Hydrophobic fluid and use thereof

Abstract

There is provided a hydrophobic fluid the application of which to joint areas of components may prevent swelling of the components due to moisture or wetness penetration. The hydrophobic fluid comprises a solvent-based solution of: at least one aliphatic and / or aromatic hydrocarbon having a chain length of C9 to C15; and one or more of at least one ether, at least one ester, at least one ketone, or an alcohol. The hydrophobic fluid additionally comprises a fluoropolymer having a flash point of greater than 60°C in a proportion of 3 to 4 wt.%.

Description

Hydrophobic fluid and use thereof The invention relates to a hydrophobic fluid and its use, in particular in the joint area of two components, at least one of which consists of a wood or wood-based material, if moisture or wetness penetrates into the joint due to manufacturing, which causes the wood or wood-based material to swell. For the sake of simplicity, only wood will be mentioned below as a moisture- sensitive material, since a wood-based material has comparable properties in this respect, namely that it absorbs moisture. An example of this problem is flooring boards or the like, which are held together by means of a tongue-and-groove joint, for example. Although attempts have been made to coat these joint areas with a hydrophobic fluid, all of these have proven to be insufficient in terms of a permanent seal. This includes, for example, the application of wax, in liquid or paste form, which is problematic both in terms of the service life of this coating and in terms of its application, the latter in particular when the individual wooden components are manufactured in large quantities. Another hydrophobic fluid has become known, but it is flammable or combustible and therefore not suitable, at least for industrial use, as special conditions for occupational safety must be observed here. The problem of swelling also arises in the case of edge coating of wooden furniture parts, wherein the applied edge band consists of a plastic, the contact surface of which is designed in the form of an adhesive that can be activated by means of a heat source, wherein a laser source is often used as the heat source. The advantage of such an edge coating is that a joint with a very narrow gap is created in the transition area between the wooden panel and the edge band, known as the "zero joint". However, the disadvantage here is also that moisture can penetrate despite the small joint width, with the aforementioned consequences. The risk in this respect is particularly great with such products, as furniture panels processed in this way are often used as worktops, which are frequently exposed to moisture or wetness during use. Moisture can also penetrate in the area of the formed joint in the case of edge coating where the edge band is attached to the panel by means of glue or adhesive, with the consequences described above. The invention is therefore based on the object of developing a hydrophobic fluid which ensures permanent protection against wetness and moisture and which complies with safety regulations. The use of the hydrophobic fluid, namely a solvent-based solution of at least one aliphatic and / or aromatic hydrocarbon, having a chain length of C9 to C15, and at least one ether, ester, ketone and / or alcohol, wherein the hydrophobic fluid additionally comprises a non-flammable fluoropolymer in a proportion of from 0.1 to 30 wt.%, offers, in comparison with a composition of this type according to the prior art, a large number of advantages which are remarkable both in terms of industrial application and in terms of the use of the components treated therewith. Thus, it should be mentioned firstly and in particular that the new hydrophobic fluid is non-flammable or at least has reduced flammability due to the use of fluoropolymer having a flash point of greater than 60°C, so that this liquid complies with the corresponding requirements of the industrial safety regulations, which allows the use of the liquid in the industrial manufacture of the components. Thus, in the context of the present invention, the flammability of the fluoropolymer used is determined on the basis of the flash point. 3 The alcohol used may preferably be a non-flammable alcohol, in particular glycol ether having a flash point of more than 60°C. The application of the hydrophobic fluid to the region where two components are joined together, at least one of which is made of a wood or wood-based material that tends to swell in the event of moisture or humidity penetration, results in durable protection that even makes it possible to use such components in damp rooms. These include the tongue-and-groove joints of two components already mentioned in the prior art, known for example under the term "click connection". A moisture barrier is also ensured by the wetting of a zero joint mentioned above, as occurs when the edge of a furniture panel is coated by means of an edge band that can be bonded by applying heat and pressing it against the edge of the furniture panel. This also results from the application of the hydrophobic fluid according to the invention to a formed joint after an application of the edge band by means of glue or adhesive. According to another idea of the invention, the use of isoparaffins as aliphatic hydrocarbons is particularly advantageous. The proportion of fluoropolymer is moreover preferably from 2 to 5 wt.%, preferably from 3 to 4 wt.%, while the non-flammable alcohol and / or the ether, in particular the glycol ether, may preferably be present in a proportion of from 2 to 17 wt.%. Particularly advantageous is that the hydrophobic fluid can be reworked after less than 20 seconds. This relates in particular to an application of varnish and / or paint, e.g. to the joint area or the edge band. Thus, the hydrophobic fluid can be overpainted or painted after a very short time. No or negligible mixing effects of the applied paint with the hydrophobic fluid occur, so that the area on which the paint is applied takes on the shade of the applied paint. The same applies to the varnish application and the associated gloss. This means that the hydrophobic fluid can be used in a continuous process for the automated processing of wood or wood-based materials.

Claims

1. A hydrophobic fluid comprising a solvent-based solution of: at least one aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbon having a chain length of C9 to C15; and one or more of at least one ether, at least one ester, at least one ketone, or an alcohol; wherein the hydrophobic fluid additionally comprises a fluoropolymer having a flash point of greater than 60°C in a proportion of 3 to 4 wt.%.

2. A hydrophobic fluid comprising a solvent-based solution of: at least one aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon having a chain length of C9 to C15; and one or more of at least one ether, at least one ester, at least one ketone, or an alcohol; wherein the hydrophobic fluid additionally comprises a fluoropolymer having a flash point of greater than 60°C in a proportion of 3 to 4 wt.%.

3. A hydrophobic fluid according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the alcohol is a non-flammable alcohol.

4. A hydrophobic fluid according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the fluoropolymer is a non-flammable fluoropolymer.

5. A hydrophobic fluid according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the alcohol is present in a proportion of 2 to 17 wt.%.

6. A hydrophobic fluid according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the at least one ether is a glycol ether having a flash point of greater than 60°C.

7. A hydrophobic fluid according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the at least one ether is present in a proportion of 2 to 17 wt.%.

8. A hydrophobic fluid according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the aliphatic hydrocarbon is an isoparaffin.

9. Use of the hydrophobic fluid according to any one of claims 1 to 8 for application to the region of a joint between two components, at least one of which is made of a wood or wood-based material.

10. The use according to claim 9, wherein the hydrophobic fluid is applied to a tongue-and-groove of the two components forming a joint area.

11. The use according to claim 9, wherein the hydrophobic fluid is applied to an edge region of a furniture panel to be provided with an edge band.

12. The use according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the hydrophobic fluid is reworkable within less than 20 seconds after the application of the hydrophobic fluid to the region of the joint between the two components.

13. The use according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein a dye applicability is established within less than 20 seconds after the application of the hydrophobic fluid to the region of the joint between the two components.

14. The use according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein a dye is applicable to the region of the joint between the two components within less than 20 seconds after the application of the hydrophobic fluid to the region of the joint between the two components.

15. The use according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein a varnish applicability is established within less than 20 seconds after the application of the hydrophobic fluid to the region of the joint between the two components.

16. The use according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein a varnish is applicable to the region of the joint between the two components within less than 20 seconds after the application of the hydrophobic fluid to the region of the joint between the two components.

17. The use according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein, after the application of the hydrophobic fluid to the region of the joint between the two components, a dye applicability and a varnish applicability are established within less than 20 seconds.

18. The use according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein a varnish and dye are applicable to the region of the joint between the two components within less than 20 seconds after the application of the hydrophobic fluid to the region of the joint between the two components.