POLYMERIC COMPOSITION, METHOD FOR PRODUCING A POLYMERIC COMPOSITION, SUBSTRATES COATED WITH A POLYMERIC COMPOSITION AND APPARATUS FOR COATING SUBSTRATES WITH A POLYMERIC COMPOSITION

Abstract

A polymeric composition with fire resistant properties is provided. The polymeric composition comprises a continuous phase and a disperse phase distributed in the continuous phase. The continuous phase is prepared by first mixing at least furfuryl alcohol with at least one first phenol, and by second adding a catalyst. The disperse phase comprises particles that are at least in parts heat-expandable. Furthermore, a method for producing such a polymeric composition, a substrate coated with such a fire resistant polymeric composition and an apparatus for machine-coating substrates with such a polymeric composition are provided.

Claims

1. Polymeric composition comprising a continuous phase and a disperse phase, wherein the continuous phase is prepared by first mixing, preferably mixing and heating, at least furfuryl alcohol with at least one first phenol, and by second adding a catalyst, and wherein the disperse phase comprises particles being at least in parts heat-expandable and distributed in the continuous phase.

2. Polymeric composition according to claim 1, wherein the continuous phase is prepared by adding at least one second phenol before adding said catalyst.

3. Polymeric composition according to claim 1, wherein said at least one first phenol and/or said at least one second phenol comprises tannin, preferably at least in parts tannin as particulate solid.

4. Method for producing a polymeric composition comprising: Mixing, preferably mixing and heating, at least furfuryl alcohol and at least one first phenol; Adding particles to the mixture, the particles being at least in parts heat-expandable; Adding a catalyst to the mixture after adding the particles.

5. Method according to claim 4, further comprising: Adding at least one second phenol to the mixture before adding the catalyst.

6. Method according to claim 4, wherein said at least one first phenol and/or said at least one second phenol comprises tannin, preferably at least in parts tannin as particulate solid.

7. Method according to claim 4, further comprising: Adding a first additive for neutralizing the catalyst.

8. Method according to claim 4, wherein mixing at least furfuryl alcohol and at least one first phenol lasts between 1 to 15 hours.

9. Method according to claim 4, wherein heating the mixture comprises at least one of heating the mixture to between 60° C. and 150° C.

10. Method according to claim 4, wherein the catalyst is an acidic catalyst, preferably with a pK.sub.a≤3.

11. Method according to claim 4, wherein the particles comprise heat-expandable polystyrene beads.

12. Use of a polymeric composition according to claim 1 as coating.

13. Product coated with a polymeric composition according to claim 1.

14. Product according to claim 13, wherein the thickness of the unexpanded coating lies between 2 to 20 mm and/or wherein the thickness of the expanded coating lies between 20 to 250 mm.

15. Fire resistant board comprising a continuous phase and a disperse phase, the continuous phase comprising either furfuryl alcohol and a first phenol or furfuryl alcohol, a first phenol and a second phenol, the disperse phase comprising particles being at least in parts heat-expandable, wherein the first and/or the second phenol preferably comprises tannin, further preferably at least in parts tannin as particulate solid.

16. Method for machine-coating a substrate with a polymeric composition, the method comprising: providing a substrate; providing an uncured polymeric composition according to claim 1; feeding the substrate along a conveyor path; depositing an amount of uncured polymeric material on the substrate; allowing the deposited uncured polymeric material to at least partially cure.

17. Apparatus (100) for machine-coating comprising: a first conveyer (111) for transporting a substrate, the first conveyer (111) having a transportation direction; a coating head (109) directed to the first conveyer (111) for depositing a polymeric composition on the substrate transported by the first conveyer (111); a mixer (108) for providing the polymeric composition by mixing a resin composition without catalyst, particles being at least in parts heat-expandable and a catalyst, the mixer (108) being in fluid-connection with the coating head (109); a first storage tank (101a) for the resin composition without catalyst, the first storage tank (101a) being in fluid-connection with the mixer (108); a second storage tank (101b) for the catalyst, the second storage tank (101b) being in fluid-connection with the mixer (108); a storage vessel (102) for the particles being at least in parts heat-expandable, the hopper (102) being in fluid-connection with the mixer (108); a second conveyer (112) being arranged in parallel to the first conveyer (111) and at least in parts above the first conveyer (111); a heat source being arranged along the first conveyor (111) and the second conveyor (112).

Description

[0075] The invention shall now be further exemplified with the help of figures. The figures show:

[0076] FIG. 1 a flow chart of a method according to the invention for producing a polymeric composition;

[0077] FIG. 2 a flow chart of an embodiment of the method according to the invention for producing a polymeric composition;

[0078] FIG. 3 a flow chart of another embodiment of the method according to the invention for producing a polymeric composition;

[0079] FIG. 4 a schematic view of an apparatus according to the invention for machine-coating.

[0080] FIG. 1 shows a flow chart visualising the single steps of one embodiment of a method for producing a polymeric composition. The method 1 starts with mixing at least furfuryl alcohol and at least one first phenol 10, followed by heating the mixture of at least furfuryl alcohol and the at least one first phenol 20. Thereafter, particles are added to the mixture that are at least in parts heat-expandable 30. In a last step, a catalyst is added to the mixture 40.

[0081] FIG. 2 shows a flow chart visualising the single steps of another embodiment of a method for producing a polymeric composition. The method 1 described here is in general similar to the method described by means of FIG. 1, however, it comprises a further step. After the steps mixing at least furfuryl alcohol and at least one first phenol 10 and heating the mixture of at least furfuryl alcohol and the at least one first phenol 20 are completed, at least one second phenol is added to the mixture 21 before particles are added to the mixture that are at least in parts heat-expandable 30 and before a catalyst is added to the mixture 40.

[0082] FIG. 3 shows a flow chart that is visualising two embodiments of a method for producing a polymeric composition. The first embodiment 1′ is comparable to the embodiment described by means of FIG. 2 and the second embodiment 1′ is comparable to the embodiment described by means of FIG. 1. However, the steps 10, 20 and 21 are more specified. Both embodiments 1, 1′ comprise mixing furfuryl alcohol and tannin, the tannin being present as particulate solid 10 and heating the mixture of furfuryl alcohol and tannin 20. Embodiment 1 further comprises adding a phenol and formaldehyde condensation product to the mixture before adding the catalyst 21.

[0083] FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of an apparatus 100 for machine-coating according to the invention. The shown apparatus 100 comprises two storage tanks; one storage tank 101a for a resin composition without catalyst (e.g. based on a first phenol and furfuryl alcohol or on a first phenol, furfuryl alcohol and a second phenol) and one storage tank 101b for the catalyst. The fluids, in this embodiment namely the resin and the catalyst, are provided by means of metering pumps 105a, 105b. Furthermore, the apparatus 100 comprises a hopper 102 for the solid heat expandable particles. However, it is also possible that the hopper 102 provides in addition for a neutralizer additive or the like. The heat expandable particles first pass a slotted rod 103 before they are added by means of a chute 104. A pressuring pump 107 is receiving the particles from the chute 104 and provides for their transportation. On the one hand, the heat-expandable particles are added to the resin and led to a mixer 108. On the other hand, the catalyst is provided by means of the metering pump 105b and is also led to the mixer 108. In the mixer 108 the catalyst is mixed with the premix of resin composition without catalyst and heat expandable particles. The final mixture, i.e. the uncured polymeric composition, is applied on a substrate (not shown), e.g. by means of a coating head 109 directed to a first conveyer 111, being part of a double belt conveyor 110 and providing a substrate. The mixer 108 is, e.g., in fluid-connection with the coating head 109. A second conveyer 112 is arranged in parallel above the first conveyer 111 and is also part of the double belt conveyor 110. After application, the polymeric composition can cure on the substrate between the first and second conveyor 111, 112. The second conveyer 112 is not arranged above the first conveyor 111 along the full length of the first conveyer 111. The second conveyer 112 is arranged after the coating head 109. The second conveyor 112 can also end before the first conveyer 111 does (viewed in transportation direction). The heat source initiating the expansion is not shown. The second conveyor 112 supplies a second substrate, such that the polymeric composition can cure between the first and the second substrate. When a neutralizer shall be added, the apparatus may comprise an additional storage vessel, for the neutralizer such as an additional hopper, the neutralizer being added before the mixer 108 and after the first storage tank 101a. The arrows in the scheme indicate on the one hand the moving direction of the components (resin, heat expandable particles, catalyst) of the polymeric composition and on the other hand the moving direction of the conveyors 111, 112 and the transportation direction of the substrate.

TABLE-US-00001 Reference sign 1 Method 10 Mixing at least furfuryl alcohol and at least one first phenol 20 Heating the mixture of at least furfuryl alcohol and the at least one first phenol 21 Adding at least one second phenol to the mixture before adding the catalyst 30 Adding particles to the mixture, the particles being at least in parts heat- expandable 40 Adding a catalyst to the mixture after adding the particles 100 Apparatus 101a, 101b Storage tank 102 hopper 103 Slotted rod 104 Chute 105a, 105b Metering pump 107 Pressurising Pump 108 Mixer 109 Coating head 110 Double belt conveyor 111 First conveyor 112 Second conveyor