Panel for Forming a Floor Covering and Such Floor Covering

Abstract

The invention relates to a panel, in particular a floor panel, suitable for forming a floor covering, wherein the panel has a substantially planar top side, and a substantially planar bottom side, at least four substantially linear side edges comprising at least one pair of opposite side edges, preferably provided with locking means.

Claims

1. Panel, in particular a floor or wall panel, suitable for forming a floor or wall covering, comprising at least one core layer having a planar top side, and a planar bottom side, at least four linear side edges, characterized in that the at least one core layer comprises a magnesium oxide composition comprising at least a magnesium oxide and a magnesium salt, wherein said magnesium oxide composition comprises a magnesium crystal structure, and wherein the magnesium crystal structure comprises at least 50% by weight of at least one whisker-phase magnesium crystal structure.

2. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the magnesium salt is magnesium sulfate, magnesium chloride, or combination thereof.

3. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the magnesium crystal structure comprises at least a number of magnesium crystals having an average diameter in the range of 0.2 to 1.0 micrometers.

4. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the magnesium crystal structure comprises at least a number of magnesium crystals having an average length in the range of 1 to 50 micrometers.

5. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the magnesium oxide composition comprises a magnesium crystal structure which comprises at least 70% by weight of at least one whisker-phase magnesium crystal structure.

6. Panel according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the at least one whisker-phase magnesium crystal structure is a 5-phase magnesium crystal structure.

7. Panel according to claim 6, wherein the 5-phase magnesium crystal structure is chosen from the group consisting of 5-1-2, 5-1-3, 5-1-7, 5-1-8 crystal phases.

8. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the magnesium crystal structure of the magnesium oxide composition further comprises at least 5% of a heat-resistant crystal structure chosen from the group consisting of 2-1-4, 2-1-2, 1-2-3, 1-1-5, 9-1-4 crystal phases.

9. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the magnesium oxide composition comprises 0.05% to 10% by weight of at least one compound comprising at least two hydroxyl groups.

10. Panel according to claim 9, wherein said compound is selected from the group comprising of oxalic acid, citric acid, phosphoric acid or boric acid.

11. Panel according to claim 9, wherein said compound comprises at least one acid having a pH level between 3 to 6 or a pKa level between 3 to 7.

12. Panel according to claim 9, wherein the compound comprising at least two hydroxyl groups is a nanoscopic compound having a molecular size of 10 to 100 Angstrom.

13. Panel according to claim 9, wherein the compound comprising at least two hydroxyl groups is a sub nanoscopic compound comprising a molecular size of 1 to 10 Angstrom.

14. Panel according to claim 9, wherein the compound comprising at least two hydroxyl groups has a branched, hyperbranched and/or dendritic structure.

15. Panel according to claim 9, wherein the compound comprising at least two hydroxyl groups comprises more than 5 hydroxyl groups.

16. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the core layer comprises at least one pair of opposite side edges which are provided with interconnecting coupling means.

17. Panel according to claim 16, wherein the interconnecting coupling means comprise a tongue and a groove wherein the tongue is provided on one side edge of one pair of opposite side edges, and the groove is provided on the other side edge of the same pair of opposite side edges.

18. Floor or wall covering comprising multiple panels according to claim 1.

Description

[0092] The invention will be elucidated on the basis of non-limitative exemplary embodiments shown in the following figures. Herein shows:

[0093] FIG. 1 a first possible embodiment of panel according to the present invention,

[0094] FIG. 2 a second possible embodiment of a panel according to the present invention,

[0095] FIG. 3 a third possible embodiment of a panel according to the present invention.

[0096] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the panel according to the present invention;

[0097] FIG. 5 shows a cross section of a further possible embodiment of a panel according to the present invention, and

[0098] FIG. 6 shows a branched structure of the compound or additive according to the present invention.

[0099] Within these figures, similar reference numbers correspond to similar or equivalent elements or features.

[0100] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a cross section of a first embodiment of a panel (101) according to the invention. The figure shows the panel (101) comprising a core layer (102) comprises a magnesium oxide composition comprising at least magnesium oxide and magnesium salt, wherein said magnesium oxide composition comprises a magnesium crystal structure (104). The magnesium crystal structure (104) preferably comprises at least 50% by weight of at least one whisker-phase magnesium crystal structure. The whisker-phase magnesium crystal structure comprises magnesium crystal whiskers (103). It can be seen that the magnesium crystal whiskers (103) interlock with another. The panel (101) as shown, further comprises a top layer (105) and optionally a backing layer (106), which are both optional.

[0101] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a cross section of a second possible embodiment of a panel (201) according to the invention. The figure shows the panel comprising a core layer (202) comprising an upper part (202a) and a lower part (202b) and a reinforcing layer (207) situated between said upper part (202a) and said lower part (202b) of the core layer (202). Both parts (202a, 202b) of the core layer (102) comprise magnesium crystal whiskers (203) which at least partially form a 5-phase crystal structure (204). Despite the figure showing only a part of the total volume of the core layer (202) comprises a crystal structure (204), typically between 50 and 100% by weight of the magnesium oxide composition of the core layer is present in a 5-phase magnesium crystal structure. The reinforcing layer (207) comprises a fiberglass mesh. The panel (201) further comprises a top layer (205).

[0102] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of a cross section of a third possible embodiment of a panel (301) according to the invention. The figure shows the panel comprising a core layer (302) wherein the core layer (302) comprises respectively an upper part (302a), a lower part (302b) and an intermediate part (302c). Said parts are separated via multiple reinforcing layers (307a, 307b). In the present embodiment, there is this intermediate part (302c) of the core layer (302), which is a foam layer. The other parts (302a, 302b) of the core layer (102) comprise magnesium crystal whiskers (303) which at least partially form a crystal structure (304). The panel (301) further comprises a top layer (305). The panels as shown in FIGS. 1-3 could optionally be provided with interconnecting coupling parts (for example as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) for interconnecting adjacent panels,

[0103] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a possible embodiment of a flooring panel (401) according to the present invention. The panel (401) comprises a core layer (402) and a decorative top layer (403). The core layer (102) comprises two pairs of opposite side edges. In the shown embodiment, a first pair of opposite side edges is provided with interconnecting coupling parts (408a, 408b) for interconnecting adjacent panels (401). The shown interconnecting coupling parts (408a, 408b) are shown as an illustration, any type of conventional coupling parts could be applied. The core layer (402) comprises a magnesium crystal structure (404) comprising magnesium crystal whiskers (403).

[0104] FIG. 5 shows a cross section of a further possible embodiment of a flooring panel (501) according to the present invention. The panel (501) comprises a core layer (501) and backing layer (506). The panel (501) further comprises interconnecting coupling parts (508a, 508b) for interconnecting adjacent panels (501).

[0105] FIG. 6 shows a schematic representation of a possible branched compound structure in accordance with the embodiments of this invention. The branched structure shows the presence of at least two hydroxyl groups which are added as a compound or additive in the core layer.

[0106] It will be apparent that the invention is not limited to the working examples shown and described herein, but that numerous variants are possible within the scope of the attached claims that will be obvious to a person skilled in the art.

[0107] The verb “comprise” and conjugations thereof used in this patent publication are understood to mean not only “comprise”, but are also understood to mean the phrases “contain”, “substantially consist of”, “formed by” and conjugations thereof