Flooring material

Abstract

To provide a flooring material with excellent antistatic and stain-resistant properties.SOLUTION: A flooring material 1 comprises: a flooring material body 2; and a front surface layer 3 provided on a front surface side of the flooring material body 2. The front surface layer 3 comprises: a front surface protective layer 4 constituting a front surface of the flooring material; a resin layer 5 provided on a back surface side of the front surface protective layer 4; and a conductive layer 6 containing a conductive material provided on at least one of a front surface and a back surface of the resin layer 5.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a flooring material having excellent antistatic and stain-resistant properties. [Background technology]

[0002] Flooring materials such as floor tiles and floor sheets are prone to static electricity, a phenomenon in which static electricity is generated on their surfaces due to friction and other factors. PVC resins, which are commonly used in resin flooring, contain large amounts of extenders or fillers, making them particularly susceptible to static electricity. Static electricity generated on flooring materials can adversely affect the operation of electronic devices such as measuring instruments, manufacturing equipment, medical equipment, and office automation equipment. It can also attract dust particles from the air, causing contamination. For this reason, preventing static electricity in flooring materials has become an important issue. Flooring materials used in clean rooms, computer rooms, semiconductor manufacturing plants, and other environments are particularly required to have excellent antistatic properties.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a flexible flooring material having a flooring body and a surface layer provided on the flooring body, the flooring body having a resin layer mainly composed of vinyl chloride resin and a decorative layer provided on the surface side of the resin layer, the surface layer being a transparent layer containing an ionizing radiation curable resin and an antistatic agent containing an ionic liquid, and provided on the surface side of the decorative layer, and having a volume resistivity of 2.05 × 10 under an environment of a temperature of 23°C and a humidity of 25%. 9 Flooring materials with a resistance of less than Ω are disclosed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6175686 Summary of the Invention

[0005] The flooring material of Patent Document 1 has excellent antistatic and stain-resistant properties, but from the viewpoint of product diversification, there is a demand for flooring materials that have excellent antistatic and stain-resistant properties by means other than those of Patent Document 1. [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a flooring material that has excellent antistatic and stain-resistant properties. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The flooring material of the first form has a flooring material body and a surface layer provided on the surface side of the flooring material body, and the surface layer has a surface protective layer that forms the surface of the flooring material, a resin layer provided on the back side of the surface protective layer, and a conductive layer containing a conductive material provided on at least one of the front and back sides of the resin layer.

[0008] The second type of flooring material is the flooring material of the first type, wherein the surface layer has the surface protective layer, the resin layer, a decorative layer provided on the back side of the resin layer and displaying a design, and the conductive layer, and the conductive layer is interposed between the surface protective layer and the resin layer and / or between the resin layer and the decorative layer. A flooring material according to a third aspect is the flooring material according to the first or second aspect, wherein the conductive material includes at least one of a conductive polymer and a carbon material. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The flooring material of the present invention has excellent antistatic properties, and therefore can prevent various adverse effects caused by static electricity and further reduce surface staining. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a flooring material according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a flooring material according to a second embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a first example of the layer structure of the flooring material. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a second example of the layer structure. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a third example of the layer structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification, the "surface" of a layer or member refers to the surface away from the floor surface on which the flooring will be laid, and the "back surface" refers to the opposite surface, i.e., the surface closer to the floor surface on which the flooring will be laid. A plan view refers to a view from a direction perpendicular to the surface or back surface. In this specification, "approximately" means a range acceptable in the technical field to which the present invention pertains. In this specification, a numerical range expressed as "above a lower limit and below an upper limit" can be set by selecting an arbitrary lower limit and an arbitrary upper limit to set "above an arbitrary lower limit and below an arbitrary upper limit." Please note that the dimensions such as thickness and size in each figure may differ from the actual dimensions.

[0012] [Basic composition of flooring] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing one embodiment of a flooring material 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing another embodiment. Referring to FIG. 1, the flooring material 1 is formed in a long strip shape in a plan view. The long strip-shaped flooring material 1 is also called a floor sheet. The long strip refers to a generally rectangular shape in a plan view, with the longitudinal length being sufficiently longer than the lateral length, for example, the longitudinal length being at least three times, preferably at least five times, the lateral length. Specific dimensions of the long strip include, for example, a lateral length of 500 mm to 3000 mm and a longitudinal length of 2 m to 500 m. The long strip-shaped flooring material 1 is usually wound into a roll for storage and transportation, and is cut to the desired shape at the construction site for use.

[0013] Referring to FIG. 2, the flooring material 1 is formed in the form of a sheet having a substantially square shape in plan view. However, the sheet-shaped flooring material 1 may also be formed in a substantially rectangular or hexagonal shape in plan view (not shown). The sheet-shaped flooring material 1 is also called a floor tile. Specific dimensions of the substantially square or rectangular flooring material 1 in plan view include, for example, length x width = (50 mm to 1500 mm) x (50 mm to 1500 mm). Sheet-shaped flooring materials 1 such as those shown in the example can be stored and transported in a stacked state.

[0014] The flooring material 1 of the present invention may be flexible or relatively hard. The flexibility of the flooring material 1 is such that, for example, at 23°C, the flooring material 1 can be wound into a roll around a core with a diameter of 10 cm with the back side facing the core. The overall thickness of the flooring material 1 is not particularly limited and is, for example, 0.5 mm to 10 mm, preferably 1 mm to 8 mm, and more preferably 1.5 mm to 5 mm.

[0015] [Layer structure of flooring material] 3 to 5 show first to third examples of the layer structure of the flooring material 1. Figures 3 to 5 are cross-sectional views taken along the line III-III in Figures 1 and 2. The flooring material 1 of the present invention comprises a flooring body 2 and a surface layer 3 provided on the surface side of the flooring body 2. When the flooring body 2 and the surface layer 3 are formed from a resin material, it is preferable to join them using the same type of resin material with heat and / or pressure, but if necessary, a primer layer (not shown) may be provided between the flooring body 2 and the surface layer 3 as an adhesive aid to firmly adhere the surface layer 3 to the flooring body 2. The surface layer 3 has a surface protection layer 4, a resin layer 5, and a conductive layer 6 that constitute the surface of the flooring material 1, and preferably further has a decorative layer 7. The surface layer 3 may further have layers other than these.

[0016] (Flooring material itself) The flooring body 2 is the main component that determines the strength, thickness, and weight of the flooring 1. The flooring body 2 has a resin layer formed from a resin material (hereinafter, the resin layer of the flooring body 2 will be referred to as the "main body resin layer" to distinguish it from the resin layer 5 of the surface layer 3). Preferably, the flooring body 2 has a main body resin layer formed from a resin material and a fiber reinforcement layer. The main body resin layer of the flooring body 2 may be one layer, or two or more layers. The fiber reinforcement layer of the flooring body 2 may be one layer, or two or more layers. Furthermore, the flooring body 2 may have layers other than the main body resin layer and the fiber reinforcement layer.

[0017] In the layer configuration examples shown in Figures 3 and 5, the flooring material main body 2 has two main body resin layers (a first main body resin layer 21 and a second main body resin layer 22), a fiber reinforcement layer 23 (hereinafter referred to as the "intermediate fiber reinforcement layer 23") laminated between the first main body resin layer 21 and the second main body resin layer 22, and a fiber reinforcement layer 24 (hereinafter referred to as the "rear fiber reinforcement layer 24") laminated on the rear surface of the second main body resin layer 22. Note that in the layer configurations of Figures 3 and 5, either the intermediate fiber reinforcement layer 23 or the rear fiber reinforcement layer 24 may be omitted (not shown). In the layer configuration example shown in Figure 4, the flooring material body 2 is made up of a first body resin layer 21 and a second body resin layer 22. Note that although the body resin layer is made up of two layers in Figures 3 to 5, the body resin layer may be made up of three or more layers (not shown). Also, although the body resin layer is made up of two layers in Figure 4, the body resin layer may be made up of a single layer (not shown). The main body resin layers such as the first main body resin layer 21 and the fiber reinforcement layers such as the intermediate fiber reinforcement layer 23 that make up the flooring body 2 are laminated and bonded to each other so strongly that delamination is difficult.

[0018] <Main body resin layer> The main resin layers, such as the first main resin layer 21 and the second main resin layer 22, are formed from conventionally known resin materials. The resin material constituting the main resin layer is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include vinyl chloride resins; polyolefin resins such as polyethylene and polypropylene; styrene resins such as polystyrene; and ester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate. The main resin layer is preferably formed from a resin material containing vinyl chloride resin as a main component resin, because it has excellent electrical properties and processability, high durability, flexibility and processability can be controlled by adjusting the plasticizer content, and is cost-effective. Herein, the term "main component resin" refers to a resin material that accounts for 60% by weight or more, preferably 80% by weight or more, and more preferably 90% by weight or more, of the total resin components contained in the layer, taken as 100% by weight.

[0019] Vinyl chloride resins are polymers formed by polymerizing at least vinyl chloride monomer (chloroethylene). Vinyl chloride resins include not only homopolymers (polymers formed by homopolymerizing chloroethylene), but also copolymers of chloroethylene and other monomers copolymerizable with chloroethylene, mixtures of homopolymers and copolymers, and mixtures of two or more copolymers. The term "mixture" refers to a homopolymer and copolymer, or a polymer in which copolymers are kneaded together without substantial polymerization. Examples of vinyl chloride resins include vinyl chloride polymers (homopolymers); chlorinated vinyl chloride; partially crosslinked vinyl chloride; copolymers containing vinyl chloride, such as vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, vinyl chloride-ethylene copolymer, vinyl chloride-propylene copolymer, vinyl chloride-styrene copolymer, vinyl chloride-isobutylene copolymer, vinyl chloride-vinylidene chloride copolymer, vinyl chloride-butadiene copolymer, vinyl chloride-isoprene copolymer, and vinyl chloride-chlorinated propylene copolymer; mixtures of a homopolymer and one or more copolymers; and mixtures of two or more copolymers. Preferably, a vinyl chloride polymer (homopolymer) is used. These vinyl chloride resins may be used alone or in combination of two or more. The vinyl chloride polymer (homopolymer) can be produced by emulsion polymerization, suspension polymerization, solution polymerization, bulk polymerization, or the like, and it is preferable to use a paste vinyl chloride resin and / or a suspension vinyl chloride resin.

[0020] The vinyl chloride resin paste is a vinyl chloride resin paste obtained by, for example, emulsion polymerization, and its viscosity can be appropriately adjusted by adding a plasticizer. The vinyl chloride resin paste is a fine powder consisting of a large number of fine particle aggregates with a particle diameter of 0.1 μm to 10 μm (preferably 1 μm to 3 μm), and the surface of the fine powder is preferably coated with a surfactant. The vinyl chloride resin paste preferably has an average degree of polymerization of about 1000 to 2000. The suspension vinyl chloride resin is, for example, a vinyl chloride resin obtained by suspension polymerization. The suspension vinyl chloride resin is a fine powder with a particle size of preferably 20 μm or more and 100 μm or less. The average polymerization degree of the suspension vinyl chloride resin is preferably about 700 or more and 1500 or less, more preferably about 700 or more and 1100 or less, and even more preferably about 700 or more and 1000 or less.

[0021] The main resin layer may contain, in addition to the resin material, a plasticizer, a filler, an antistatic agent, and various additives as necessary. When the main resin layer contains a vinyl chloride resin as a main component resin, a plasticizer is usually added, and a filler is preferably added. Examples of the plasticizer include polyester-based plasticizers, glycerin-based plasticizers, phthalate ester-based plasticizers, polycarboxylic acid ester-based plasticizers, and polyalkylene glycol-based plasticizers. Examples of the filler include calcium carbonate, titanium oxide, calcium oxide, barium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, clay, talc, and mica. Examples of the additives that can be used include conventionally known additives, such as colorants, flame retardants, stabilizers, antioxidants, lubricants, antibacterial agents, antifungal agents, and antiviral agents.

[0022] The main resin layer may contain an antistatic agent, or may be substantially free of an antistatic agent. By including an antistatic agent in the main resin layer, the volume resistivity and other properties are further reduced, providing a flooring material with excellent antistatic properties. When an antistatic agent is included in the main resin layer, the amount is 0.01% by weight or more and 5% by weight or less, preferably 0.1% by weight or more and 1.5% by weight or less, and more preferably 0.3% by weight or more and 1.0% by weight or less, based on 100% by weight of the entire main resin layer. Here, in this specification, "substantially free of antistatic agent" means that the layer is completely free of antistatic agent, and also means that a trace amount of antistatic agent that is unavoidably present is permitted, but a significant amount is excluded. The amount of the trace amount of antistatic agent in the sense of being substantially free of antistatic agent is less than 0.01% by weight, where the entire layer is taken as 100% by weight. In this specification, the meaning of "substantially free of antistatic agent" is the same hereinafter.

[0023] Examples of the antistatic agent include a surfactant and an ionic liquid. Examples of the surfactant include anionic, cationic, or amphoteric ionic surfactants, and nonionic surfactants. Examples of anionic surfactants include carboxylic acid surfactants such as ether carboxylates, sulfonic acid surfactants such as alkanesulfonates, sulfate ester surfactants such as alkyl sulfates, and phosphate ester surfactants such as alkyl phosphates. Examples of cationic surfactants include alkylamine salt surfactants such as monoalkylamine salts, and quaternary ammonium salt surfactants such as alkyltrimethylammonium chloride. Examples of amphoteric surfactants include alkyl betaine surfactants such as alkyldimethylaminoacetic acid betaine, and alkylimidazolium betaine surfactants such as 2-alkyl-N-carboxymethyl-N-hydroxyethylimidazolium betaine. Examples of nonionic surfactants include polyethylene glycol surfactants such as higher alcohol ethylene oxide adducts and fatty acid ethylene oxide adducts; polyhydric alcohol surfactants such as fatty acid esters of polyethylene oxide or glycerin, fatty acid esters of sorbit or sorbitan, and fatty amides of alkanolamines; etc. These surfactants may be used alone or in combination of two or more. When a surfactant is added to the main resin layer, it is preferable to use a cationic surfactant, from the viewpoint of preventing bleeding.

[0024] The ionic liquid, also known as a room-temperature molten salt, is a salt (ionic compound) that has antistatic properties (conductivity) and is liquid at room temperature (usually 30°C) or relatively low temperatures (e.g., 150°C or lower), despite being composed of anionic and cationic components like ordinary salts. Preferably, it is a salt that is liquid at room temperature (23°C). Specific examples of ionic liquids include those disclosed in

[0030] to

[0038] of Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent No. 6175686). Due to space limitations, the description of the publication is omitted in this specification, as if it were included herein. However, the description of the publication is incorporated herein as is.

[0025] <Fiber reinforcement layer> Fiber reinforcement layers such as the intermediate fiber reinforcement layer 23 and the rear fiber reinforcement layer 24 are layers that suppress dimensional changes of the flooring material due to shrinkage and expansion over time and increase mechanical strength. Fiber reinforcement layers such as the intermediate fiber reinforcement layer 23 and the rear fiber reinforcement layer 24 are provided as needed. The intermediate fiber reinforcement layer 23 may be a single layer or two or more layers. Nonwoven fabrics or woven fabrics can be used as the intermediate fiber reinforcement layer 23. The fiber materials constituting the nonwoven fabrics and woven fabrics are not particularly limited, and examples include synthetic resin fibers such as polyester and polyolefin; inorganic fibers such as glass and carbon; and natural fibers. Glass fiber nonwoven fabrics or glass fiber woven fabrics are preferred for the intermediate fiber reinforcement layer 23 because they can improve the dimensional stability of the flooring material, exhibit significantly less dimensional fluctuation than organic fibers, and are compatible with vinyl chloride resins. The intermediate fiber reinforcement layer 23 typically does not substantially contain an antistatic agent. The thickness of the intermediate fiber reinforcement layer 23 is not particularly limited, but if it is too small, the dimensional change suppression effect may be insufficient, and if it is too large, the volume resistivity may increase, reducing the antistatic properties of the flooring material. From this perspective, the thickness of the intermediate fiber reinforcement layer 23 is, for example, 0.005 mm to 0.015 mm, preferably 0.007 mm to 0.012 mm. The basis weight of the intermediate fiber reinforcement layer 23 is not particularly limited, but if it is too small, the effect of suppressing dimensional change may not be sufficiently obtained, and if it is too large, the volume resistivity may increase and the antistatic properties of the flooring material may decrease. From this perspective, the basis weight of the intermediate fiber reinforcement layer 23 is, for example, 30 g / m 2 More than 90g / m 2 Preferably, it is 30 g / m or less. 2 More than 50g / m 2 The following is the result.

[0026] The back fiber reinforcement layer 24 is the layer located on the back surface of the flooring body (flooring material), and is a layer for preventing the flooring material from warping. The back fiber reinforcement layer 24 may be a single layer or may consist of two or more layers. The back fiber reinforcement layer 24 can be made of nonwoven fabric, woven fabric, or the like, including felt. When laying the flooring material on a construction surface using adhesives or the like, nonwoven fabric is preferred because it improves adhesion and adhesion between the flooring material and the construction surface. Examples of nonwoven fabrics include spunbonded nonwoven fabrics, thermally bonded nonwoven fabrics, chemically bonded nonwoven fabrics, needle-punched nonwoven fabrics, and spunlace nonwoven fabrics. Of these, spunbonded nonwoven fabrics are preferred. The material of the fibers constituting the nonwoven fabric is not particularly limited, and examples include synthetic resin fibers such as polyesters (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate) and polyolefins (e.g., polypropylene); natural fibers; and the like. The back fiber reinforcement layer 24 typically does not substantially contain an antistatic agent. The thickness of the back fiber reinforcement layer 24 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.001 mm to 1.5 mm, preferably 0.02 mm to 0.06 mm. The basis weight of the back fiber reinforcement layer 24 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 30 g / m 2 More than 90g / m 2 The following is the result.

[0027] (surface) The surface layer 2 has a surface protective layer 4, a resin layer 5 provided on the back surface side of the surface protective layer 4, and a conductive layer 6 containing a conductive material. The conductive layer 6 is provided on at least one of the front and back surfaces of the resin layer 5, and preferably is provided directly on at least one of the front and back surfaces of the resin layer 5. In the layer configuration example shown in Fig. 3, the surface layer 3 has, in order from the surface side, a surface protective layer 4, a conductive layer 6, a resin layer 5, and a decorative layer 7. In the layer configuration example shown in Fig. 4, the surface layer 3 has, in order from the surface side, a surface protective layer 4, a resin layer 5, a conductive layer 6, and a decorative layer 7. In the layer configuration example shown in Fig. 5, the surface layer 3 has, in order from the surface side, a surface protective layer 4, a conductive layer 6, and a resin layer 5. When the surface layer 3 has a decorative layer 7, all layers laminated on the surface side of the decorative layer 7 are colorless and transparent or colored and transparent so that the makeup of the decorative layer 7 can be seen. Also, as shown in Fig. 5, when the surface layer 3 does not have a decorative layer, for example, a colorant may be blended into the resin layer 5 to color the resin layer 5 in a desired color. In addition, the surface layer 3 of the layer structure example shown in Figures 3 and 5 may be combined with the flooring material main body 2 having the layer structure shown in Figure 4, or the surface layer 3 having the layer structure shown in Figure 4 may be combined with the flooring material main body 2 having the layer structure shown in Figure 3.

[0028] <Surface protective layer> The surface protective layer 4 is the layer located on the outermost surface of the flooring material and constitutes the surface of the flooring material itself. The surface protective layer is colorless and transparent or colored and transparent, preferably colorless and transparent, so that the design expressed in the decorative layer 7 can be seen. The surface protective layer 4 is formed from a resin material. The resin material constituting the surface protective layer 4 is preferably an active energy ray-curable resin, as this can make the surface of the flooring material 1 more robust. An active energy ray-curable resin is a resin that has an energy quantum capable of crosslinking and polymerizing monomers in charged particle beams or electromagnetic waves, i.e., a resin that is crosslinked and cured by irradiation with electron beams or ultraviolet rays. Among the active energy ray-curable resins, ultraviolet-curable resins are preferred from the viewpoint of ease of use in flooring materials. The surface protective layer 4 contains an active energy ray-curable resin and may contain various additives as needed, such as a solvent, a leveling agent, fine particles, a filler, a dispersant, a plasticizer, an ultraviolet absorber, an antioxidant, a thixotropic agent, a flame retardant, a stabilizer, an antibacterial agent, an antifungal agent, and an antiviral agent. Specific examples of the active energy ray curable resin include those listed in

[0026] to

[0026] of Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent No. 6175686).

[0029] The disclosure of the publications is omitted in this specification due to space limitations, and the disclosure of the publications is deemed to be included in this specification. However, the disclosure of the publications is incorporated herein as is.

[0029] The surface protective layer 4 may contain an antistatic agent, or may be substantially free of an antistatic agent, but preferably contains an antistatic agent. When the surface protective layer 4 contains an antistatic agent, from the viewpoint of antifouling properties, the content of the antistatic agent in the surface protective layer 4 is, for example, 10 wt % or less, preferably 5 wt % or less, and more preferably 2 wt % or less, where the entire surface protective layer 4 is taken as 100 wt %. The surfactant exhibits antistatic properties by adsorbing moisture in the air on the layer surface, which allows the moisture to escape electrical charges, but if the surface protective layer 4 contains a surfactant, there is a risk that dirt will adhere to the surface of the surface protective layer 4 (the surface of the flooring material 1) along with the moisture. When the surface protective layer 4 contains an antistatic agent, it is preferable to use an ionic liquid as the antistatic agent. The thickness of the surface protective layer 4 is, for example, 1 μm or more and 150 μm or less, preferably 5 μm or more and 70 μm or less, and more preferably 10 μm or more and 50 μm or less.

[0030] <Resin layer> The resin layer 5 prevents scratches on the surface of the flooring material 1 and, if present, protects the design of the decorative layer 7. The resin layer 5 is formed from a conventionally known resin material. The resin material constituting the resin layer 5 is not particularly limited, and examples include vinyl chloride resins; polyolefin resins such as polyethylene and polypropylene; styrene resins such as polystyrene; and ester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate. The resin layer 5 is preferably formed from a resin material containing vinyl chloride resin as the main resin component, due to its excellent durability, processability, and electrical properties. In addition to the resin material, the resin layer 5 may also contain plasticizers, fillers, antistatic agents, and various additives as needed. When the resin layer 5 contains vinyl chloride resin as the main resin component, a plasticizer is typically added, and preferably a filler is added. Examples of vinyl chloride resins, plasticizers, fillers, antistatic agents, and various additives are listed in the section above titled "Main Resin Layer."

[0031] The resin layer 5 may contain an antistatic agent, or may be substantially free of an antistatic agent, but preferably contains an antistatic agent. By including an antistatic agent in the resin layer 5, the conductivity of the resin layer 5 is improved, the volume resistivity is further reduced, and a flooring material with excellent antistatic properties can be provided. When the resin layer 5 contains an antistatic agent, the amount thereof is 0.5% by weight to 5.0% by weight, and preferably 1.0% by weight to 3.0% by weight, based on 100% by weight of the entire resin layer 5. If the content of the antistatic agent is too low, the antistatic effect will not be sufficient, and if the amount is too high, bleeding may occur. The thickness of the resin layer 5 is, for example, 0.05 mm or more and 1.0 mm or less, and preferably 0.1 mm or more and 0.6 mm or less.

[0032] <Cosmetic layer> The decorative layer 7 is a layer that imparts a design to the flooring material 1. A typical example of the decorative layer 7 is a decorative printed film. The decorative printed film can be a resin film on which printing ink has been printed and solidified, or a resin film on which a design foil (transfer foil) from a transfer sheet has been transferred. The resin film can be, for example, a colorless, transparent film made from a general-purpose resin such as polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, or vinyl chloride. It is preferable to use a vinyl chloride resin film because of its excellent durability, processability, and electrical properties. The decorative layer 7 may contain an antistatic agent, or may be substantially free of an antistatic agent. The thickness of the decorative layer 7 is not particularly limited, and is, for example, 20 μm or more and 200 μm or less.

[0033] <Conductive layer> The conductive layer 6 is the underlying layer that prevents the floor covering 1 from building up static electricity. As mentioned above, the flooring material body 2 etc. may contain or may not substantially contain an antistatic agent, but even if the flooring material body 2 etc. does not substantially contain an antistatic agent, the provision of the conductive layer 6 can improve the antistatic properties. The conductive layer 6 is provided on at least one of the front and back surfaces of the resin layer 5, and preferably provided in direct contact with at least one of the front and back surfaces of the resin layer 5. In the layer configuration example shown in FIG. 3, the conductive layer 6 is provided between the surface protective layer 4 and the resin layer 5, and the conductive layer 6 is in direct contact with the back surface of the surface protective layer 4 and also in direct contact with the front surface of the resin layer 5. In the layer configuration example shown in FIG. 4, the conductive layer 6 is provided between the resin layer 5 and the decorative layer 7, and the conductive layer 6 is in direct contact with the back surface of the resin layer 5 and also in direct contact with the front surface of the decorative layer 7. Although not particularly shown, the conductive layer 6 may be provided between the surface protective layer 4 and the resin layer 5 and between the resin layer 5 and the decorative layer 7, respectively.

[0034] The conductive layer 6 includes a conductive material. A conductive material is a material that has the property of conducting electricity (electrical conductivity). Conductive materials differ from surfactants, which become conductive when combined with water, in that they are electrically conductive by themselves. Examples of the conductive material include organic materials having conductivity such as conductive polymers, and inorganic materials having conductivity such as carbon materials. The conductive materials can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0035] Examples of the conductive polymer include conjugated polymers doped with an acceptor and / or a donor. Examples of the acceptor include halogens such as Br2, I2, and ICl3; Lewis acids such as PF5, AsF5, BF3, and SO3; protonic acids such as HCl, H2SO4, and HClO4; transition metal halides such as FeCl3, FeBr3, and SnCl4; organic compounds such as tetracyanoethylene, tetracyanoquinodimethane, 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-p-benzoquinone, and amino acids; and ClO - , BF4 - , PF6 - , AsF6 - Examples of the donor include alkali metals such as Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs; alkaline earth metals such as Be, Mg, and Ca; and Li + , Na + +, K+ +, (CH3)4N + +, (C6H5)4N + +, (CH3)4P + +, (C6H5)4P + Examples of the conjugated polymer include aliphatic conjugated polymers such as polyacetylene; aromatic conjugated polymers such as poly(p-phenylene); mixed conjugated polymers such as poly(p-phenylenevinylene); heterocyclic conjugated polymers such as polythiophene and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene); heteroatom-containing conjugated polymers such as polyaniline; and multi-chain conjugated polymers such as polyacenes. Among these, a preferred conductive polymer is PEDOT / PSS (Poly3,4-EthyleneDiOxyThiophene / Poly4-StyreneSulfonate), in which PEDOT is doped with PSS.

[0036] As the inorganic substance, a carbon material is preferred from the viewpoint that it has high conductivity and chemical stability, is versatile, and is relatively inexpensive. Examples of the carbon material include graphite such as flake graphite, lump graphite, amorphous graphite, exfoliated graphite, spheroidized graphite, expanded graphite, and artificial graphite; graphene; carbon fiber; and carbon nanotubes. These carbon materials may be doped. Among these, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are preferred because they are particularly conductive and have a high aspect ratio, allowing a small amount to produce an electrical effect. The length of the carbon nanotubes is not particularly limited, but is, for example, an average length of 20 μm or more, preferably 60 μm or more. The upper limit of the length of the carbon nanotubes is not particularly limited, but is, for example, an average length of 1000 μm or less. Carbon nanotubes of such lengths have excellent dispersibility and can form a conductive layer 6 with high conductivity.

[0037] In another aspect, the conductive material is 4 S / cm or more 10 7 A material having a conductivity of 10 S / cm or less, preferably 3 S / cm or more 105 It is a material with a conductivity of S / cm or less. The conductivity of the conductive material can be measured by a four-terminal method using a measurement sample under standard conditions (23° C., 1 atmosphere, 50% RH).

[0038] By forming a thin film containing a conductive material on the front and / or back surface of the resin layer 5, the conductive layer 6 can be laminated directly on the front and / or back surface of the resin layer 5. The thickness of the thin conductive layer 6 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.001 μm to 20 μm, and preferably 0.01 μm to 1 μm. If the thickness of the conductive layer 6 is too small, sufficient conductivity may not be obtained, and if it is too large, the conductive layer 6 may reduce the translucency and impair the design of the flooring material. The method for forming the conductive layer 6 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a method of applying a paint containing a conductive material to the front and / or back surface of the resin layer 5; and a method of depositing or sputtering a conductive material onto the front and / or back surface of the resin layer 5. Since this method is easy to form, it is preferable to form the conductive layer 6 by applying a paint containing a conductive material to the front and / or back surface of the resin layer 5. Note that the application includes coating, printing, spraying, and the like.

[0039] The conductive layer 6 formed by the coating method is composed of a coating film. The coating method allows for the formation of a very thin coating film. The conductive layer 6 composed of a coating film contains a conductive material and may contain a binder resin and other additives as necessary. The binder resin may be a conventionally known resin material, such as an acrylic resin or a polyester resin. The surface resistivity of the conductive layer 6 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of imparting sufficient antistatic properties to the flooring material 1, it is preferably 10 1 Ω / sq or more 10 9 Ω / sq or less, preferably 10 3 Ω / sq or more 10 9 It is less than Ω / sq. The surface resistivity of the conductive layer 6 can be measured under standard conditions (23° C., 1 atmosphere, 50% RH) using a commercially available ohmmeter.

[0040] [Flooring manufacturing method] The flooring material of the present invention can be produced by a conventionally known method. For example, the material for forming the main resin layer and the material for forming the fiber reinforcement layer are laminated, and then the material for forming the decorative layer and the material for forming the resin layer with the conductive layer formed thereon are laminated on top of that, and the laminate is heated and pressed at a predetermined temperature. If necessary, the surface may be embossed using an embossing roller or embossing plate during the pressurization. In this way, a flooring intermediate product can be obtained, which includes a flooring main body and a surface layer, excluding the surface protective layer, laminated on the surface of the flooring main body. The flooring of the present invention can be obtained by laminating the material for forming the surface protective layer on the surface of this flooring intermediate product. For details, please refer to the manufacturing method described in the Examples below as an example. [Example]

[0041] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples and comparative examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0042] [Materials used] <Surface protective layer> The surface protection layer was formed using a urethane acrylate ultraviolet curing paint (product name "Olex Series" manufactured by Chugoku Paint Co., Ltd.).

[0043] <Conductive layer> Conductive layer forming material (a) A conductive coating agent (product name "Denatron C-500ST" manufactured by Nagase ChemteX Corporation) was used. This coating agent is a liquid in which single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and resin are dispersed in an aqueous solvent. Conductive layer forming material (b) A conductive coating agent (product name "Denatron F-121CD" manufactured by Nagase ChemteX Corporation) was used. This coating agent is a liquid in which PEDOT / PSS and resin are dispersed in an aqueous solvent.

[0044] <Resin layer> A soft clear film (c) was used as the material for forming the resin layer. This clear film (c) was a vinyl chloride resin film with a thickness of 0.2 mm, consisting of 67% by weight of vinyl chloride resin, 3% by weight of quaternary ammonium salt, and 30% by weight of plasticizer.

[0045] <Cosmetic layer> Materials for forming the decorative layer (d) A printed vinyl chloride resin film (d) was used as the material for forming the decorative layer. This film (d) was a vinyl chloride resin film with a thickness of 0.07 mm, with a solid print made of colored ink on one side. <Cosmetic layer> ·Cosmetic layer forming material (e) An unprinted vinyl chloride resin film (e) was used as the material for forming the decorative layer. This film (e) was a white vinyl chloride resin film with a thickness of 0.07 mm, consisting of 70% by weight of vinyl chloride resin, 20% by weight of titanium oxide particles, and 10% by weight of plasticizer.

[0046] <Flooring material> -Material for forming the main body resin layer The material for forming the main resin layer was a 1.4 mm thick vinyl chloride resin sheet made of 20 wt % vinyl chloride resin, 0.4 wt % quaternary ammonium salt, 10 wt % plasticizer, and 69.6 wt % calcium carbonate (filler). Fiber reinforcement layer forming material A glass mat (product name "FAP-50" manufactured by Olivest Co., Ltd.) having a thickness of 0.2 mm was used as a material for forming the fiber reinforcement layer.

[0047] [Example 1] <Preparation of the flooring body and the surface layer excluding the surface protective layer> The conductive layer forming material (a) was applied to one side of the soft clear film (c) at a rate of 1.2 cc / m using a gravure coater. 2 The conductive layer was formed by coating the solution in a solid form. On the other hand, an ionic liquid (product name "PEL-25" manufactured by Nippon Carlit Co., Ltd.), which is an antistatic agent, was blended into the ultraviolet-curable paint, which is the material for forming the surface protective layer, to prepare an ultraviolet-curable paint containing 4.1 wt% ionic liquid.

[0048] To make the main body of the flooring material, a 1.4mm thick vinyl chloride resin sheet, a 0.2mm thick glass mat, and another 1.4mm thick vinyl chloride resin sheet were layered from the back side to form the main body resin layer. This laminate ultimately became the main body of the flooring material, consisting of a 1.4mm first main body resin layer, a 0.2mm middle fiber reinforcement layer, and a 1.4mm second main body resin layer.

[0049] A printed vinyl chloride resin film (d) and a flexible clear film (c) with a conductive layer formed thereon were laminated on the surface of the laminate, in that order. However, the flexible clear film (c) was placed with the side without the conductive layer on the printed vinyl chloride resin film (d). This laminate was heated and pressed in a hot press at a pressure of 0.73 MPa and 150°C for 30 minutes to integrate the layers. Then, the UV-curable coating material containing the ionic liquid prepared above was applied to the surface using a natural roll coater and cured by UV irradiation, thus producing a flooring material of Example 1 with a thickness of approximately 3.3 mm. The obtained flooring material of Example 1 was, in order from the surface side, - 0.032mm thick surface protection layer (contains antistatic agent) Conductive layer 0.2mm thick resin layer (including antistatic agent), 0.07mm thick decorative layer (does not contain antistatic agents), -Consists of a flooring body approximately 3mm thick (including antistatic agent).

[0050] The surface resistance, volume resistance, resistance to soiling by earth and sand, and resistance to heel marks of the flooring material of Example 1 were measured. The results are shown in Table 1. In the layer configuration column of Table 1, "(number mm)" indicates the thickness of the layer, "[number wt%]" indicates the content of the antistatic agent when the entire layer is taken as 100% by weight (however, "[0 wt%]" means that no antistatic agent is contained), and "<(a or b) number cc / m 2 ">" indicates the type of material forming the conductive layer and its coating amount, and "-" indicates that the layer does not exist. The same applies to the layer configurations in the other tables.

[0051] [Example 2] The flooring material of Example 2 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the side of the soft clear film (c) on which the conductive layer was formed was placed on the printed vinyl chloride resin film (d). The surface resistance and volume resistance of the flooring material of Example 2 were also measured in the same manner, and the results are shown in Table 1.

[0052] [Example 3] The flooring material of Example 3 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the surface of the flexible clear film (c) on which the conductive layer was formed was placed on the printed vinyl chloride resin film (d) and another flexible clear film (c) was further placed on the surface of the flexible clear film (c). However, the other flexible clear film (c) did not have a conductive layer formed on it. The surface resistance and volume resistance of the flooring material of Example 3 were also measured in the same manner, and the results are shown in Table 1.

[0053] [Comparative Example 1] The flooring material of Comparative Example 1 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the material for forming the conductive layer was not applied to the soft clear film (c) and the conductive layer was not formed on the resin layer. The surface resistance, volume resistance, resistance to soiling by earth and sand, and resistance to heel marks of the flooring material of Comparative Example 1 were also measured in the same manner, and the results are shown in Table 1.

[0054] Comparative Example 2 The conductive layer forming material (a) was applied to the backside of the printed vinyl chloride resin film (d) using a gravure coater without applying the conductive layer forming material (c). 2 A flooring material of Comparative Example 2 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the conductive layer was formed by solidly applying the same. The surface resistance and volume resistance of the flooring material of Comparative Example 2 were also measured in the same manner, and the results are shown in Table 1.

[0055] Comparative Example 3 The flooring material of Comparative Example 3 was prepared in the same manner as Comparative Example 2, except that an unprinted vinyl chloride resin film (e) was used instead of the printed vinyl chloride resin film (d) as the material for forming the decorative layer. The volume resistivity and resistivity of the flooring material of Comparative Example 3 were also measured in the same manner, and the results are shown in Table 1.

[0056] [Table 1]

[0057] [Measurement of surface resistance and volume resistance] The surface resistance and volume resistance of the flooring material were measured in accordance with the surface resistance test and volume resistance test of JIS A 1454: 2016. Measurements were performed at 23°C and 25% RH using an ohmmeter (product name "Super Insulation Meter SM7110 SUPER M" manufactured by Hioki E.E. Corporation).

[0058] [Soil and sand stain resistance test] The flooring materials were stained on their surfaces in accordance with the Tokyo Institute of Technology stain test method, and the stains were then wiped off with a cloth, after which the degree of staining on the flooring surface was evaluated. The specific test method was as follows. Each flooring material was cut into a rectangular shape measuring 15 cm long x 15 cm wide to prepare a sample. A portion of the surface of the surface protective layer of this sample was exposed, and another portion was covered with a masking film (i.e., a blank was formed on the surface of the surface protective layer where dirt would not adhere). The surface of the sample opposite the surface protective layer was attached using double-sided tape to the inner wall of a regular hexagonal prism-shaped hollow container (each of the six sides of the hexagonal prism measuring 16.0 cm (axial) × 16.3 cm (circumferential)) of a rotary tester (manufactured by Yasuda Seiki Co., Ltd. under the product name "Tokyo Institute of Technology Soil Tester"). 150 g of silicon carbide (No. 80), 2 g of powdered pastel, and ten 110 g iron balls (3 cm diameter) were placed in the hollow container, and the container was rotated clockwise and counterclockwise for a total of 3 minutes (rotation speed: 20 rpm). After the rotation stopped, the sample was removed from the container, and the color difference between the surface of the surface protection layer that was not covered with the concealing film and had dirt attached and the blank surface was measured using a color difference meter (product name "CR-10 Plus" manufactured by Konica Minolta, Inc.) The color difference at the initial attachment is shown in each table. Next, the surface of the surface protection layer that was not covered with the concealing film was wiped with a dry cloth, and the color difference between the surface of the surface protection layer after removing the dirt and the blank surface was measured with a color difference meter. The color difference after dry wiping is shown in each table. Similarly, the surface of the surface protective layer that was not covered with the concealing film was wiped with a cloth dampened with water, and the color difference between the surface of the surface protective layer after removing the dirt and the blank surface was measured with a color difference meter. The color difference after wiping with water is shown in each table.

[0059] [Heel mark resistance test] The heel mark resistance of the flooring materials of each Example and Comparative Example was evaluated visually in accordance with JIS K 3920:2009 (floor polish test method). In the column for initial adhesion amount in the heel mark resistance test in each table, "A" indicates that there was a very small amount of adhesion, "B" indicates that there was a small amount of adhesion, and "C" indicates that there was a large amount of adhesion. In the column for removability in the heel mark resistance test in each table, "A" indicates that the heel mark stain could be completely wiped off with a dry wipe, "B" indicates that the heel mark stain could be completely wiped off with a wet wipe, and "C" indicates that the heel mark stain could not be completely wiped off with a wet wipe.

[0060] It is clear that the flooring material of Example 1 is resistant to staining and can be easily removed even if stains do adhere to it, and has excellent stain-resistant properties. In addition, since the surface protective layer, etc. of Examples 2 and 3 and Comparative Examples 2 and 3 are the same as that of Example 1, it is assumed that the same results will be obtained in terms of stain resistance, and therefore, soil and sand stain resistance tests and heel mark resistance tests were not conducted.

[0061] Comparing Examples 1 and 2 with Comparative Example 1, it can be seen that the flooring materials of Examples 1 and 2, which are provided with a conductive layer, have low resistance values ​​and excellent antistatic properties. Furthermore, the flooring materials of Comparative Examples 2 and 3, in which the conductive layer is provided on the back side of the decorative layer, have significantly higher resistance values ​​than the flooring materials of Examples 1 and 2, in which the conductive layer is provided on the front and back sides of the resin layer. Since the resistance values ​​of the flooring materials of Comparative Examples 2 and 3 are roughly the same, it is believed that the presence or absence of printing ink does not affect the resistance value. Since the decorative layer does not contain an antistatic agent, it is presumed that in order to reduce the resistance value, it is desirable to place the conductive layer on the front side of the decorative layer (a layer mainly composed of resin) that does not substantially contain an antistatic agent.

[0062] [Example 4] The flooring material of Example 4 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the content of the ionic liquid blended in the ultraviolet-curable paint, which is the material for forming the surface protective layer, was changed to 8.2% by weight. The surface resistance, volume resistance, resistance to soiling by earth and sand, and resistance to heel marks of the flooring material of Example 4 were also measured in the same manner, and the results are shown in Table 2.

[0063] [Example 5] The flooring material of Example 5 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the content of the ionic liquid blended in the ultraviolet-curable paint, which is the material for forming the surface protective layer, was changed to 1.6% by weight. The surface resistance, volume resistance, resistance to soiling by earth and sand, and resistance to heel marks of the flooring material of Example 5 were also measured in the same manner, and the results are shown in Table 2.

[0064] [Example 6] The flooring material of Example 6 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the ionic liquid was not added to the ultraviolet-curable paint that was the material for forming the surface protective layer. The surface resistance, volume resistance, resistance to soiling by earth and sand, and resistance to heel marks of the flooring material of Example 6 were also measured in the same manner, and the results are shown in Table 2.

[0065] [Table 2]

[0066] [Example 7] The amount of conductive layer forming material (a) applied was 0.8 cc / m 2 A flooring material of Example 7 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the above-mentioned conditions were changed. The surface resistance and volume resistance of the flooring material of Example 7 were also measured in the same manner, and the results are shown in Table 3.

[0067] [Example 8] The coating amount of the conductive layer forming material (a) is 0.4 cc / m 2 A flooring material of Example 8 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the above-mentioned conditions were changed. The surface resistance and volume resistance of the flooring material of Example 8 were also measured in the same manner, and the results are shown in Table 3.

[0068] [Example 9] The conductive layer forming material (b) was used at 1.2 cc / m instead of the conductive layer forming material (a). 2 A flooring material of Example 9 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the coating was performed using the above formula. The surface resistance and volume resistance of the flooring material of Example 9 were also measured in the same manner, and the results are shown in Table 3.

[0069] [Example 10] The conductive layer forming material (b) was used instead of the conductive layer forming material (a), and the coating amount of the conductive layer forming material (b) was 0.8 cc / m 2 A flooring material of Example 10 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that: The surface resistance and volume resistance of the flooring material of Example 10 were also measured in the same manner, and the results are shown in Table 3.

[0070] [Example 11] The conductive layer forming material (b) was used instead of the conductive layer forming material (a), and the coating amount of the conductive layer forming material (b) was 0.4 cc / m 2 A flooring material of Example 11 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that: The surface resistance and volume resistance of the flooring material of Example 11 were also measured in the same manner, and the results are shown in Table 3.

[0071] [Table 3]

[0072] In Examples 7 and 8, which used a conductive layer forming material (a) containing carbon nanotubes, and Examples 9 to 11, which used a conductive layer forming material (b) containing PEDOT / PSS, the resistance values ​​decreased as the amount of conductive material in the conductive layer increased. This suggests that using conductive materials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and PEDOT / PSS for the conductive layer is effective. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 1. Flooring 2 Flooring material 3 Surface layer 4 Surface protective layer 5 Resin layer 6 Conductive layer 7. Cosmetic layer

Claims

1. A flooring material body and a surface layer provided on the surface side of the flooring material body, A flooring material in which the surface layer has a surface protective layer that forms the surface of the flooring material, a resin layer provided on the back side of the surface protective layer, and a conductive layer containing a conductive material provided on at least one of the front and back sides of the resin layer.

2. the surface layer has the surface protection layer, the resin layer, a decorative layer provided on a back surface side of the resin layer and having a design, and the conductive layer, 2. The flooring material according to claim 1, wherein the conductive layer is interposed between the surface protective layer and the resin layer and / or between the resin layer and the decorative layer.

3. 3. The flooring material according to claim 1, wherein the conductive material comprises at least one of a conductive polymer and a carbon material.

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