Natural composite infill material for synthetic turf

Abstract

An infill composition for artificial turf fields comprising at least one layer of particles comprising curable oil and natural polymers-based particles, the particles can include a particle size distribution of curable oil-based particles with a size of 0.6 to 7 mm to after wetting. The infill composition can be installed according to a method of spreading a layer of curable oil-based particles over a carpet that is on a base of compacted stone, wherein the layer of curable oil-based particles consists of dry particles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A natural composite granular material for use in artificial turf. 
     
     
         2 . A natural composite granular material according to a  claim 1 , which is made entirely of renewable materials for use in artificial turf. 
     
     
         3 . A natural composite granular material according to  claim 1 , which is made from a blend of natural curative oil or blends thereof, natural hydrophobic polymers or blends thereof, and organic reinforcement or mineral fillers. 
     
     
         4 . A natural composite granular material according to  claim 3 , comprising 30-95% curable oil, 10-40% hydrophobic natural polymer, and 0-50% filler and/or reinforcement based on the weight of the composite material. 
     
     
         5 . A natural composite granular material according to  claim 3 , comprising 60-90% vegetable curable oil, 2-20% hydrophobic polymer, and 0-30% inorganic fillers and/or reinforcement based on the weight of the composite material. 
     
     
         6 . A natural composite granular material according to  claim 3 , wherein the natural curable oil is selected from one or more of linseed oil, tung oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, poppy seed oil,  perilla  oil, rapeseed oil, and walnut oil. 
     
     
         7 . A natural composite granular material according to  claim 3 , wherein the natural curable polymer is selected from one or more of carnauba wax, shellac, dammar, copal, rosin such as gum rosin (colophony) or other conifer materials, propolis, mastic and tree gums such as guaiacum, dammaror kauri and gutta percha. 
     
     
         8 . A natural composite granular material according to  claim 3 , wherein the reinforcement is selected from one or more of natural fibers, such as jute, hemp, linen, coconut coir, cotton, regenerated cellulose and bamboo and/or one or more mineral materials such as calcium carbonate, talc, barium sulfate, titanium oxides, silicon dioxides, aluminum oxides, clay, and chalks. 
     
     
         9 . A natural composite granular material according to  claim 3 , wherein the filler is selected from one or more of calcium carbonate, talc, barium sulfate, titanium oxides, silicon dioxides, aluminum oxides, clay, and chalks. 
     
     
         10 . A natural composite granular material according to  claim 3 , wherein the oil is linseed oil, the polymer is rosin and the filler is an inorganic filler. 
     
     
         11 . A natural composite granular material according to  claim 1 , comprising 30-95% linseed oil, 10-40% pine rosin, 0-50% calcium carbonate, and 0-50% talc. 
     
     
         12 . A natural composite granular material according to  claim 1 , wherein the granules have an average size (by sieving) of 0.8-1.25 mm and about 90% by weight have a size>0.5 mm, while most of the granules are smaller than 3.14 mm. 
     
     
         13 . A method of using a natural composite granular material as infill for an artificial turf. 
     
     
         14 . An artificial turf comprising a layer of a composite granular material which is made from a blend of natural curative oil or blends thereof, natural hydrophobic polymers or blends thereof, and organic reinforcement or mineral fillers. 
     
     
         15 . An artificial turf according to  claim 14 , wherein the layer is made entirely (100% by weight), substantially (e.g., 65% or higher or 75% or higher by weight), primarily (e.g., 50% or higher by weight), or predominantly (e.g., 45% or higher by weight, or a percentage by weight that is higher than the percentage by weight of any other particle or sand in the same layer) of the natural composite granular material.