Resin foam and coating liquid

Abstract

To provide resin foam and coating liquid capable of suppressing generation of powder, and performing more comfortably especially a manufacturing work of flower arrangement.SOLUTION: There is provided resin foam in which at least a part of the surface of a resin foam base material is coated with a covering material containing at least one kind of material selected from a group comprising carboxymethyl cellulose, silicone oil, dextrin, sodium silicate and water-soluble starch.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a resin foam and a coating liquid for surface treating the resin foam. [Background technology]

[0002] Flower arrangements have been known for some time as a technique for arranging flowers in a container such as a basket and as a decoration, and as a product of such an arrangement. In flower arrangements, instead of the flower holders such as the pin holders used in ikebana (flower arranging), resin foams made of phenolic resin or urethane resin molded into a foamed or porous shape are used. These resin foams are water absorbent, easy to cut and process, and hard enough to hold flowers in place.

[0003] As an example of technology related to resin foam, Patent Document 1 discloses a support block that is equipped in a flower arrangement device and is made of a foam of synthetic resin such as phenolic resin, urethane resin, or polystyrene, and is made of a material that is brittle enough to easily puncture plant branches such as the stems of flowers, and hard enough to support the plant branches while maintaining a punctured state at any angle.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a support for flowers arranged in a predetermined shape, made of an open-cell synthetic sponge made of foamed polyurethane resin or foamed polyethylene resin, and having a nonwoven fabric layer and slits on the upper surface. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3117914 [Patent Document 2] JP 2019-047857 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, when a conventional resin foam is held in a dry state, a part of the outer surface becomes fine powder and peels off due to friction when held. The fine powder scatters and adheres to various places, which is inconvenient because it stains the worker's hands, clothes, work room, etc. For example, florists and flower arrangers usually cut dry resin foam into shapes and sizes suitable for each container such as a basket, and then insert flowers into the resin foam that has been absorbed after cutting to decorate. At this time, a clearly visible amount of fine powder spills from the cut surface of the dry resin foam onto the desk where the worker is working, which actually worsens the working environment.

[0007] Recently, in addition to fresh flowers, artificial plants such as artificial flowers, preserved flowers, and dried flowers are increasingly being used as flower materials for flower arrangements. However, when artificial plants are used as flower materials, unlike fresh flowers, they do not require moisture, so the resin foam is used in a dry state, which makes the above-mentioned problem of fine powder more apparent.

[0008] On the other hand, resin foams for artificial flowers, which are intended to be used in a dry state, are also manufactured and sold by several companies, and do exist. However, even though resin foams for artificial flowers are advertised as being less likely to produce fine powder, the suppression effect is insufficient and is far from satisfactory. In fact, even just holding these resin foams for artificial flowers in your hand can cause fine powder to stick to your fingers. In addition, because the flowers need to be fixed for a long time, they are designed to be harder than conventional resin foams, and workers with weak strength may feel stress when decorating. Furthermore, resin foams for artificial flowers are more expensive than conventional resin foams, and are inferior in terms of cost performance.

[0009] Furthermore, recently, cognitive rehabilitation using flower arranging as part of horticultural therapy has been attracting attention, and opportunities to perform flower arranging in medical and welfare facilities are increasing. Therefore, particularly in medical and welfare facilities, resin foam that minimizes the generation of fine powder is required, also out of consideration for patients with respiratory diseases.

[0010] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a resin foam and a coating liquid that suppress the generation of fine powder and, in particular, makes the work of creating flower arrangements more comfortable. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] As a result of intensive research into achieving the above object, the present inventors have found that the above object can be achieved by the following configuration, and have completed the present invention.

[0012] [1] A resin foam, at least a portion of the surface of which is coated with a coating material containing at least one substance selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose, silicone oil, dextrin, sodium silicate, and water-soluble starch. [2] The coating material contains carboxymethyl cellulose, and the coating amount of the carboxymethyl cellulose is 0.0002 to 0.002 g / cm 2 The resin foam according to [1], [3] The coating material contains silicone oil, and the coating amount of the silicone oil is 0.002 to 0.02 g / cm 2 The resin foam according to [1], [4] The resin foam according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the resin foam substrate is made of a foam of at least one synthetic resin selected from the group consisting of phenolic resin, urethane resin, and polystyrene.

[0013] [5] A coating liquid for surface treating a resin foam substrate, the coating liquid being an aqueous solution containing water and at least one substance selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose, silicone oil, dextrin, sodium silicate, and water-soluble starch. [6] The coating liquid according to [5], wherein the substance is carboxymethyl cellulose, and the content of the carboxymethyl cellulose is 0.5 to 3 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the water. [7] The coating liquid according to [5], wherein the substance is silicone oil, and the content of the silicone oil is 5 to 25 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the water. [8] The coating solution according to [5], wherein the substance is dextrin, and the content of the dextrin is 5 to 25 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the water. [9] The coating liquid according to [5], wherein the substance is sodium silicate, and the content of the sodium silicate is 5 to 25 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the water.

[10] The coating solution according to [5], wherein the substance is a water-soluble starch, and the content of the water-soluble starch is 15 to 30 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the water.

[11] The coating solution according to any one of [5] to

[10] , wherein the water is electrolyzed water containing 15 to 30 ppm of chloride ions and adjusted to a pH of 5 to 7. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a resin foam and a coating liquid which suppress the generation of fine powder and enable the work of creating flower arrangements, in particular, to be carried out more comfortably. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] The present invention will be described in detail below. The following description of the components may be based on representative embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to such embodiments. In this specification, a numerical range expressed using "to" means a range that includes the numerical values ​​before and after "to" as the lower and upper limits.

[0016] [Resin foam] The resin foam of the present invention is a resin foam in which at least a part of the surface of a resin foam base material is covered with a coating material containing at least one substance selected from the group consisting of carboxymethylcellulose, silicone oil, dextrin, sodium silicate, and water-soluble starch.The resin foam of the present invention is particularly used as a base for flower arrangements, and can also be used as a buffer material for traffic, a filling material for cassette fuel, or a culture medium material for seedling mats, etc.

[0017] Here, the term "flower arrangement" refers to the technique of arranging flowers in a container such as a basket and decorating it, and the product of that arrangement. In general, in flower arrangement, the container is decorated with flowers by inserting one or more flowers into a resin foam placed in or on the container.

[0018] The term "flower material" refers to a concept including not only fresh flowers but also artificial plants such as artificial flowers, preserved flowers, and dried flowers. In other words, the resin foam of the present invention can be used in flower arrangements using both fresh flowers and artificial plants. Furthermore, the floral material is not limited to those having a corolla, and the stems, leaves, or roots of plants or artificial plants can also be used as the floral material.

[0019] When the floral material is an artificial plant, the part to be inserted into the resin foam, such as the stem, is formed, for example, by wrapping paper clay or resin clay around a core material made of metal wire.

[0020] The object to be covered with the above-mentioned covering material, that is, the resin foam substrate, is not particularly limited, but is preferably a foam made of a synthetic resin (hereinafter abbreviated as "synthetic resin foam"). Furthermore, the resin foam (strictly speaking, the resin foam base material covering the outer surface) can also absorb moisture.

[0021] Examples of synthetic resins that form the resin foam substrate include phenolic resins, polyurethane resins, and polystyrene.

[0022] As the substance constituting the coating material, as described above, at least one substance selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose, silicone oil, dextrin, sodium silicate, and soluble starch is used.

[0023] Here, the carboxymethylcellulose is preferably, for example, a salt of carboxymethylcellulose. Examples of salts of carboxymethylcellulose include metal salts of carboxymethylcellulose. Specifically, sodium carboxymethylcellulose (also known as CMC-Na or sodium cellulose glycolate), which is a sodium salt, is preferred because of its excellent safety.

[0024] Silicone oil is also a material that is used in cosmetics such as hand creams and hair conditioners, and, like carboxymethyl cellulose, is a substance that is safe for the human body.

[0025] The amount of coating material varies depending on the ingredients, but in the case of carboxymethyl cellulose, it is 0.0002 to 0.002 g / cm 2 and preferably 0.0003 to 0.0015 g / cm 2 It is more preferable that: For silicone oil, 0.002 to 0.02 g / cm2 and preferably 0.005 to 0.015 g / cm 2 It is more preferable that: If the amount of coating is within the above range, the outer surface of the resin foam will not be sticky, and the effect of suppressing the generation of fine powder from the outer surface will be further improved. In particular, when carboxymethyl cellulose is used as a component of the coating material, it is preferable because it can further suppress stickiness and has a good feel to the touch.

[0026] Here, the above-mentioned coating amount refers to a value calculated by dividing the difference in mass between the resin foam substrate before coating with the coating material and the resin foam after coating with the coating material by the surface area of ​​the resin foam. The coating amount may be calculated based on the difference in mass between the resin foam substrate before and after washing the surface of the resin foam with a solvent such as water and drying for a predetermined time. Alternatively, the coating amount may be calculated from the mass of the above-mentioned components contained in the solvent used for washing. Furthermore, the part including the surface of the resin foam may be divided into a predetermined area (e.g., 1 cm 2 ) and calculating the value based on the mass of the above component contained in the cut portion.

[0027] The hardness of the resin foam can be set arbitrarily by changing the material or density of the synthetic resin foam that is the resin foam base material. Specifically, it is preferable to set the hardness to a level that allows the floral material to be inserted by hand without using special tools and that allows the inserted floral material to be kept fixed. If the hardness is such, it can be easily cut with a cutter knife or the like, so that the worker can easily process it into any shape. In addition, the covering material that covers the outer surface of the resin foam base material is formed very thin, so the covering material does not harden the resin foam and does not affect the insertion or cutting of the floral material into the resin foam.

[0028] Examples of methods for producing this resin foam include spraying a coating liquid containing a coating material by a spray or the like onto the outer surface of a synthetic resin foam that has been molded or cut to a desired size as a resin foam substrate, and then drying the material for a predetermined period of time.

[0029] The spray may be an electric spray using an electric pump as a driving source, a can spray using high-pressure gas inside a can, or an air spray using external air pressure. The number of times the coating liquid is sprayed by the spray may be one time or multiple times. When multiple times are used, for example, for a resin foam substrate molded into a cube, it is preferable to spray the top surface five times, and the sides and bottom surfaces three times each from a position about 30 cm away. In this case, the number of times the top surface is sprayed (the amount of coating is greater) is greater than the other surfaces because it is assumed that more floral materials will be inserted on the top surface.

[0030] The drying after spraying may be forced drying, which uses a hot air dryer, a near infrared heater, or a far infrared heater, or may be natural drying, which is left in air at room temperature for a predetermined time. During drying, it is preferable to place the resin foam on a net or the like to dry it, since this allows the bottom surface to be sufficiently dried as well.

[0031] The method of forming the coating material is not limited to the method of spraying the coating liquid onto the resin foam substrate by a spray or the like. Other methods include, for example, a method of applying the coating liquid to the outer surface of the resin foam substrate by a brush or the like and then drying the applied liquid. Also, a method of impregnating the resin foam substrate with the coating liquid for a predetermined period of time and then drying the applied liquid may be used.

[0032] [Coating solution] The coating liquid of the present invention is a coating liquid for surface treatment of a resin foam substrate, and is an aqueous solution containing water and at least one substance selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose, silicone oil, dextrin, sodium silicate, and soluble starch. This coating liquid becomes the coating material portion of the resin foam after it is applied to the resin foam substrate and dried, and therefore contains the same substances as those constituting the coating material.

[0033] The concentration of the coating liquid is preferably within the range below for each substance, because if the concentration is too low, fine powder will not be suppressed when the coating material is used to coat the outer surface of the resin foam, whereas if the concentration is too high, the spray nozzle may become clogged when sprayed or the resin foam itself may become sticky even after drying. That is, in the case of carboxymethyl cellulose, the amount is preferably 0.5 to 3 parts by mass, and more preferably 0.75 to 1 part by mass, per 100 parts by mass of water. In the case of silicone oil, the amount is preferably 5 to 25 parts by mass, and more preferably 10 to 20 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of water. In the case of dextrin, the amount is preferably 5 to 25 parts by mass, and more preferably 10 to 20 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of water. In the case of sodium silicate, the amount is preferably 5 to 25 parts by mass, and more preferably 10 to 20 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of water. In the case of water-soluble starch, the amount is preferably 15 to 30 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of water.

[0034] The water used in the coating solution is not particularly limited. For example, tap water, distilled water, purified water, or electrolytic water can be appropriately selected and used while taking into consideration the cost. Among them, for example, weakly acidic electrolytic water (slightly acidic electrolytic water) containing 15 to 30 ppm of chlorine ions and adjusted to about pH 5 to 7 is preferable. Since weakly acidic electrolytic water is recognized to have a high bactericidal effect, by using this weakly acidic electrolytic water as a solvent, it is possible to prevent dirt, proliferation of bacteria, or mold growth without adding preservatives separately, which is hygienic. Therefore, it can be used safely in medical and welfare sites, and is also suitable for use in horticultural therapy, which will be described later.

[0035] The coating liquid may further contain other components in addition to the above-mentioned arbitrary substances. Examples of the other components include colorants, fertilizers, surfactants, antifreezing agents, antifoaming agents, preservatives, antioxidants, thickeners, etc. The types and contents of the other components are not particularly limited and can be selected according to the purpose.

[0036] The resin foam of the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration can effectively suppress the generation of fine powder, and therefore, when used as a base for a flower arrangement, the flower arrangement can be made comfortably without soiling the worker's hands, clothes, or the workroom during the flower arrangement work. Furthermore, since the resin foam of the present invention is produced merely by spraying a coating liquid onto the outer surface of the resin foam base material, it can be produced more cheaply than conventional resin foams specifically for artificial flowers, and a resin foam with good cost performance can be provided.

[0037] The effect of the present invention of suppressing the generation of fine powder is more pronounced when the resin foam is in a dry state. That is, in conventional resin foams, fine powder is easily generated when the resin foam is in a dry state, but the resin foam of the present invention hardly generates fine powder even when the resin foam is in a dry state. Therefore, the resin foam is particularly suitable as a resin foam for artificial plants that are intended to be used in a dry state. In addition, even when the resin foam is used in a dry state, such as during the production, distribution, and before use of the resin foam, where fine powder would have been generated in the past, the effect of the present invention is exerted.

[0038] Recently, cognitive rehabilitation using flower arrangements has also been performed as a part of horticultural therapy.For example, in cognitive rehabilitation using flower arrangements, flower materials are repeatedly inserted into resin foam in a pre-specified location while paying attention to spatial balance, thereby improving brain function.In this way, the opportunities for flower arrangements are increasing in medical and welfare settings that require a delicate environment, and the resin foam of the present invention, which can suppress the generation of fine powder, can be used comfortably in medical institutions, welfare facilities, or educational facilities, so it is expected to be used in these fields more and more in the future.

[0039] Furthermore, if the coating liquid of the present invention is used for commercial purposes by florists and flower arrangement businesses, it can improve the working environment of the businesses. Specifically, if the coating liquid is sprayed onto a resin foam base material while the resin foam is shaped, the generation of fine powder during the shaping of the resin foam and the subsequent flower arrangement production work can be suppressed, improving the working environment. The coating liquid of the present invention can also be applied to resin foams other than those for flower arrangements as a method for suppressing fine powder. EXAMPLES

[0040] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples. The materials, amounts, ratios, processing contents, processing procedures, etc. shown in the following examples can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited by the following examples.

[0041] [Test 1] [Preparation of Coating Solution] <Coating solution A> Weakly acidic electrolyzed water (manufactured by Redox Technology Co., Ltd. (sold by Flower AgriVisionary Japan Co., Ltd.), Clarus Aqua) and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (manufactured by Margo Corporation) were added to a spray container to prepare coating solution A with a carboxymethylcellulose concentration of 1.0%. <Coating Solution B> Weakly acidic electrolyzed water (manufactured by Redox Technology Co., Ltd. (sold by Flower AgriVisionary Japan Co., Ltd.), Clarus Aqua) and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (manufactured by Margo Corporation) were added to a spray container to prepare coating solution B with a carboxymethylcellulose concentration of 1.5%.

[0042] [Resin foam] As the resin foam substrate, the following foam was used. Phenolic resin foam (Smithers Oasis Japan Co., Ltd., standard) [Shape: Approximately cubic, surface area: Approximately 329 cm 2 〕 Phenolic resin foam (manufactured by Smithers Oasis Japan Co., Ltd., soft) [shape: approximately cubic, surface area: approximately 329 cm 2 〕 Phenolic resin foam (Matsumura Kogei Co., Ltd., Supersoft) [Shape: Approximately cubic, surface area: approx. 329 cm 2 〕

[0043] [Examples 1 to 7] A coating solution shown in Table 1 below was sprayed onto the top, side and bottom surfaces of a resin foam substrate shown in Table 1 below using a sprayer in an amount of the mass shown in Table 1 below. In Examples 1 and 4, spraying was performed twice, and in each case, the second spraying was performed 48 hours after the first spraying. In both the first and second spraying, the top surface was sprayed five times, and the sides and bottom surface were sprayed three times. After spraying, the coating was allowed to dry naturally at 25°C. The amount of coating was measured by calculating the increase in mass from the mass of the resin foam substrate before spraying and the mass of the resin foam after natural drying in a room at 25°C for 72 hours after the last spraying, and then dividing the increase in mass by the surface area of ​​the resin foam. Moreover, each of Examples 1 to 7 was carried out using two samples, which are shown in Table 1 as "Example 1-1" and "Example 1-2", etc.

[0044] Comparative Example 1 No surface treatment was performed using a coating solution. Phenolic resin foam (Smithers Oasis Japan Co., Ltd., standard) [shape: approximately cubic, surface area: 329 cm 2 ] was used as it is in the following evaluation.

[0045] 〔evaluation〕 The surface-treated resin foams of Examples 1 to 7 and the resin foam substrate of Comparative Example 1 were evaluated for the presence or absence of fine powder, stickiness, and ease of insertion according to the following criteria. The results are shown in Table 1 below. The evaluation was carried out by five evaluators. Regarding "the presence or absence of fine powder," the surface of the resin foam and the resin foam base material was touched with a dry finger to observe the degree of adhesion of fine powder. Regarding "stickiness," the degree of stickiness was observed by touching the surfaces of the resin foam and the resin foam substrate with a dry finger. For "ease of insertion," we compared the amount of force required to insert an artificial plant vertically to a depth of about 20 mm into the resin foam and resin foam base material placed on a desk. Note that here, we used an artificial plant with a rod-shaped stem about 4 mm in diameter and 100 mm in length, made of paper clay wrapped around a metal core (about 1 mm in diameter). <Presence or absence of fine powder> 1. If 4 out of 5 evaluators judged that no fine powder adhered to the fingers 2. When 3 to 2 out of 5 evaluators judged that no fine powder adhered to the fingers 3. When 1 to 0 of 5 evaluators evaluated that no fine powder adheres to the fingers, i.e., when 4 to 5 evaluators evaluated that fine powder adheres to the fingers <Sticky> 1. If 4 to 5 out of 5 reviewers felt that the product did not feel sticky on their fingers 2. When 3 to 2 out of 5 evaluators feel that the product does not feel sticky on the fingers 3. When 1 to 0 of the 5 evaluators evaluated that the product did not feel sticky on the fingers, that is, when 4 to 5 evaluators evaluated that the product felt sticky on the fingers. <Ease of insertion> 1. If 5 to 4 out of 5 reviewers evaluated that it can be inserted without resistance 2. When 2 out of 3 out of 5 evaluators evaluated that it can be inserted without resistance 3. When 1 to 0 of the 5 evaluators evaluated that the device could be inserted without resistance, i.e., when 4 to 5 evaluators evaluated that the device could not be inserted without applying force.

[0046] [Table 1]

[0047] The results shown in Table 1 above show that when at least a portion of the surface of the resin foam substrate is coated with carboxymethyl cellulose, the generation of fine powder can be suppressed without affecting stickiness and ease of insertion (Examples 1 to 7).

[0048] [Test 2] [Preparation of Coating Solution] <Coating Liquid X> Weakly acidic electrolyzed water (Claris Aqua, manufactured by Redox Technology Co., Ltd. (sold by Flower AgriVisionary Japan Co., Ltd.)) and dimethyl silicone oil (KF-96-350CS, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.) were added to a spray container to prepare coating solution X with a dimethyl silicone oil concentration of 20%. <Coating solution Y> Weakly acidic electrolyzed water (Claris Aqua, manufactured by Redox Technology Co., Ltd. (sold by Flower AgriVisionary Japan Co., Ltd.)) and dimethyl silicone oil (KF-96-350CS, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.) were added to a spray container to prepare coating solution Y with a dimethyl silicone oil concentration of 10%. <Coating solution A> Weakly acidic electrolyzed water (manufactured by Redox Technology Co., Ltd. (sold by Flower AgriVisionary Japan Co., Ltd.), Clarus Aqua) and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (manufactured by Margo Corporation) were added to a spray container to prepare coating solution A with a carboxymethylcellulose concentration of 1.0%. <Coating Solution B> Weakly acidic electrolyzed water (manufactured by Redox Technology Co., Ltd. (sold by Flower AgriVisionary Japan Co., Ltd.), Clarus Aqua) and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (manufactured by Margo Corporation) were added to a spray container to prepare coating solution B with a carboxymethylcellulose concentration of 1.5%.

[0049] [Resin foam] As the resin foam substrate, the following foam was used. Phenolic resin foam (Smithers Oasis Japan Co., Ltd., standard) [Shape: approximately cubic, surface area: 329 cm 2 〕

[0050] [Examples 8 to 14] The coating liquid shown in Table 2 below was sprayed onto the top, side and bottom surfaces of the resin foam substrate. Here, when spraying was performed multiple times as in Examples 9 to 14, spraying was performed 48 hours after the previous spraying. Moreover, each spraying was performed 5 to 7 times for each of the coating solutions X, Y, A and B. The drying after spraying was carried out by natural drying in a room at 25° C. for 72 hours after the last spraying. Regarding Example 8, the mass of the resin foam substrate before spraying and the mass of the resin foam after natural drying in a room at 25° C. for 72 hours after the last spraying were measured, and the increase in mass was 3.11 g, so the coating amount was 0.0095 g / cm 2 It was calculated that:

[0051] Comparative Example 2 No surface treatment was performed using a coating solution. Phenolic resin foam (Smithers Oasis Japan Co., Ltd., standard) [shape: approximately cubic, surface area: 329 cm 2 ] was used as it is in the following evaluation.

[0052] 〔evaluation〕 The surface-treated resin foams of Examples 8 to 14 and the resin foam substrate of Comparative Example 2 were evaluated for the presence or absence of fine powder, stickiness, and ease of insertion using the same criteria as in Examples 1 to 7. The results are shown in Table 2 below.

[0053] [Table 2]

[0054] The results shown in Table 2 above show that when at least a portion of the surface of the resin foam substrate is covered with silicone oil, the generation of fine powder can be suppressed without affecting stickiness and ease of insertion (Examples 8 to 14).

Claims

[Claim 1] A resin foam for use in cognitive rehabilitation using floral arrangements, comprising: A resin foam, at least a portion of the surface of which is coated with a coating material containing at least one substance selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose, silicone oil, dextrin, sodium silicate, and water-soluble starch.

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