A surface covering product and a method for the production thereof

Abstract

This application provides a surface coating product comprising a support layer, the support layer comprising a polymer resin and a natural porous material. The support layer has a Shore D hardness of 70-90 and an elastic modulus (MOE) of 3500 MPa-4500 MPa.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application specifically relates to a surface coating product and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) flooring is very popular in the market due to its excellent properties, such as water resistance, abrasion resistance, design versatility, and stain / chemical resistance. Within the PVC flooring category, rigid core PVC flooring has become the fastest-growing category. It retains all the excellent properties of PVC flooring while exhibiting superior performance in dimensional stability, mechanical locking strength, low VOC emissions, and scratch and tear resistance. Due to its value contribution, it has become an increasingly popular choice in residential and commercial buildings, making it an alternative to traditional hardwood, tile, and laminate flooring.

[0003] Cork is commonly used as a layer in PVC rigid flooring. Due to its porous structure, the cork layer provides many advantageous properties to PVC rigid flooring, such as feel underfoot and impact sound insulation. There is a flooring panel with a layered structure comprising a rigid core layer and flexible layers located on opposite sides of the rigid core layer. The flexible layers contain a blend of PVC resin and cork particles. The rigid core layer provides the necessary rigidity to the flooring panel, while the flexible layers provide flexibility and sound insulation. Other flooring panels with homogeneous cork layers as separate layers in the structure also exist to improve aesthetics or overall product performance. Furthermore, products containing blends of recycled cork and rubber are known. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The inventors of this application have discovered that the advantageous properties of cork, particularly cork in granular form, have not been fully utilized in the rigid PVC product category.

[0005] This application aims to provide a surface covering product that has good acoustic properties and / or a high content of renewable materials to have excellent sustainability from an environmentally friendly perspective.

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a surface coating product comprising a support layer, said support layer comprising a polymer resin and a natural porous material. The support layer has a Shore D hardness of 70–90 and an elastic modulus of 3500 MPa–4500 MPa.

[0007] According to the surface covering product of the first aspect, the support layer further includes an inorganic filler. The inorganic filler accounts for 50% to 80% of the weight of the support layer. The natural porous material accounts for 5% to 20% of the weight of the support layer.

[0008] According to the surface covering product of the first aspect, the support layer further includes a coupling agent.

[0009] According to the surface covering product of the first aspect, the support layer comprises: the polymer resin, 100 parts by weight; the natural porous material, 20 to 100 parts by weight; the inorganic filler, 50 to 350 parts by weight; and the coupling agent, 2 to 10 parts by weight.

[0010] According to the surface covering product described in the first aspect, the natural porous material is cork granules.

[0011] According to the surface covering product described in the first aspect, the cork particles have an average diameter of 0.1 mm to 4 mm.

[0012] According to the surface covering product described in the first aspect, the cork particles have an average diameter of 0.1 mm to 0.75 mm.

[0013] According to the surface coating product of the first aspect, the inorganic filler is dry calcium carbonate powder; the polymer resin includes at least one of PVC resin, PET resin, PO resin and PLA resin; and the coupling agent is a silane coupling agent.

[0014] According to the surface covering product of the first aspect, the polymer resin is PVC resin.

[0015] According to the surface covering product described in the first aspect, the density of the support layer is 1600 kg / m³. 3 Up to 2000 kg / m 3 .

[0016] According to the surface covering product of the first aspect, the natural porous material is uniformly distributed in the support layer.

[0017] According to the surface covering product described in the first aspect, the support layer has a uniform density distribution, and the deviation of the density at any point in the support layer from the average value is no higher than 50 kg / m³. 3 .

[0018] According to the surface covering product of the first aspect, the support layer is configured with a coupling structure, wherein the coupling structure is formed by cutting at least a portion of the support layer for connecting adjacent surface covering products among a plurality of surface covering products.

[0019] According to the surface covering product of the first aspect, the surface covering product further includes a base layer and a decorative material top layer. The base layer is attached to the bottom surface of the support layer. The hardness and elastic modulus of the base layer are less than those of the support layer. The decorative material top layer is attached to the top surface of the support layer.

[0020] In a second aspect, this application provides a method for manufacturing a support layer for a surface covering product. The method includes: mixing ingredients for the support layer in a high-speed mixer until a target temperature of 120–140°C is reached, the ingredients comprising a polymer resin and a natural porous material; mixing and cooling the ingredients in a cold mixer at a lower speed than in the high-speed mixer; feeding the ingredients into a twin-screw extruder for blending; and extruding a uniform polymer sheet having a controlled thickness from an extrusion die of the twin-screw extruder, wherein the extrusion temperature is set to 170–220°C and the outlet temperature at the extrusion die is approximately 190–230°C; and passing the polymer sheet through a two-roll mill to obtain the support layer of the desired thickness.

[0021] According to the method described in the second aspect, the roll temperature of the two-roll mill is controlled at 170–200°C.

[0022] According to the method described in the second aspect, the ingredients further include inorganic fillers. The inorganic fillers account for 50% to 80% of the total weight of the ingredients. The natural porous material accounts for 5% to 20% of the total weight of the ingredients.

[0023] According to the method described in the second aspect, the ingredients further include a coupling agent.

[0024] According to the method described in the second aspect, the ingredients include: the polymer resin, 100 parts by weight; the natural porous material, 20-100 parts by weight; the inorganic filler, 50-350 parts by weight; and the coupling agent, 2-10 parts by weight.

[0025] According to the method of the second aspect, the natural porous material is cork particles, and the polymer resin includes at least one of PVC resin, PET resin, PO resin, and PLA resin. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The present application will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein: Figure 1A This is a perspective view of an exemplary surface covering product according to this application.

[0027] Figure 1B for Figure 1A A sectional view along line AA.

[0028] Figure 2 For multiple blocks Figure 1A A cross-sectional view showing the surface coverings of the products connected together.

[0029] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating the steps involved in manufacturing a support layer in a surface-covered product according to this application.

[0030] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating the steps involved in manufacturing a surface covering product according to this application. Detailed Implementation

[0031] This application discloses a broad description of various exemplary embodiments thereof. This description should be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment, as describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. It should be understood that any feature, characteristic, component, ingredient, product, step, or method described herein may be removed, combined, or substituted, in whole or in part, for any other feature, characteristic, component, ingredient, product, step, or method described herein. Many alternative embodiments may be implemented using prior art or technology developed after the filing date of this patent application, while still falling within the scope of the claims. All publications and patents referenced herein are incorporated herein by reference.

[0032] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. In case of any conflict, this application (including the definitions) shall prevail. Furthermore, unless the context otherwise requires, singular terms shall include the plural, and plural terms shall include the singular. All publications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

[0033] Unless otherwise stated, when the following abbreviations are used in this document, they have the following meanings: As used herein, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” “containing,” or any other variation thereof shall be understood to include the stated integers or groups of integers, but do not exclude any other integers or groups of integers. For example, a composition, mixture, process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such composition, mixture, process, method, article, or apparatus. Furthermore, unless expressly stated to the contrary, “or” means inclusive “or” rather than exclusive “or.” For example, conditions A or B satisfy any of the following: A is true (or exists) and B is false (or does not exist), A is false (or does not exist) and B is true (or exists), and both A and B are true (or exist).

[0034] Similarly, the indefinite articles “a” and “an” preceding an element or component in this application are intended to indicate, in a non-limiting manner, the number of instances of that element or component, i.e., the number of times it occurs. Therefore, “a” or “an” should be interpreted as including one or at least one, and the singular form of the element or component also includes the plural, unless the quantity clearly indicates the singular.

[0035] The terms “application” or “this application” as used herein are non-limiting terms and are not intended to refer to any single embodiment of a particular application, but rather to cover all possible embodiments described herein.

[0036] When referring to numerical values ​​or ranges, the terms "about" and "approximately" are intended to cover values ​​resulting from experimental errors that may occur during the measurement. Concentration, amount, and other numerical data may be presented in range format herein. It should be understood that this range format is used only for convenience and brevity and should be flexibly interpreted to include not only the numerical values ​​of the explicitly stated range limits but also all individual numerical values ​​or subranges covered within that range, as if each numerical value and subrange were explicitly stated. For example, a weight range of about 1 wt% to about 20 wt% should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly stated concentration limits of 1 wt% to about 20 wt% but also individual concentrations such as 2 wt%, 3 wt%, 4 wt% and subranges such as 5 wt% to 15 wt%, 10 wt% to 20 wt%, etc.

[0037] Now refer to the attached diagram, Figure 1A 3D diagram and Figure 1B A cross-sectional view shows a surface cover product 100 according to this application. The surface cover product 100 has a layered structure, comprising, from top to bottom, a decorative material top layer 110, a support layer 106, and a bottom layer 109. The top surface of the support layer 106 is attached to the bottom surface of the decorative material top layer 110. The bottom surface of the support layer 106 is attached to the top surface of the bottom layer 109. In one exemplary embodiment, the thickness of the surface cover product 100 is 3.2 mm to 11.6 mm. In one exemplary embodiment, the decorative material top layer 110, the support layer 106, and the bottom layer 109 are laminated together by hot pressing. In another exemplary embodiment, the decorative material top layer 110, the support layer 106, and the bottom layer 109 are laminated together by an adhesive. The adhesive may be a pressure-sensitive hot melt adhesive, a polyurethane reactive adhesive, or other types of adhesives recognized by those skilled in the art. Figure 1A The layered structure of the surface covering product 100 includes only a decorative material top layer 110, a support layer 106, and a bottom layer 109. In one exemplary embodiment, at least one additional layer is attached to the top and / or bottom surface of the support layer 106. In another exemplary embodiment, the surface covering product 100 includes only the decorative material top layer 110 and the support layer 106.

[0038] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, the decorative material surface layer 110 has a layered structure, comprising, from top to bottom, a scratch-resistant coating 101, an abrasion-resistant layer 102, and a decorative layer 103. These layers can be bonded by hot-press lamination or adhesive bonding processes. The adhesive can be a pressure-sensitive hot melt adhesive, a polyurethane reactive adhesive, or other types of adhesives recognized by those skilled in the art. In one exemplary embodiment, the thickness of the decorative material surface layer 110 is from 0.16 mm to 2.6 mm. The decorative material surface layer 110 provides various properties to the surface covering product 100, including but not limited to stain resistance, scratch resistance, abrasion resistance, slip resistance, indentation resistance, tear resistance, and transparency. Furthermore, the decorative material surface layer 110 provides aesthetic effects to the surface covering product 100, including color, gloss, gloss texture, and decorative features.

[0039] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, coating 101 is an abrasion-resistant radiation-cured topcoat. In one exemplary embodiment, coating 101 is an ultraviolet (UV)-cured polyurethane acrylate system with a coating weight of 8 g / m² to 40 g / m². The UV coating can be applied through one or two coating stations, each equipped with a pair of coaters and a UV curing chamber, each UV curing chamber equipped with a roller coater or air knife coater, doctor blade coater, etc. After coating, the panel with the wet UV coating passes through the curing chamber, which includes multiple UV lamps, reflectors, and auxiliary equipment such as blowers to release heat buildup within the curing chamber. The lamps may be filled with mercury vapor, xenon, or other light sources to generate light of an appropriate wavelength to cure and harden the UV coating on the surface of the cover. In one exemplary embodiment, coating 101 is a two-layer matte finish system having a primer and a topcoat. The curing energies for curing the primer and topcoat liquids are approximately 550 mJ / cm² and 1000 mJ / cm², respectively. In another exemplary embodiment, coating 101 is a dual-coat finishing system cured under a nitrogen atmosphere using a 172 nm excimer UV lamp. In one exemplary embodiment, the thickness of coating 101 is approximately 0.01–0.1 mm. Coating 101 provides improved surface properties to surface cover product 100, including stain resistance, antimicrobial properties, scratch resistance, and abrasion resistance.

[0040] The abrasion-resistant layer 102 may be made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyolefin (PO), polyester (PET), polylactic acid (PLA), or other thermoplastic materials. In one exemplary embodiment of this application, the abrasion-resistant layer 102 is made of a transparent PVC composition free of phthalate plasticizer components. The transparency of the abrasion-resistant layer 102 allows aesthetically pleasing printed patterns on the decorative layer 103 to be visible through it. Although the thickness of the abrasion-resistant layer 102 may vary, it can range from approximately 0.1 mm to 1 mm. The abrasion-resistant layer 102 protects the aesthetic appearance of the underlying decorative layer 103 from footsteps and other destructive forces.

[0041] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, the composition of the wear-resistant layer 102 includes polyvinyl chloride and at least one plasticizer. In some embodiments, the plasticizer is selected from at least one non-phthalate plasticizer, such as dioctyl terephthalate (DOTP), diisononyl 1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylate (DINCH), diethylene glycol dibenzoate (DEGDB), dipropylene glycol dibenzoate (DPGDB), and bio-based plasticizers (i.e., a vegetable oil-based PVC plasticizer whose main component is methyl 10-chloro-9-methoxy-octadecanoate). However, those skilled in the art will understand that other plasticizers may be used in other embodiments. In one exemplary embodiment, the wear-resistant layer 102 also contains at least one stabilizer, such as, but not limited to, a non-toxic metal soap stabilizer. In some embodiments, calcium stearate, zinc stearate, or mixtures thereof are used as stabilizers. In another exemplary embodiment, the wear-resistant layer 102 also contains at least one co-stabilizer, such as, but not limited to, epoxidized soybean oil. In one exemplary embodiment, the wear-resistant layer 102 also contains at least one UV light stabilizer. In some embodiments, the UV light stabilizer includes a UV light absorber and a hindered amine to maximize UV ​​light stabilization efficiency. In one exemplary embodiment, the abrasion-resistant layer 102 also contains at least one processing aid.

[0042] Decorative layer 103 may be made of printed polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film, printed melamine paper, or other printed decorative film. In one exemplary embodiment of this application, decorative layer 103 is a pre-printed PVC film with a thickness of 0.05 to 1.5 mm. In another exemplary embodiment, the thickness of decorative layer 103 is approximately 0.07 mm. In another exemplary embodiment, decorative layer 103 may be a natural decorative material, such as, but not limited to, wood veneer or stone veneer. Decorative layer 103 provides a unique aesthetic design and color to surface covering product 100.

[0043] The support layer 106 comprises a polymer resin and a natural porous material. In one exemplary embodiment, the support layer 106 further comprises fillers and additives. The Shore D hardness of the support layer 106 is 70 to 90. In one exemplary embodiment, the Shore D hardness of the support layer 106 is 75 to 85. The modulus of elasticity (MOE) of the support layer 106 is 3500 MPa to 4500 MPa. In one exemplary embodiment, the MOE is 3900 MPa to 4300 MPa. The density of the support layer 106 is 1600 kg / m³. 3 Up to 2000 kg / m 3 .

[0044] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, the support layer 106 is manufactured by an extrusion process. The porous material is uniformly distributed along the length, width, and thickness directions of the layer, resulting in a uniform density distribution in the support layer 106, where the density at any point deviates from the average value by no more than 50 kg / m³. 3 In another exemplary embodiment, the average density of the support layer 106 is 1600 kg / m³. 3 Up to 1800 kg / m 3 The thickness of the support layer 106 is 3.0 mm to 8.0 mm.

[0045] Compared to conventional rigid core layers in flooring products (e.g., stone-plastic composite rigid core layers), the support layer 106 according to this application offers several comparative advantages to the surface covering product, such as lighter weight and better impact sound insulation due to the addition of porous materials. Furthermore, the porous materials derived from natural sources increase the bio-based content of the surface covering product and make it more environmentally friendly.

[0046] A coupling structure is incorporated into the support layer 106 to interlock with adjacent surface cover products 100. As shown, the coupling structure includes a tenon 108 and a mortise 107, which are respectively constructed on opposite side edges of the support layer 106. Two adjacent surface cover products 100 are joined together by inserting the tenon 108 of one surface cover product 100 into the mortise 107 of an adjacent surface cover product 100. Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of three interconnected surface-covered products is provided. (See attached image.) Figure 1A and Figure 1B As shown, due to the uniformity of modulus and density of the support layer 106, the entire coupling structure can be constructed in the support layer 106 with acceptable locking strength. In another exemplary embodiment, the coupling structure may extend to other layers in the product 100. In another exemplary embodiment, the surface-covered product 100 does not include a coupling structure. Figure 2 Cross-sectional views of three surface covering products connected together (i.e., 100a, 100b, and 100c) are provided.

[0047] In one exemplary embodiment, the support layer 106 is made of a polymer resin and a natural porous material. The polymer resin is selected from at least one of thermoplastic materials, including but not limited to polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyolefin (PO), polyester (PET), polylactic acid (PLA), etc. In one exemplary embodiment, the polymer resin is PVC. In one exemplary embodiment, the natural porous material is cork granules. Cork material is derived from the bark of the cork oak tree. Since the bark of the cork oak tree can be harvested once every 8 to 14 years, cork material is considered a renewable natural resource. The unique structure and properties of cork material bring many end-use advantages to products made from cork material. For example, the abundant closed pores in the porous structure of cork material contain a large amount of air, which acts as insulation, slowing the spread of flames, sound waves, or heat transfer. In addition, cork material has good elasticity and can return to its original shape after compression, which provides excellent resilience and durability for end-use applications. In one exemplary embodiment of this application, the cork material blended in the support layer 106 is in granular form with an average diameter of 0.1 mm to 4 mm. In one exemplary embodiment, the average diameter of the cork particles is 0.1 mm to 2 mm. In another exemplary embodiment, the average diameter of the cork particles is 0.1 mm to 0.75 mm. The small size of the cork particles reduces the likelihood of the cork particles protruding from the surface of the support layer 106, causing surface unevenness.

[0048] In another exemplary embodiment, the support layer 106 further comprises an inorganic filler to provide the support layer 106 with the required hardness and elastic modulus. In one exemplary embodiment, the inorganic filler is dry calcium carbonate powder.

[0049] In one embodiment, the support layer 106 comprises 20 to 100 phr of natural porous material and 50 to 350 phr of inorganic filler, expressed in parts per hundred parts of polymer resin (“phr”). In one embodiment, the support layer 106 comprises 5% to 20% by weight of natural porous material and 50% to 80% by weight of inorganic filler. In another embodiment, the support layer 106 comprises 8% to 15% by weight of natural porous material. In yet another embodiment, the support layer 106 comprises 50% to 60% by weight of inorganic filler.

[0050] In one exemplary embodiment, the support layer 106 further comprises at least one coupling agent that improves the interfacial adhesion between the natural porous material and the polymer resin. In one exemplary embodiment, the coupling agent is a silane coupling agent, including but not limited to at least one of the following types: 3-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)propyltrimethoxysilane, vinyltriethoxysilane, and vinyltrimethoxysilane. In one embodiment, the support layer 106 comprises 2 to 10 phr of coupling agent, expressed as per 100 parts of polymer resin (“phr”).

[0051] In another exemplary embodiment, the support layer 106 further comprises an auxiliary coupling agent, which facilitates the dispersion of the natural porous material in the polymer resin and enhances interfacial adhesion. In one exemplary embodiment, the auxiliary coupling agent is rosin. In one embodiment, the support layer 106 comprises 2 to 7 phr of auxiliary coupling agent, expressed as per 100 parts of polymer resin (“phr”).

[0052] In one exemplary embodiment, the support layer 106 further comprises at least one stabilizer, including but not limited to a calcium-zinc composite stabilizer, a barium-zinc stabilizer, or an organotin stabilizer. In one embodiment, the support layer 106 comprises 8 to 14 phr of stabilizer per hundred parts of polymer resin (“phr”).

[0053] In one exemplary embodiment, the support layer 106 further comprises at least one lubricant. In one exemplary embodiment, the support layer 106 comprises at least one external lubricant and at least one internal lubricant. The internal lubricant includes, but is not limited to, stearic acid, fatty acid esters, or paraffin wax. The external lubricant includes, but is not limited to, polyethylene wax, silicone oil, and metal soap. In one embodiment, expressed in parts per hundred parts of polymer resin (“phr”), the support layer 106 comprises no more than 4 phr of external lubricant and no more than 4 phr of internal lubricant.

[0054] In one exemplary embodiment, the support layer 106 further comprises at least one processing aid, such as an acrylate copolymer (ACR). In one embodiment, the support layer 106 comprises 1 to 10 phr of processing aid per hundred parts of polymer resin (“phr”).

[0055] In one exemplary embodiment, the support layer 106 further comprises at least one impact modifier, such as chlorinated polyethylene (CPE). In one embodiment, the support layer 106 comprises no more than 2 to 10 phr of impact modifier per hundred parts of polymer resin (“phr”).

[0056] The bottom layer 109 is made of a flexible material with a honeycomb structure. The bottom layer 109 has a Shore A hardness of 15–55 and a density of 70–400 kg / m³. 3The thickness is 0.5–2.0 mm. In one exemplary embodiment, the density of the bottom layer 109 is 100–250 kg / m³. 3 In another embodiment, the thickness of the bottom layer 109 is 0.7–1.5 mm. The honeycomb structure of the bottom layer 109 includes open and closed cells, which can improve the acoustic performance of the surface cover product 100. Furthermore, the honeycomb structure can further reduce the overall weight of the surface cover product 100. In one exemplary embodiment, the bottom layer 109 is a foamed flexible material with a honeycomb structure, which may be made at least partially of one or any combination of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyolefin (PO), ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). In another exemplary embodiment, the bottom layer 109 may be made of a natural porous material such as cork or fiber felt (e.g., nonwoven fabric).

[0057] Now refer to Figure 3 The following describes exemplary steps for manufacturing the support layer 106. First, the ingredients are mixed based on the exemplary formulation shown in Table 1. In some exemplary embodiments, 100-250 phr of recycled material is further added to the formulation. The recycled material comes from waste materials generated during the processing, such as frames, milling dust, start-up waste, etc. The recycled material has the same or very similar composition as the exemplary formulation in Table 1. Adding recycled material reduces waste and, since the recycled material is already plasticized, it facilitates plasticization during the extrusion process.

[0058] Table 1. Exemplary recipes for exemplary steps in manufacturing the support layer 106. The manufacturing process steps for the support layer 106 are as follows: 1) Based on the formula of support layer 106, all ingredients are precisely fed / metered into a high-speed mixer and mixed for 10–15 minutes until the target temperature is reached. Once the mixed ingredients reach a temperature of approximately 120–140°C, the mixture is discharged into a cold mixer. The mixture is mixed in the cold mixer at a relatively low speed for approximately 10–20 minutes until the temperature cools to 30–45°C.

[0059] 2) The uniformly mixed ingredients are then fed into a twin-screw extruder for further blending and plasticizing. In one exemplary embodiment, the twin screws in the extruder may be conical or parallel screw structures. The fully processed ingredients are propelled through the extrusion die by the rotating screws to form a uniform polymer sheet with a controlled thickness. In one embodiment, the extrusion temperature is set to 170–220°C, and the exit temperature at the extrusion die is approximately 190–230°C.

[0060] 3) After exiting the extrusion die, the molten polymer sheet passes through a two-roll mill to further adjust its thickness to the target value. During this process, the roll temperature of the two-roll mill is controlled between 170 and 200°C.

[0061] 4) Then, the sheet with the required thickness is passed through a cooling support, a cutting device for width control, and precisely cut into slabs of the required size.

[0062] Now refer to Figure 4 This describes the steps for manufacturing a floor covering product 100. The manufacturing process of the surface covering product 100 involves bonding the following pre-produced layers together in the listed order: an abrasion layer 102, a decorative layer 103, a support layer 106, and a base layer 109. The bonding of these layers can be achieved through adhesive or thermal lamination processes. In one exemplary embodiment, the abrasion layer 102, decorative layer 103, and support layer 106 are laminated together using a continuous roll lamination process. In another exemplary embodiment, the abrasion layer 102, decorative layer 103, and support layer 106 are laminated together using a batch-based hot pressing process. After lamination, an ultraviolet (UV)-cured polyurethane acrylate coating is applied to the top surface of the abrasion layer 102 to obtain a coating 101. In one exemplary embodiment, coating 101 is a two-layer matte finish system having a primer and a topcoat. The primer has a coating weight of 7 to 12 grams per square meter and a curing energy of approximately 350 millijoules per square centimeter. The topcoat has a coating weight of 9 to 15 grams per square meter and a curing energy of not less than 700 millijoules per square centimeter. After lamination and UV coating processes, the base layer 109 is attached to the bottom of the support layer 106 using adhesive or thermal bonding processes to obtain a large floorboard blank. The floorboard blank is then cut to the required size using a slitting saw. The final step is to cut the coupling structure on the side edges of the support layer 106 using a milling machine to obtain the final shape of the surface-covered product 100.

[0063] Several embodiments and comparative examples according to this application are described below.

[0064] Example 1 of this application The surface covering product 100 according to this embodiment includes a support layer 106 manufactured based on the steps described above. In this embodiment, the surface covering product 100 has a total thickness of 5.0 mm, a width of 177.8 mm, and a length of 1212.85 mm. The layered structure of the surface covering product 100 includes a decorative material surface layer 110 and a support layer 106 from top to bottom.

[0065] The decorative material surface layer 110 includes a UV-cured polyurethane acrylate coating 101, a transparent PVC wear-resistant layer 102, and a pre-printed PVC decorative layer 103. The total thickness of the decorative material surface layer 110 is 0.55 mm.

[0066] The support layer 106 is manufactured via extrusion using PVC resin, calcium carbonate powder, cork granules, and additives. The support layer has a Shore D hardness of 80, a modulus of elasticity (MOE) of 4100 MPa, and a density of 1680 kg / m³. 3 The thickness is 4.5 mm. The average diameter of the cork particles is 1.0 mm. The weight percentage of the main components in the total weight of the support layer 106 is: calcium carbonate 57.3%, PVC resin 22.9%, and cork particles 11.5%. The formulation of the support layer 106 according to this embodiment is shown in the table below.

[0067] Table 2 Formulation of support layer 106 in Embodiment I of this application Example II of this application The surface covering product 100 according to this embodiment includes a support layer 106 manufactured based on the steps described above. In this embodiment, the surface covering product 100 has a total thickness of 6.0 mm, a width of 177.8 mm, and a length of 1212.85 mm. The layered structure of the surface covering product 100, from top to bottom, includes a decorative material surface layer 110, a support layer 106, and a bottom layer 109. The decorative material surface layer 110 and the support layer 106 according to this embodiment are the same as the corresponding layers in Embodiment I of this application. The only difference between this embodiment and Embodiment I of this application is that the surface covering product 100 according to this embodiment includes a bottom layer 109. The bottom layer 109 is a cork pad containing compressed cork particles and a polyurethane adhesive as a binder. The bottom layer 109 has a thickness of 1.0 mm and a density of 200-300 kg / m³. 3 .

[0068] Example III of this application The surface covering product 100 according to this embodiment includes a support layer 106 manufactured based on the steps described above. In this embodiment, the surface covering product 100 has a total thickness of 5.0 mm, a width of 177.8 mm, and a length of 1212.85 mm. The layered structure of the surface covering product 100 includes a decorative material surface layer 110 and a support layer 106 from top to bottom. The decorative material surface layer 110 according to this embodiment is the same as the decorative material surface layer in Embodiment I of this application.

[0069] The support layer 106 is manufactured via extrusion and comprises PVC resin, calcium carbonate powder, cork granules, and additives. The support layer has a Shore D hardness of 82, a modulus of elasticity (MOE) of 4205 MPa, and a density of 1857 kg / m³. 3The thickness is 4.5 mm. The average diameter of the cork particles is 0.7 mm. The weight percentage of the main components in the total weight of the support layer 106 is: calcium carbonate 57.5%, PVC 23.0%, and cork particles 11.5%. The formulation of the support layer 106 according to this embodiment is shown in the table below.

[0070] Table 3. Formulation of support layer 106 in Embodiment III of this application Example IV of this application The surface covering product 100 according to this embodiment includes a support layer 106 manufactured based on the steps described above. In this embodiment, the surface covering product 100 has a total thickness of 6.0 mm, a width of 177.8 mm, and a length of 1212.85 mm. The layered structure of the surface covering product 100 includes, from top to bottom, a decorative material surface layer 110, a support layer 106, and a bottom layer 109. The decorative material surface layer 110 and the support layer 106 according to this embodiment are the same as the corresponding layers in Embodiment III of this application. The only difference between this embodiment and Embodiment III of this application is that the surface covering product 100 according to this embodiment includes a bottom layer 109. The bottom layer 109 is a cork pad containing compressed cork particles and a polyurethane adhesive as a binder. The bottom layer 109 has a thickness of 1.0 mm and a density of 200-300 kg / m³. 3 .

[0071] Comparative Example I The surface covering product produced according to this comparative example represents a typical rigid PVC product or a so-called SPC (stone-plastic composite) flooring product. This comparative example has a layered structure similar to the aforementioned embodiments of this application. In this comparative example, the total thickness of the surface covering product is 5.0 mm, the width is 177.8 mm, and the length is 1212.85 mm. The layered structure, from top to bottom, includes a decorative material surface layer and a support layer. The decorative material surface layer is the same as in Embodiment I of this application. The support layer is manufactured using an extrusion process similar to the steps described above in this application.

[0072] The support layer in this comparative example is made of rigid PVC material that does not contain naturally porous materials. The support layer has a Shore D hardness of 85, an elastic modulus (MOE) of 6500 MPa, and a density of 2000 kg / m³. 3 The thickness is 4.5mm. The weight percentage of the main components in the total weight of the support layer is: calcium carbonate 72.6% and PVC resin 22.3%.

[0073] Comparative Example II The surface covering product produced according to this comparative example represents a typical rigid PVC product or so-called SPC (stone-plastic composite) flooring product. In this comparative example, the surface covering product 100 has a total thickness of 6.0 mm, a width of 177.8 mm, and a length of 1212.85 mm. The layered structure of the surface covering product, from top to bottom, includes a decorative material surface layer, a support layer, and a bottom layer. The decorative material surface layer and support layer according to this comparative example are the same as the corresponding layers in Comparative Example I. The only difference between this comparative example and Comparative Example I is that the surface covering product according to this comparative example includes a bottom layer. The bottom layer is a cork pad containing compressed cork particles and a polyurethane adhesive as a binder. The bottom layer has a thickness of 1.0 mm and a density of 200–300 kg / m³. 3 .

[0074] Test Results All samples from the embodiments and comparative examples of this application were subjected to the following tests: Acoustic testing was conducted in a self-developed acoustic testing facility, simulating the impact sound insulation rating (IIC) according to ASTM E492. A higher IIC indicates better sound insulation.

[0075] Following a concept similar to EN 16205, acoustic tests were conducted using a proprietary testing method to assess the noise radiated by the product upon impact. The impact was generated by a falling steel ball, rather than a striking device as described in EN 16205. The tested product was first acclimatized to room temperature (25°C) for 24 hours. The product was then placed on a flat surface in a specially constructed room with concrete walls and sealed doors to effectively block ambient noise. A solid steel ball, 36.5 mm in diameter and weighing approximately 198 grams, was then dropped freely from a height of 1 meter onto the surface of the test sample. A sound receiving device was placed in a fixed position within the same room to measure the sound pressure generated by the steel ball impacting the sample. The sound receiving device then sent a signal to a connected computer, outputting the result in decibels (dB). A lower number in this test indicates better acoustic performance in terms of noise radiation.

[0076] Residual indentation testing was performed according to ASTM F1914.

[0077] The latch strength test was conducted according to ISO 24334. The results are expressed in kN / m, where kN represents the breaking force of the latch and m represents the average width of the sample surface on the clamping side of the test specimen.

[0078] Dimensional stability testing was conducted in accordance with ISO 23999.

[0079] The results are shown in Table 4 below: Table 4 Comparison of test results between the embodiments of this application and the comparative examples Based on the test results listed in Table 4, it is clear that the surface covering product according to this application performs comparably to or better than the comparative example with the same structure in terms of acoustic performance (including sound insulation rating and impact radiated noise). All these improvements are achieved while maintaining satisfactory other key physical properties such as dent resistance, latching strength, and dimensional stability. Furthermore, the surface covering product according to this application has a lower density compared to the comparative example. In addition, due to its unique formulation containing natural porous materials, the surface covering product according to this application has a bio-based carbon content of up to 33% as measured according to ASTM D6866-22, indicating a high content of renewable biomass.

[0080] In summary, the product according to this application achieves at least the following technical effects: Due to the unique formulation of natural porous materials in the support layer 106, the surface cover product 100 according to this application has a lower density compared to ordinary rigid PVC products on the market, which brings benefits to product transportation, handling and installation.

[0081] The support layer 106 according to this application is free of foaming agents and contains no plasticizers or only trace amounts of plasticizers, which minimizes the environmental impact of the production process and disposal / recycling at the end of the product life cycle.

[0082] The surface covering product 100 of this application contains natural porous material in the support layer 106, and the biomass content is significantly increased based on biochar content analysis using the ASTM D6866-22 method. This high biomass content significantly reduces the total carbon footprint of the product throughout its entire life cycle.

[0083] The naturally porous material in the support layer 106 creates numerous pores in the surface cover product 100 according to this application. These pores can rapidly dissipate sound energy as it passes through, thus providing the surface cover product with excellent acoustic performance, including sound insulation rating and impact radiated noise. Furthermore, this unique structure also provides a comfortable feel when walking on the surface cover product according to this application.

[0084] The support layer 106 in the surface cover product 100 according to this application has a balanced characteristic between rigidity and elasticity. Rigidity gives the surface cover product 100 satisfactory dent resistance and satisfactory locking strength of the coupling structure. Elasticity ensures acoustic performance and comfortable foot feel.

Claims

1. A surface coating product, characterized in that... include: The support layer comprises a polymer resin and a natural porous material, wherein the Shore D hardness of the support layer is 70-90 and the elastic modulus is 3500MPa-4500MPa.

2. The surface covering product according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support layer also includes inorganic fillers; The inorganic filler accounts for 50% to 80% of the weight of the support layer, and the natural porous material accounts for 5% to 20% of the weight of the support layer.

3. The surface covering product according to claim 2, characterized in that, The support layer also includes a coupling agent.

4. The surface covering product according to claim 3, characterized in that, The support layer includes: The polymer resin, 100 parts by weight; The natural porous material, 20-100 parts by weight; The inorganic filler, 50-350 parts by weight; and The coupling agent, 2-10 parts by weight.

5. The surface covering product according to claim 4, characterized in that, The natural porous material is cork particles.

6. The surface covering product according to claim 5, characterized in that, The cork particles have an average diameter of 0.1 mm to 4 mm.

7. The surface covering product according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cork particles have an average diameter of 0.1 mm to 0.75 mm.

8. The surface covering product according to claim 4, characterized in that, The inorganic filler is dry calcium carbonate powder; The polymer resin includes at least one of PVC resin, PET resin, PO resin, and PLA resin; and The coupling agent is a silane coupling agent.

9. The surface covering product according to claim 8, characterized in that, The polymer resin is PVC resin.

10. The surface covering product according to claim 1, characterized in that, The density of the support layer is 1600 kg / m³. 3 Up to 2000 kg / m 3 .

11. The surface covering product according to claim 1, characterized in that, The natural porous material is uniformly distributed in the support layer.

12. The surface covering product according to claim 11, characterized in that, The support layer has a uniform density distribution, and the deviation of the density at any point in the support layer from the average value is no higher than 50 kg / m³. 3 .

13. The surface covering product according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support layer is configured with a coupling structure, wherein the coupling structure is formed by cutting at least a portion of the support layer for connecting adjacent surface cover products among a plurality of surface cover products.

14. The surface covering product according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The bottom layer is attached to the bottom surface of the support layer, wherein the hardness and elastic modulus of the bottom layer are less than those of the support layer; as well as Decorative material surface layer, which is attached to the top surface of the support layer.

15. A method for manufacturing a support layer for a surface-covered product, characterized in that, include: The ingredients for the support layer are mixed in a high-speed mixer until a target temperature of 120–140°C is reached, wherein the ingredients include polymer resin and natural porous materials. The ingredients are mixed and cooled in a cold mixer at a lower speed than in the high-speed mixer. The ingredients are fed into a twin-screw extruder for blending, and a uniform polymer sheet of controlled thickness is extruded from the extrusion die of the twin-screw extruder, wherein the extrusion temperature is set to 170–220°C, and the discharge temperature at the extrusion die is approximately 190–230°C; and The polymer sheet is passed through a two-roll mill to obtain the support layer of the desired thickness.

16. The method for manufacturing a support layer for a surface-covered product according to claim 15, characterized in that, The roll temperature of the two-roll mill is controlled at 170–200°C.

17. The method for manufacturing a support layer for a surface-covered product according to claim 16, characterized in that, The ingredients also include inorganic fillers; The inorganic filler accounts for 50% to 80% of the total weight of the ingredients, and the natural porous material accounts for 5% to 20% of the total weight of the ingredients.

18. The method for manufacturing a support layer for a surface-covered product according to claim 17, characterized in that, The ingredients also include coupling agents.

19. The method for manufacturing a support layer for a surface-covered product according to claim 18, characterized in that, The ingredients include: The polymer resin, 100 parts by weight; The natural porous material, 20-100 parts by weight; The inorganic filler, 50-350 parts by weight; and The coupling agent, 2-10 parts by weight.

20. The method for manufacturing a support layer for a surface-covered product according to claim 19, characterized in that, The natural porous material is cork granules; and The polymer resin includes at least one of PVC resin, PET resin, PO resin and PLA resin.

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