Artificial turf treatment system and method

Abstract

A method of modifying the properties of an artificial turf includes applying a turf modifier compound over a top surface of the artificial turf. The artificial turf includes a carpet or an infill that forms the top surface, and the turf modifier compound alters a property of the artificial turf at the carpet or the infill, including at least one of water retention, water absorption, stiffness, friction, infill splash, reflectance, mechanical resilience, ultraviolet radiation resistance, heat emission, heat retention, heat reflection, and antimicrobial activity.

1 . A method of modifying properties of an artificial turf, comprising:
 applying a turf modifier compound over a top surface of the artificial turf, wherein the artificial turf includes a carpet or an infill layer that forms the top surface, and the turf modifier compound alters a property of the artificial turf at the carpet or the infill layer, including at least one of water retention, water absorption, stiffness, friction, infill splash, reflectance, mechanical resilience, ultraviolet radiation resistance, heat emission, heat retention, heat reflection, and antimicrobial activity.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carpet includes fibers that form the top surface, and the turf modifier compound comprises at least one of a cationic, an anionic, a non-ionic, or a covalent-attachment surfactant that alters a coefficient of friction of the fibers or the infill layer. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the turf modifier compound comprises a silane that covalently bonds to the carpet or the infill layer and alters a water retention property or a water absorption property of the carpet or the infill layer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the turf modifier compound is a hydrogel that increases water retention, increases surface stiffness, or reduces infill splash of the artificial turf. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the turf modifier compound forms a coating that reduces a reflectance property of fibers in the carpet. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the turf modifier compound includes a polymer that forms a coating, and the coating increases a mechanical resilience of fibers included in the artificial turf or extends an ultraviolet radiation resistance of the fibers. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the turf modifier compound forms a coating that alters a heat reflection property of the artificial turf. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the turf modifier compound comprises a gel matrix that encases infill particles included in the artificial turf such that the gel matrix adheres to the infill particles, fills a space between the infill particles, and immobilizes the infill particles or reduces movement by the infill particles relative to each other. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the turf modifier compound comprises at least one antimicrobial compound disposed within a polymer matrix that releases the antimicrobial compound to the infill layer or the carpet over time. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carpet comprises fibers fixed with a backing, the fibers are formed from a polymer, and the turf modifier compound covalently bonds to both the fibers and the backing. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carpet comprises fibers, and the turf modifier compound comprises infill particles formed from a single infill particle size that, disposed in the fibers, alters an elastic modulus or a loss modulus of the artificial turf. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carpet comprises fibers, the infill layer is a first infill having a first particle size distribution, the turf modifier compound comprises a second infill disposed between the fibers with the first infill, and the second infill has a second particle size distribution larger than the first particle size distribution. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the second particle size distribution encompasses the first particle size distribution. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the turf modifier compound comprises an infill having a bi-modal particle size distribution. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the turf modifier compound comprises a top dressing layer of infill particles that alters a visual property or a thermal property of the artificial turf. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming the turf modifier compound from a water-soluble powder, wherein the turf modifier compound is a hydrogel that encases infill particles in the artificial turf. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carpet includes fibers fixed with a backing, the infill layer is disposed between the fibers, on top of the backing, and the method further comprises diffusing the turf modifier compound through the artificial turf by gravity, from the top surface, through the fibers and the infill layer, toward the backing. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carpet includes fibers fixed with a backing,
 the infill layer includes an upper layer and a lower layer disposed between the fibers, on top of the backing,   the upper layer forms the top surface of the artificial turf with the fibers,   the lower layer is interposed between the upper layer and the backing in a vertical direction,   the upper layer and the lower layer have infill particles with different particle size distributions or different chemical compositions, and   the method further comprises diffusing the turf modifier compound through the artificial turf in the vertical direction by gravity, from the top surface, through the fibers and the upper layer, to the lower layer.   
     
     
         19 . The method of claim  19 , wherein the turf modifier compound includes a polymer, and the method further comprises curing the turf modifier compound at the lower layer, where the polymer encases and hardens around infill particles in the lower layer. 
     
     
         20 . A method of modifying properties of an artificial turf, comprising:
 removing infill particles from a carpet included in the artificial turf; and   mixing a turf modifier compound with the infill particles removed from the artificial turf, or applying the turf modifier compound to a top side of the carpet, wherein the turf modifier compound alters a property of the artificial turf at the carpet or the infill particles, including at least one of water retention, water absorption, stiffness, friction, infill splash, reflectance, mechanical resilience, ultraviolet radiation resistance, heat emission, heat retention, heat reflection, and antimicrobial activity.