Water-based epoxy grout

a water-based, epoxy-based technology, applied in the field of cureable epoxy compositions, can solve the problems of permanent stains on ceramic tile or grout, affecting the decorative appearance of the installation, and the source of the biggest complaint, and achieves the effect of reducing the cost of cleaning and maintenan

Inactive Publication Date: 2005-06-09
CITIZENS BANK OF CONNECTICUT
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The composition results in a grout that is highly workable, easy to clean, resistant to water and chemicals, and maintains a uniform, smooth appearance, with enhanced physical properties and reduced shrinkage, making it suitable for ceramic tile installations.

Problems solved by technology

Thus, permanent stains on either the ceramic tile or grout will detract from the decorative appearance of the installation.
Cleanup is the source of the biggest complaint of tile setters.
Unfortunately, the Portland cement based grout is more susceptible to staining and generally stain badly, crack easily, and develop poor strength under dry conditions.
Furthermore, these materials have poor acid and chemical resistance.
Unfortunately, as discussed above, epoxy grouts do not have the workability and ease of cleanup of cement based grouts and, while used in the industry, are lacking in wide acceptance by the installers of ceramic tiles.
When cement based grouts are used, the grouts tend to crack and stain over time causing the owner to have to re-grout the tiles.
This is expensive and time consuming.
Amines, however, are relatively corrosive and the curing rate is hard to control and amine adducts, which are well-known in the art, have been developed as preferred epoxy resin curing agents.
While this class of amine adduct is useful as epoxy curing agents, they are not used, as far as Applicant is aware, in water-based epoxy tile grouts.
It is hypothesized that commercially acceptable grout systems have not been prepared using this class of adduct because of the difficulty in formulating a grout having overall good grout properties.

Method used

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Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

example i

[0067] The following components were mixed together in weight % forming a trowelable mass. The mole ratio of amine groups to epoxy groups is about 1:1. The mass was floated into spaces between sets of ceramic tiles and evaluated for a number of properties as indicated below.

COMPONENTANQUAMINE 70147.5WATER39.0ANTI-FOAM1.4WATER REPELLENT AQUA BEAD 270E12.1SAND (COLORED)502EPOXY D.E.R. 35333.4

[0068] The % solids by weight based on the components other than sand and epoxy is 31%. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being unsatisfactory and 10 being excellent, the above tile grout composition of the invention had a workability rating of 10 and a clean-up rating of 10.

[0069] Comparative runs using a commercial epoxy grout had a workability rating of 1 and a clean-up rating of 1-3. A commercial cement grout had a workability rating of 9 and a clean-up rating of 9.

[0070] The above grout had the following properties:

Water cleanability (ANSI A118.3 E5.1)PassSag Resistance (ANSI A118.3 E5.4)Pas...

example ii

[0073] Comparative runs using a pigment added to the grout composition provided a workability rating and clean-up rating of 9. When a color coated sand was used, a workability rating and clean-up rating of 10 was obtained.

[0074] While the present invention has been described with relation to epoxy resins, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other suitable film-forming, water-dispersible, room temperature cross-linkable polymers requiring or using an amine as a curing agent can be employed in the grout composition of the present invention. Such polymers include acrylic polymers, polyesters, and the like.

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Abstract

A tile grout composition and method of using the tile grout composition to grout set tiles are provided. The tile grout composition is a water-based epoxy grout composition which has excellent stain and chemical resistant properties and is workable and easy to clean up after grouting the tiles. The grout composition employs a water dispersible epoxy polymer and a water compatible polyamine epoxy resin adduct as the curing agent in combination with a water repellent component. For colored grouts, a color coated filler such as sand is employed to obtain the enhanced tile grout properties. Luminescent and fluorescent additives and sparkle additives may be used in the grout to provide special visual effects in the light or dark.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates generally to curable epoxy compositions and, in particular, to a water-based epoxy grout, which is commonly known as a tile grout. [0003] 2. Description of Related Art [0004] In the installation of ceramic tiles and other tiles, the tiles are assembled in an edge-to-edge pattern with spaces between the tiles and it is necessary to fill the areas or joints between adjacent tiles with a bonding material. The material used to fill the joints is referred to as a pointing compound or more commonly as a tile grout. There are a variety of tile grout compounds including acrylic grout, epoxy grout and Portland and regular cement based grout. The following description will be directed to ceramic tiles for convenience. [0005] Tile grouts, regardless of the type, are expected to provide certain properties. These properties include workability, stain resistance, forming a full grout in the spaces, u...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & AuthorityApplications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): C04B26/14C08G59/18C08L63/00C08L79/02
CPCC04B14/06C04B26/14C04B2111/00672C04B2111/70C08G59/184C08L63/00C08L79/02C04B24/121C04B2103/65C04B20/1092C04B24/10C04B24/42C08L2666/20C08L2666/26C08L2666/22
InventorROOSHENAS, REZVAN
OwnerCITIZENS BANK OF CONNECTICUT