base layer; and   a cap layer comprising polyurethane, wherein the peel resistance between the combination of the cap layer and base layer and the backing layer is at least about 103 Newtons (N) per 25 millimeters after aging for at least 500 hours.   
     
     
         2 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the laminate meets the toxicity flaming and non-flaming test protocols pursuant to AITM 2.0007 with respect to HCN, CO, NO 2 , SO 2 /H 2 S, HF, and HCl limits, said limits being less than 150, 1000, 100, 100, 100, and 150 respectively as measured by specific optical density, in addition to Federal Aviation Regulation 25.853 MD with regard to the parameters of vertical burn, drip time and char of the laminate, said limits being less than 15 seconds, 5 seconds and 203 mm respectively, and further having a tear strength of greater than 50 Newtons according to ISO 4674, method A, and an areal density of between 1800 and 2100 grams per square meter. 
     
     
         3 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the base layer includes the polyurethane/terpolymer as a sub layer in combination with at least one other sub layer selected from a primer sub layer, a fiber sub layer and a sealing sub layer. 
     
     
         4 . The laminate of  claim 3 , wherein the fiber sub layer comprises at least one of glass, aramid, carbon, PVA, hemp, jute, organic fiber, synthetic fiber disposed in a thermoset or thermoplastic resin. 
     
     
         5 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the bondability between the combination of the cap layer and base layer and the backing layer is at least about 31 N/25 mm according to the ISO 4578 test method. 
     
     
         6 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises by weight, from about 50% to about 70% polymer and from about 30% to about 50% flame retardant additive. 
     
     
         7 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises no flame retardant additive. 
     
     
         8 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the laminate comprises from about 30 grams per square meter to about 150 grams per square meter adhesive layer disposed between the adhesive primer and the substrate layer of the surface layer. 
     
     
         9 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the backing layers and the base layer comprises from about 100 grams per square meter to about 400 grams per square meter fiber reinforcement, and wherein the fiber reinforcement is a woven fabric. 
     
     
         10 . The laminate structure of  claim 1 , wherein the laminate releases no HCL during combustion. 
     
     
         11 . The laminate structure of  claim 1 , further including a decorative layer. 
     
     
         12 . The laminate of  claim 1 , wherein the laminate is produced by a roll-forming process and has an areal density of about 2300 grams per square meter or less. 
     
     
         13 . A laminate structure comprising:
 a backing layer comprising, by weight, from about 40% to about 50% polyester, and from about 50% to about 60% by weight fiber reinforcement;   a base layer comprising a polyurethane alloy comprising polyurethane in combination with a terpolymer comprising polyamide, polyester and polyether or a combination thereof sub layer containing polyurethane in combination with a copolymer of at least two of polyamide, polyether, polyester, polyether, polyimide, polyphenylene oxide and polystyrene;   a first adhesive layer disposed between the backing layer and the base layer, the adhesive layer comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane;   a cap layer disposed on a surface of the base layer opposite the backing layer and comprising a polyurethane-based material; and   a second adhesive layer disposed between the base layer and the cap layer, wherein the laminate structure having no amount of PVC in any component layer of the laminate, and exhibits abrasion resistance of less than 400 mg according to ISO 9352.   
     
     
         14 . The laminate of  claim 13  further comprising a primer layer disposed between the adhesive layer and the reinforcing backing layer. 
     
     
         15 . The laminate of  claim 14 , wherein the second adhesive layer disposed between the base layer and the cap layer contains an organic or inorganic pigment. 
     
     
         16 . The laminate of  claim 15  further comprising one or more decorative or print layers disposed between the cap layer and the colored adhesive layer. 
     
     
         17 . A laminate structure comprising:
 a backing layer comprising, by weight from about 20% to about 80% fiber reinforcement and from about 80% to about 20% thermoset or thermoplastic polymer;   a base layer comprising polyurethane-based material; and   an adhesive layer disposed on a first surface of the base layer between the backing layer and the base layer; and a cap layer comprising polyurethane, wherein the laminate meets the toxicity flaming and non-flaming test protocols pursuant to AITM 2.0007 with respect to HCN, CO, NO 2 , SO 2 /H 2 S, HF, and HCl limits, said limits being less than 150, 1000, 100, 100, 100, and 150 respectively as measured by specific optical density, in addition to Federal Aviation Regulation 25.853 MD with regard to the parameters of vertical burn, drip time and char of the laminate, said limits being less than 15 seconds, 5 seconds and 203 mm respectively.   
     
     
         18 . A laminate structure comprising:
 a backing layer comprising, by weight, from about 40% to about 50% polyester, and from about 50% to about 60% by weight fiber reinforcement;   a base layer comprising a sub layer containing polyurethane; a first adhesive layer disposed between the backing layer and the base layer, the adhesive layer comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane; and   a cap layer disposed on a surface of the base layer opposite the backing layer and comprising a polyurethane-based material, wherein the laminate does not generate harmful halogen gases upon combustion, and produces NBS smoke levels of less than 200 according to the ASTN E662 flaming mode test method and by specific optical density (Ds) @ 4 min. non-flaming mode test method.   
     
     
         19 . The laminate of  claim 18  further comprising, a second adhesive layer disposed between the base layer and the cap layer. 
     
     
         20 . The laminate of  claim 19 , wherein the second adhesive layer disposed between the base layer and the cap layer contains an organic or inorganic pigment, and further comprising one or more decorative or print layers disposed between the cap layer and the colored adhesive layer.