One-component coating agent for coating substrates, floor elements and processes

Abstract

One-component coating agent for slip-resistant and / or wear-resistant coating of substrates (4) with a liquid binder (2) and hard particles (3), wherein the binder (2) is an aminosilane-catalyzed polyether (2), characterized in that the hard particles (3) are silane-modified corundum particles which are designed such that, during the crosslinking of the aminosilane-catalyzed polyether (2) in the coating agent, they can float to the surface of the coating agent applied to a substrate for self-organizing arrangement of the silane-modified corundum particles (3).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a one-component coating composition for the slip-resistant and / or wear-resistant coating of substrates with a liquid binder and hard particles. Further aspects of the invention include a floor element with such a coating and a method for producing a coated substrate, in particular a coated floor.

[0002] Common coating materials for slip-resistant and / or wear-resistant coatings are used to coat substrates in high-traffic areas where there is often a risk of slipping. These coatings typically use acrylates or two-component polyurethanes as binders. To coat a substrate, such as a floor element or a floor covering, a layer of the binder is first applied. Since the binder itself does not possess sufficient slip-resistant and / or wear-resistant properties, hard particles are sprinkled onto the binder layer after application, giving the coating a surface texture. This surface texture, combined with the hardness of the hard particles, imparts slip-resistant and / or wear-resistant properties to the coating.

[0003] US Patent 2012 / 0108730 A1 deals with a self-healing compound that can be used, for example, in a material coating when a silane-modified reactive diluent is added. This compound can be used as an adhesive, sealant, or coating agent.

[0004] US patent 2008 / 0051517 A1 describes a curable compound which exhibits improved compatibility between a high molecular weight polyether polymer and a vinyl polymer and is distinguished by its mechanical properties and weather resistance.

[0005] From DE 10 2004 043 810 A1, the structure, coating formulations and manufacturing processes for adhesive floor coatings based on unsaturated polyesters and vinyl esters are known.

[0006] DE 102 12 523 A1 discloses a multi-component, air-drying, silane-containing coating agent which exhibits improved adhesion to an aluminum surface.

[0007] US Patent 2008 / 0067701 A1 describes a method for producing a photochromic object, such as a spectacle lens, comprising a substrate with two main surfaces, with a coating composition containing at least one polyurethane prepolymer with non-blocked polyisocyanate end groups, at least one polyol, and at least one photochromic agent.

[0008] EP 2 147 956 B1 deals with a method for preparing painted surfaces of objects with low dust generation, in which silanes are added to topcoats.

[0009] WO 2009 / 074334 A2 relates to a process for functionalizing a hard material by reacting at least one anchor molecule with at least one hard material particle, wherein an anchor molecule has at least one silane adhesion group and at least one polymerizable group.

[0010] From DE 10 2007 019 179 A1 a wear protection layer is known with a mixture of non-uniform hard particles and round solid particles embedded in a matrix material.

[0011] The labor-intensive process of applying the hard particles results in a very uneven appearance and a coating with a very coarse and rough surface and feel. This makes the coated substrates highly susceptible to dirt and difficult to clean. Furthermore, the simply sprinkled hard particles are not firmly bound to the binder layer, which cures slowly or, in the case of acrylates, not at all. Therefore, the hard particles can detach from the binder layer under prolonged stress. Similarly, the entire coating can detach from the substrate under prolonged and high-frequency stress, necessitating regular renewal of the entire coating.

[0012] Especially in hygienically sensitive areas, such as hospital corridors or floors of food processing production facilities, where long durability combined with good cleaning properties, particularly with the aggressive chemical cleaning agents typically used there, is essential due to the high demands placed on the floors, the known coatings have proven to be correspondingly disadvantageous.

[0013] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a coating agent that is easy to process and leads to an abrasion-resistant, durable coating for coating substrates, as well as a floor element with such a coating and a method for producing a correspondingly coated substrate.

[0014] This problem is solved in a one-component coating agent of the type mentioned above by the features of claim 1.

[0015] Silane modification of the binder improves the curing behavior of the coating. This modification results in faster and stronger curing, meaning a faster, irreversible chemical crosslinking reaction in which the liquid binder transitions into a solid final state. Silane modification provides a high-adhesion coating that can form a strong bond with both absorbent and non-absorbent substrates. The silane-modified binder, acting as the coating matrix, also ensures the secure encapsulation of hard particles after curing. The result is a coating that is abrasion-resistant in its cured state. Even under prolonged and high-frequency stress, no hard particles detach from the cured coating. The cured coating itself does not detach from the substrate.In this way, the coating agent results in a durable coating. The silane-modified binder can preferably be designed as a silane-catalyzed binder, which is silane-modified in such a way that the silane modifications serve as a catalyst.

[0016] As a one-component coating, the hard particles are already mixed with the binder. Therefore, when coating a substrate, the hard particles do not need to be applied separately as an additional component. This one-component coating can thus be easily applied to the substrate like paint, for example, using paint rollers, brushes, spatulas, sprayers, or by pouring. The one-component coating can therefore be processed in a particularly simple and quick manner.

[0017] The coating can be applied not only to floor coverings but also to other surfaces, such as walls, wall elements, doors, and / or sanitary facilities like urinals. It is particularly suitable for smooth metal surfaces, such as steel. The coating makes these surfaces easy to clean and protects them from wear-inducing contaminants like corrosive fingerprints. Furthermore, its corrosion-inhibiting properties can reduce wear.

[0018] Advantageously, the binder is a one-component polyether. A hard yet flexible coating can be achieved after curing using a silane-modified polyether. A silane-modified polyether as a binder can result in a chemically resistant coating after curing. The durability of the resulting coating, particularly its resistance to chemicals such as aggressive chemical cleaning agents, can be improved by using a silane-modified polyether. The shelf life of the coating can also be improved by using a one-component, silane-modified polyether.Unlike multi-component polyethers, where a chemical reaction occurs after mixing the individual components, severely limiting the processing time of the binder and thus the coating material, and preventing storage after mixing, a single-component polyether does not involve a reaction between multiple components, allowing both the processing time and the storage time to be increased accordingly.

[0019] The invention provides that the polyether is an aminosilane-catalyzed polyether for crosslinking the coating material to the substrate. Aminosilane-modified polyethers have the surprising effect that excellent adhesion properties can be achieved on various substrates due to an amino-functional silane. In particular, a significant improvement in adhesion properties can be achieved on smooth substrates compared to non-aminosilane-modified polyethers, leading to greater coating durability. Nitrogen residue groups of the aminosilane-catalyzed polyether can act as catalysts in the reaction of the binder with atmospheric moisture, thus contributing to improved curing of the coating material.

[0020] Furthermore, the coating material can be enriched with silver ions and / or one or more biocides. Silver ions and / or the biocide can impart antimicrobial properties to the coating material, particularly on a permanent basis. Multiple biocides diversify the antimicrobial properties of the coating material, enabling action against various microbes. The silver ions and / or the biocide can be dissolved in the binder. The hard particles can be free of silver ions and / or biocides, i.e., not enriched with them, but may exhibit them on their surface due to wetting with the binder. After the coating material has cured, the coating itself, particularly its surface, can also exhibit antimicrobial properties.

[0021] A preferred embodiment of the coating material is solvent-free. Unlike known coating materials, which require the addition of thinners or isocyanates to introduce solvents, the solvent-free binder avoids health and environmental hazards, particularly during the application of the coating material and the use and cleaning of coated substrates. This is especially beneficial in hygienically sensitive areas such as hospital corridors or floors in food processing facilities, where high substrate stress necessitates long-lasting durability combined with good cleanability and the avoidance of health and environmental hazards. The coating material can also be free of adhesion promoters, either additionally or alternatively.In particular, the addition of solvents that also have adhesion-promoting properties, and / or adhesion promoters such as GLYMO, can be avoided in a material-, health- and / or environmentally friendly manner.

[0022] A preferred embodiment provides that the hard particles are made of glass, corundum, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, and / or polymethyl methaneacrylate. Due to the hardness of these hard particles, the coating material can easily protect a substrate from wear and tear. The hard particles also possess a hardness that makes them, and therefore the coating material, abrasion-resistant, meaning that abrasion from the surface of the individual hard particles is largely prevented. Visual signs of wear on the cured coating material can be avoided. In particular, the use of corundum hard particles allows for a matte surface to be achieved immediately after the coating material has cured, eliminating the need for post-treatment to create a non-glossy finish.The need for the cured coating to run in, in order to achieve a uniform surface wear appearance, can be avoided.

[0023] It is further advantageous if the hard particles are microparticles, preferably with particle sizes in the range of 5 µm to 60 µm, and particularly preferably in the range of 20 µm to 30 µm. The individual microparticles can have an irregular shape, with the particle size of each microparticle corresponding to the mean radius of the microparticle. Thus, the microparticles can be essentially ellipsoidal or spherical. By using microparticles as hard particles, an optically homogeneous appearance of the coating material can be achieved, especially in the cured state. Furthermore, a largely consistent feel can be achieved in the cured state of the coating. The use of microparticles allows for a surface of the cured coating material that is characterized by low roughness while simultaneously exhibiting anti-slip and / or wear-resistant properties.The low roughness makes it harder for contaminants to adhere and improves cleanability.

[0024] The invention provides that the hard particles are silane-modified corundum particles. The silane modification of the hard particles prevents agglomeration and, in particular, the settling of the hard particles at the bottom of a coating layer applied to a substrate. During the crosslinking of the silane-modified binder, the silane-modified hard particles can float in the coating. In this way, the silane-modified hard particles can distribute themselves evenly on the surface of the coating applied to the substrate and form an extremely wear-resistant layer. A self-organizing arrangement of the silane-modified hard particles on the surface of the coating applied to the substrate can thus be achieved.This self-organization of the silane-modified hard particles on the surface allows for a large-area and uniform coverage of the surface with the hard particles. Uneven agglomeration of the hard particles, which occurs when hard particles are sprinkled on conventional coatings, is avoided. Exposure of the cured binder is prevented. The use of silane-modified corundum particles has proven particularly advantageous. With silane-modified corundum particles, slip resistance can be achieved in damp rooms, even on substrates with inclination angles in the range of 19° to 27° (slip resistance rating R 11 according to DIN 51130).

[0025] In the case of a floor element of the type mentioned above, it is proposed to solve the above problem that it has a coating made of the coating material described above, which results in the advantages described in connection with the coating material.

[0026] In this context, it is particularly advantageous if the coating, consisting of silane-modified binders and hard particles, has a total layer thickness in the range of 50 µm to 60 µm. A total layer thickness of 50 µm to 60 µm of the cured coating provides slip and / or wear resistance in a material-saving manner. Furthermore, a correspondingly thin coating with a total layer thickness in the range of 50 µm to 60 µm can be sufficiently flexible not to impair the mechanical flexibility of the flooring element. In this way, a coated flooring element can remain flexible during installation.

[0027] In a method of the type mentioned above, a method according to claim 7 is proposed to solve the problem mentioned above.

[0028] The features described in connection with the one-component coating material according to the invention can also be applied individually or in combination to the process. The same advantages arise as already described.

[0029] Preferably, no additives such as a primer, additional curing agents, or sealants are used for coating the substrate. The liquid coating can be applied directly to the substrate, especially a previously cleaned one, like paint. Mixing or adding additives immediately before and / or after application of the coating is unnecessary. The coating can then cure on the substrate as described above, thus providing a slip-resistant and / or wear-resistant surface.

[0030] It is further advantageous if amino-functional groups of the coating agent hydrolyze to adhere to the substrate by chemically bonding to OH groups on the substrate surface. During curing, the hydrolysis of the amino-functional groups of the coating agent creates a chemical bond between the coating agent and the substrate, resulting in a peel-resistant coating. This hydrolysis of the amino-functional groups enables reliable adhesion to substrates of various compositions, such as vinyl, linoleum, rubber, wood, or concrete. The inventive method and the one-component coating agent can thus be used to coat a variety of different substrates.

[0031] Details and advantages of a one-component coating material, a floor element, and a method according to the invention will be explained below by way of example using the embodiment of the invention schematically illustrated in the single figure. This figure shows: Fig. 1 a floor element with a coating made of the one-component coating material according to the invention.

[0032] The Fig. Figure 1 shows a one-component coating agent 1 according to the invention, which is applied to a floor element 4 as a substrate for slip-resistant and / or wear-resistant coating.

[0033] Floor element 4 can be an element for covering a room's floor, such as a tile, a wooden plank, a linoleum panel, or a vinyl sheet. Likewise, the coating agent 1 can also be applied directly to the floor of a room or another substrate to coat it immediately.

[0034] The coating agent 1 is applied directly to the base element 4 in the manner of paint, in particular without any further additives, in order to harden on it. In this way, the following is achieved: Fig. 1. Structure of the coated floor element 10 shown, consisting of coating material 1 and floor element 4.

[0035] The coating material 1 comprises a binder 2 that is liquid before curing, as well as hard particles 3. To provide a one-component coating material 1, the hard particles 3 are already dissolved in the binder 2 before the coating material 1 is applied. During crosslinking, the hard particles 3, which are primarily silane-modified, float in the silane-modified binder 2, so that all the hard particles 3, which were originally mixed with the still-liquid binder 2, self-organize to form the surface of the coating after the coating material 1 has cured.

[0036] As in Fig.As can be seen in Figure 1, the hard particles 3 exhibit different shapes, but are essentially spherical and ellipsoidal. The hard particles 3 are microparticles with a particle size ranging from 5 µm to 60 µm. In this way, the self-organizing hard particles 3 form a surface of the coating material 1, which is characterized by low roughness and, consequently, low susceptibility to dirt. Furthermore, the resulting surface structure of the coating, together with the hardness of the individual hard particles 3, creates a particularly slip-resistant and wear-resistant surface.

[0037] After the coating material 1 has cured, the base element 4 is provided with a coating of the coating material 1, which has a total layer thickness G in the range of 50 µm to 60 µm. Compared to the thickness of the uncoated base element 4, this total layer thickness is so small that it has essentially no negative effect on the mechanical flexibility of the base element 4. Thus, the coated base element 10 retains essentially the same mechanical flexibility as the uncoated base element 4 before coating with the coating material 1.Despite the comparatively low overall layer thickness G, the coating made of the coating material 1 has sufficient hardness and bond with the floor element 4 as a substrate that the coating has a long durability even under high stress on the coated floor element 10 and thus acts as a slip-resistant and wear-resistant coating over a long period of use.

[0038] Using the above-described one-component coating agent 1, the coated floor element 10 and the method for producing a coated substrate 4, a coating agent that is easy to process and leads to an abrasion-resistant, durable coating for coating substrates, as well as a floor element with such a coating and a method for producing a correspondingly coated substrate, is specified. Reference symbol: 1 Coating agent 2 binders 3 hard particles 4 floor elements 10 coated floor elements G Total layer thickness

Claims

One-component coating composition for slip-resistant and / or wear-resistant coating of substrates (4) with a liquid binder (2) and hard particles (3), wherein the binder (2) is an aminosilane-catalyzed polyether (2), characterized in that the hard particles (3) are silane-modified corundum particles which are designed such that, during the crosslinking of the aminosilane-catalyzed polyether (2) in the coating composition, they can float to the surface of the coating composition applied to a substrate for self-organizing arrangement of the silane-modified corundum particles (3). One-component coating material according to claim 1, characterized in that the binder (2) is a one-component polyether (2). A one-component coating material according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is solvent-free. One-component coating material according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hard particles (3) are made of glass, corundum, silicon carbide, silicon nitride and / or polymethylmethane acrylate. One-component coating material according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hard particles (3) are microparticles, preferably with particle sizes in the range of 5 µm to 60 µm, particularly preferably in the range of 20 µm to 30 µm. Floor element with a coating made of a coating material (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5 . Method for producing a coated substrate (4), in particular a coated floor, characterized in that a liquid coating agent (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5 is applied to the substrate (4), wherein the silane-modified corundum particles (3) float to the surface of the coating agent applied to a substrate during the crosslinking of the aminosilane-catalyzed polyether (2) in the coating agent for the self-organizing arrangement of the silane-modified corundum particles (3). Method according to claim 7, characterized in that amino-functional groups of the coating agent (1) hydrolyze to adhere to the substrate (4) by chemically bonding to OH groups on the surface of the substrate (4).

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