Mineral wallpaper and methods for its production

Abstract

Mineral wallpaper comprising a layer of aggregate (1) applied to a flexible textile backing material (2), wherein the mineral wallpaper has a thickness of up to 1.5 mm, wherein the macropore-free aggregate layer (1) has a mass fraction of over 70 to 90 percent rock flour from carbonate rock, wherein the rock grains in the aggregate layer (1) are bonded by means of a homogeneously distributed binder, characterized in that the proportion of the binder in the aggregate layer (1) is 6 to 14 percent of the mass of the aggregate layer (1), wherein the binder is an acrylate.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a mineral-based wallpaper made from aggregate and a method for its production. The mineral-based wallpaper is suitable for application to a wide variety of substrates; it can be used, for example, to cover walls, ceilings, floors, or even furniture.

[0002] Besides cladding ceilings and walls with tiles and panels, plastic-based stone imitation coverings have become established in interior design and for facade cladding. These plastic-based stone imitation coverings can be produced in virtually any look; they are also available in thicknesses of approximately 1 mm and can therefore be applied like classic paper wallpaper.

[0003] Compared to natural or artificial stone, these plastic coverings differ not only in their feel but also often in their appearance, as they are identifiable as imitations by certain characteristics, such as their sheen. Furthermore, the indoor climate in rooms clad in real stone is often perceived as more pleasant than when plastic coverings are used.

[0004] Mineral-based floor coverings, which combine the advantages of plastic floor coverings, particularly their ease of installation, with the natural look and feel of stone, are known in the form of rigid panels or thin stone veneers. Mineral laminates with thicknesses ranging from approximately 1 to 4 mm are also known, for example, from DE 10 2008 032 204 A1; the minerals, applied in the form of aggregate, are accordingly fixed in a plastic-based binder, with the proportion of mineral fillers ranging from 15 to 70 percent, resulting in a relatively high binder content.

[0005] Furthermore, GB 1 162 991 A describes a mineral coating made from an artificial slip containing a mineral and applied to a rigid board; a similar process is known from EP 0 131 064 A1. EP 2 360 025 A2 discloses a mineral-based coating whose surface layer consists of finely granulated natural stone mixed with hot-melt adhesive; this layer is thermally fixed to a carrier sheet. A method based on a filler compound for producing a board with a mineral coating is described in DE 103 40 238 A1.

[0006] Foamable polymer compositions for wallpapers are known from DE 10 2010 061 869 A1 and DE 10 2010 061 871 A1. These compositions comprise thermoplastic polymers such as PVC, plasticizers, blowing agents, and mineral fillers. The foamable composition and the resulting foamed body have a relatively high binder content.

[0007] DE 20 2006 013 010 U1 discloses a flexible flat material with a thin natural stone surface, which is obtained by peeling off slate or other multi-layered rocks and bonded with a synthetic resin carrier layer.

[0008] From DE 196 02 218 A1 a process for the production of wallpaper is known in which a carrier sheet is provided with a polymer-containing coating and subsequently sprinkled with plastic granules which are foamed up or fixed by heating.

[0009] To ensure flexibility, the well-known aggregate-based mineral coatings for wall and ceiling coverings either have a high proportion of polymer binders (e.g., DE 10 2008 032 204 A1, GB 1 162 991 A) or a defined porosity (e.g., DE 10 2017 119 048 A1). In contrast, mineral coatings that can be applied to walls, ceilings, or floors like classic paper wallpaper and yet still have a high aggregate content are currently difficult to implement economically.

[0010] The object of the invention is therefore to provide a mineral wallpaper based on a thin aggregate that has a surface appearance and feel identical to natural or artificial stone and can be processed using conventional wallpapering techniques.

[0011] This problem is solved by a mineral wallpaper based on a rock aggregate with the characterizing features according to claim 1 and the method for producing a mineral wallpaper according to claim 6; advantageous further developments of the invention are listed in claims 2 to 5 and 7 to 10.

[0012] According to the invention, the mineral wallpaper comprises a layer of aggregate applied to a flexible textile backing material; the mineral wallpaper has a thickness of up to 1.5 mm. The aggregate layer is free of macropores and contains 70 to 90 percent by mass of rock flour from carbonate rock, for example, marble flour. The rock particles are bonded in the aggregate layer by means of a homogeneously distributed binder.

[0013] The inventive method for producing the mineral wallpaper is carried out according to the process steps described below.

[0014] First, an aggregate is mixed with an aqueous binder dispersion and water to form a lump-free and pore-free, homogeneous aggregate paste. The aggregate paste contains 50 to 70 percent by mass of rock flour made from carbonate rock. Marble flour is preferably used as the aggregate.

[0015] The next step involves spreading the aggregate paste onto a production substrate. The applied aggregate paste is then leveled to a uniform thickness. The flexible textile backing material is then laid onto the paste layer and embedded into it, for example, by spreading and leveling an additional thin film of aggregate paste. After these steps, a wallpaper blank of uniform thickness is obtained, which is then dried, forming the mineral wallpaper. Finally, this is removed from the production substrate – for example, by peeling or rolling it off.

[0016] The mineral wallpaper according to the invention is characterized by high flexibility and, despite its high aggregate content, can be rolled up in the same way as paper wallpaper. Hanging the wallpaper using this mineral material is quick and easy, as usual. Furthermore, the mineral wallpaper is flexible and can be used on various surfaces and substrates, including curves and edges. No cracks appear on the visible surfaces even under substrate stress.

[0017] The processing time for applying the proposed mineral wallpaper is significantly shorter than for applying mineral coverings using traditional troweling techniques; construction dust and noise are thus avoided. Furthermore, the mineral wallpaper can be removed with considerably less time and effort compared to troweled mineral coverings.

[0018] The proportion of the binder in the aggregate layer is 6 to 14 percent of the aggregate layer's mass. The binder is an acrylate.

[0019] Fiberglass fleece is one suitable textile backing material.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the mineral wallpaper, the aggregate layer contains a fine-grained phyllosilicate or layered silicate, with the phyllosilicate comprising 7 to 13 percent of the aggregate layer's mass. Vermiculite, an aluminum-iron-magnesium layered silicate, has proven particularly suitable. Preferably, the phyllosilicate grain size is in the range of 200 µm to 800 µm. The addition of the layered silicate significantly improves the gloss and stone-like appearance of the mineral wallpaper.

[0021] Furthermore, the aggregate layer can contain a pigment additive of up to five percent of its mass. Various color shades can be achieved through the addition of pigments.

[0022] The color of the mineral wallpaper can also be modified by applying glazes.

[0023] In a preferred version of the mineral-based wallpaper, the visible surface facing away from the backing material has a predefined surface structure with regular and / or irregular indentations. These indentations can, for example, imitate well-known surface textures such as blisters in concrete surfaces, cracks in the walls of older buildings, or the textured finish of plastered walls.

[0024] In the production of a mineral-based wallpaper with added phyllosilicate, the fine-grained phyllosilicate is first mixed with the carbonate rock flour before this mixture is combined with the binder. The mass of the phyllosilicate is 5 to 10 percent of the mass of the rock aggregate paste.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the proposed method, the proportion of the binder dispersion in the aggregate paste is 23 to 33 percent of the mass of the aggregate paste.

[0026] When mixing the aggregate with the binder dispersion and the water, pigments can also be added; the mass fraction of the pigments is up to three percent of the mass of the aggregate paste.

[0027] The difference in mass fractions between the aggregate paste and the aggregate layer is due to the drying process.

[0028] The manufacturing substrate used in the inventive process can be a negative mold with a predetermined surface structure. The mold surface of the negative mold (as a negative of the visible surface of the mineral wallpaper to be produced) has regular and / or irregular raised areas. The negative mold can be produced by molding real surfaces, such as concrete elements or plastered walls.

[0029] The invention is explained below using an exemplary embodiment and with reference to the schematic drawing. The single figure shows the mineral wallpaper being applied to a wall. The detail included in the figure illustrates the structure of the mineral wallpaper.

[0030] The mineral wallpaper according to the embodiment shown in the figure consists of the backing material 2 and the aggregate layer 1 applied to the backing material 1. The backing material 2 is a fiberglass fleece. The aggregate layer 1 contains 87% by mass marble flour and 3% by mass color pigments; the marble flour particles are bonded within the aggregate layer 1 with an acrylate binder.

[0031] The visible surface of the mineral wallpaper features irregular recesses 3. These recesses 3 are produced using a negative mold created by taking a mold from a real concrete element. The resulting mineral wallpaper therefore has the appearance of the molded concrete element. List of reference symbols used 1 layer of rock aggregate 2 Carrier material 3 Exclusion

Claims

[1] Mineral wallpaper comprising a layer of aggregates (1) applied to a flexible textile backing material (2), wherein the mineral wallpaper has a thickness of up to 1.5 mm, wherein the macropore-free aggregate layer (1) has a mass fraction of over 70 to 90 percent rock flour from carbonate rock, wherein the aggregates in the aggregate layer (1) are bonded by means of a homogeneously distributed binder, characterized by , that the proportion of the binder in the aggregate layer (1) is 6 to 14 percent of the mass of the aggregate layer (1), wherein the binder is an acrylate. [2] Mineral wallpaper according to claim 1, characterized by , that the aggregate layer (1) contains a fine-grained phyllosilicate with a proportion of 7 to 13 percent of the mass of the aggregate layer (1). [3] Mineral wallpaper according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by, that the aggregate layer (1) has a pigment addition of up to five percent of the mass of the aggregate layer (1). [4] Mineral wallpaper according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by , that the textile carrier material (2) is a fiberglass fleece. [5] Mineral wallpaper according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by , that the visible surface of the mineral wallpaper facing away from the carrier material (2) has a predetermined surface structure with regular and / or irregular recesses (3). [6] Method for producing a mineral wallpaper according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by the procedural steps: a) Mixing an aggregate with an aqueous binder dispersion and water to form a lump-free and pore-free, homogeneous aggregate paste, wherein the aggregate is rock flour from carbonate rock and the proportion of the aggregate in the aggregate paste is 50 to 70 percent of the mass of the aggregate paste, b) Spreading the aggregate paste onto a manufacturing substrate, c) Leveling the aggregate paste to a homogeneous thickness, d) Applying the flexible textile carrier material (2) to the aggregate paste, e) Incorporating the carrier material (2) into the aggregate paste to form a wallpaper green body of homogeneous thickness, f) Drying of the wallpaper green to form the mineral wallpaper, and g) Removing the mineral wallpaper from the manufacturing substrate. [7] Method according to claim 6, characterized by, that an aggregate of fine-grained phyllosilicate is added to the aggregate before mixing with the aqueous binder dispersion, wherein the proportion of the phyllosilicate aggregate after production of the aggregate paste is 5 to 10 percent of the mass of the aggregate paste. [8] Method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized by , that the proportion of the binder dispersion in the aggregate paste is 23 to 33 percent of the mass of the aggregate paste. [9] Method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized by , that when mixing the aggregate with the binder dispersion and the water, pigments are additionally added, with the mass fraction of the pigments being up to three percent of the mass of the aggregate paste. [10] Method according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized bythat the manufacturing substrate is a negative mold with a predetermined surface structure, wherein the mold surface of the negative mold has regular and / or irregular elevations.

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