Decorated panel, method for its production and system for carrying out this method

Abstract

The present invention refers to a decorated panel composed as follows: a substrate; a decorative layer applied to at least part of the substrate; a photo-crosslinkable formulation applied directly or indirectly on a part of the substrate and/or on the decorative layer, that is, with the interposition of further layers of intermediate material on at least a part of the substrate and in one or more layers, containing at least one photo-crosslinkable resin; at least one thermoplastic resin; at least one polymerization initiator including but not limited to UV photoinitiators, organic peroxides, Electron Beam.

Claims

1. A decorated panel comprising: a substrate; a decorative layer applied to at least part of the substrate; and a photo cross-linked formulation applied directly or indirectly on a part of the said substrate and/or on a decorative layer, optionally with interposed intermediate layers, the formulation containing: at least one light crosslinkable resin; at least one thermoplastic resin; and at least one polymerization initiator including UV photoinitiators, organic peroxides, or Electron Beam initiators, wherein at least one of said layers is a wear and/or scratch resistant layer, wherein the combination of the at least one photo-crosslinkable resin with the at least one thermoplastic resin provides thermoplastic behavior that elastically compensates for differential thermal shrinkage between the coating and the substrate, and wherein at least one of said layers is textured to form a three-dimensional surface.

2. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises at least two opposite faces, and at least one wear and/or scratch resistant layer is applied to one of said faces.

3. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the resin is selected from cationic, radical, or mixed-mode systems.

4. The panel according to claim 1, wherein resin includes non-crosslinkable components such as epoxy, polyurethane, acrylic resins, or their mixtures.

5. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the undergoes dual-cure polymerization.

6. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic resin is selected from: polybenzimidazole (PBI), polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) or polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyamide (PA), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polylactic acid (PLA), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyethersulfone (PES), polyoxymethylene (POM), polyvinyl acetate (PVAC), ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), or mixtures thereof.

7. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic resin is present between 1% and its solubility limit in the formulation.

8. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic resin is dispersed in the crosslinkable matrix.

9. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the formulation further comprises at least one additive from: water, solvents, surfactants, plasticizers, UV stabilizers, antioxidants, defoamers, biocides, dyes, pigments, aluminum oxide, or mixtures thereof.

10. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the wear and/or scratch resistant formulation is textured.

11. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the decoration layer is applied by digital printing.

12. The decorated panel according to claim 1, wherein the decorated panel is optionally heat treated.

13. The panel according to claim 12, wherein the surface becomes opaque after heat treatment.

14. The decorated panel according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises plastic, wood, wood-derived material (HDF/MDF), metal, fiber cement, ceramic or combinations thereof.

15. The decorated panel according claim 1, used for architectural coverings, floors and furniture.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Some exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in greater detail below with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates the succession of layers to produce the decorated panel object of the invention. In particular, the figure represents a decorated panel in plastic material that can be used for flooring.

(3) FIG. 2 shows, similarly to FIG. 1, a decorated panel in HDF that can be used for flooring.

(4) FIG. 3 schematically shows a first embodiment of the three-dimensional structuring method, i.e., surface embossing of the wear-resistant and/or scratch-resistant layer of the panel according to the present invention.

(5) FIG. 4 schematically shows a second embodiment of the three-dimensional structuring method, i.e., surface embossing of the wear-resistant and/or scratch-resistant layer of the panel according to the present invention.

(6) In the present description, as well as in the preceding introductory parts and in the claims, the terms crosslinking, photoreticulation and polymerization are to be considered equivalent to each other and falling within the more generic definition of crosslinking or polymerization or gelling by means of energy irradiation.

(7) Furthermore, in the present description as well as in the preceding introductory parts and in the claims the terms embossing, forming, texturing, three-dimensional surface configuration are to be considered equivalent and falling within the more generic definition of three-dimensional surface forming comprising a distribution of alternating grooves and protrusions according to a predetermined distribution design.

(8) In FIG. 1 a painting cycle for SPC is schematized while in FIG. 2 a painting cycle for HDF is schematized.

(9) According to some embodiments, the painting cycle object of the invention can be performed using conventional techniques in use, such as roller/spray/veil/die/slot-die.

(10) Typically, the paint object of the invention is advantageously used for the production of furniture and/or floors. The preparation and finishing cycle depends on the material to be decorated and on the desired performance.

(11) With reference to the example of a typical cycle for the decoration of SPC (Stone Plastic Composite), a material currently in vogue for the production of flooring, it involves the following processes:

(12) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Operation application typy g/m2 note Smoothing optional of the substrate Adhesion roll UV 8/10 optional primer White base roll UV 20/40 One or more applications Primer for roll UV 8/10 optional print Digital roll UV optional print of decor Anti-wear roll UV 80/200 One or more layer applications The quantity depends on the degree of abrasion resistance desired Finishing roll UV 10/20 Optional. For scratch protection and to obtain the desired degree of opacity

(13) In order to obtain different aesthetic effects, the wear layer and the finishing layer can have different degrees of opacity. In fact, if the wear layer has a higher degree of gloss than the finishing layer, a pore will be obtained, or a hollow in the three-dimensional, shiny structure, which will consequently be highlighted.

(14) On the contrary, if the wear layer and the finishing layer have the same degree of gloss, the pore will be less evident but with a more natural effect.

(15) As previously highlighted in the present description, each layer or at least some of the layers of the painting cycle can consist of a formulation according to the more general composition of the present invention, that is, comprising: i. At least one light crosslinkable resin; ii. At least one thermoplastic resin; iii. At least one polymerization initiator, including but not limited to UV photoinitiators, organic peroxides, Electron Beam,

(16) The different layers differing in relation to the quantity and/or type of said components and/or in relation to the presence of one or more different additives and/or different quantities of said one or more additives.

(17) In a preferred form of the invention, the painting cycle is heat treated. Temperature and time are a function of the molecular weight and chemical nature of the resin itself. Typically, the heat treatment takes place after the photopolymerization step.

(18) Surprisingly, after heat treatment, a dull surface is formed. The heat treatment can take place by means of hot air or by direct irradiation with IR, NIR rays.

(19) Below is an example of a preferred and non-limiting painting cycle of the present invention:

Example 1

(20) A varnish base is prepared consisting of: HDDA acrylate monomer: difference to 100% TMPTA acrylate monomer: 20% CN981 acrylate oligomer: 10% thermoplastic resin (see table 2) photoinitiator IRGACURE 1173: 3% TPO photoinitiator: 0.1-5% (5% for white)

(21) Titanium oxide (20%) is then added to the base to prepare the white base paint or aluminum oxide (25%) to prepare the shatterproof paint or the wear layer.

(22) The line used for decoration and finishing is composed of normal or reverse roller machines for the application of paints, 6-color single-pass printer for decoration, single-pass jet-printer for texturing, or for the application of the texturing liquid, brushing members for the removal of the areas treated with the texturizing liquid.

(23) The application and printing speed is 30 m/min. The white paint is applied by roller with 2 applications of 15 g/m2 to a substrate of SPC of 2.5 mm and gelled with 2 Ga lamps of 120 W/cm.

(24) The substrate is printed with the decoration layer and then a first coat of shatterproof paint (30 g/m2) is applied which is gelled with 1 120 W/cm Hg lamp followed by another application of a second layer of the same material of 150 g/m2. This second layer is subjected to the three-dimensional forming process, i.e., texturization and is subsequently gelled with 2 120 W/cm Hg lamps.

(25) Subsequently, a finishing layer is then applied in an amount of 10 g/m2 to ensure scratch resistance and the desired gloss, the substrate is then dried with 4 Hg lamps of 120 w/cm.

(26) The substrate was tested according to EN16511:2019, some data of which are shown in table 2 with reference to the use of different types of thermoplastic resins:

(27) TABLE-US-00002 Type Ref. polyamide PVC PVC-Ac PE Thermoplastic ORGASOL SOLVIN VINNOL PEW- resin 2002 550 GA H 4 40/50 Content % 0 8 10 10 15 Taber AC1 AC4 AC4 AC3 AC2 abrasion Dimensional 4 h@80 c. NOK OK OK OK OK stability <1 mm <1 mm <1 mm <1mm

(28) FIG. 3 shows a schematic example of the texturing process according to one of the preferred but non-limiting embodiments of the anti-wear and/or anti-scratch layer.

(29) With reference to FIG. 3, step 1 shows a more generic embodiment of the present invention in which only the application of an anti-wear and/or anti-scratch layer indicated with 20 on a substrate 10 is provided.

(30) Step 1 provides for the application of said layer 10 made according to one or more of the embodiments and/or variants previously described and preferably by means of a technique that does not involve the use of spraying or ink-jet techniques.

(31) Step 2 shows the application of an embossing liquid indicated with 30, preferably by means of a digital printing process and in particular by means of an ink-jet printing process 40. In this case the described technique is applied with a forming liquid of the type on aqueous basis as specifically and in detail described in WO2018069874.

(32) Step 3 provides for the action of polymerization and/or drying of the layer, for example by irradiation of photonic energy or the like, which leads to step 4 to the finished panel to which it is possible to further apply a finishing layer as shown in the fine examples of FIGS. 1 and 2.

(33) FIG. 4 shows similarly to FIG. 3 the steps of an alternative three-dimensional forming process of the at least one anti-wear layer 20 applied to a substrate 10. In this case, step 4 further provides for the removal by means of removal members 50 of the areas on which the embossing liquid 30 is applied. The composition of this embossing liquid as well as the nature of the interaction between the forming liquid 30 and the material of the anti-wear layer 20 are described in detail in document WO2020039361.

(34) FIG. 4 also shows the step 5 of application of the finishing layer 60 which can be similarly envisaged also in the example of FIG. 3.

(35) Following the step of application of the finishing layer or at the end of the process, if the finishing layer is not provided, the step of heating the heat treatment of the set of layers applied to the substrate is provided even if not illustrated.