Cellular PVC Sheet for Sound Attenuation and Flexibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet materials with sound dampening properties, such as loaded vinyl, are not suitable for applications like flooring assemblies or pipe lagging due to physical constraints, necessitating a composition and process for producing a sheet material with improved sound attenuation and flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A composition comprising 5-25% PVC, 50-75% filler material, 10-40% plasticizer, and 0.05-2.0% cellular structure promoting agent, including surfactants like alkylbenzenesulfonate or amine oxide, is used to create a closed cellular structure sheet material, which is then formed and heated to promote cellular structure and curing, resulting in a material with enhanced resilience and sound dampening properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If loaded vinyl is used for sound dampening in wall assemblies, then sound dampening properties are improved, but suitability for flooring assemblies and pipe lagging deteriorates due to physical constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental structural parameter of the sheet material from a dense structure (loaded vinyl) to a cellular structure. This structural parameter change enables the material to achieve both sound dampening properties and improved flexibility, allowing it to be adapted for various building applications including flooring assemblies and pipe lagging where loaded vinyl was previously unsuitable.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a cellular structure is introduced to improve flexibility and sound attenuation, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to the need for cellular structure promoting agents and controlled heating processes
Solution Approach 1:
The cellular structure promoting agent is incorporated into the composition during the mixing stage, before forming and heating. This preliminary incorporation ensures that the cellular structure develops uniformly during the subsequent heating process, simplifying manufacturing control compared to introducing the agent later in the process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent specifies particular ranges for composition parameters (PVC content, filler material content, plasticizer content, and cellular structure promoting agent content) to optimize cellular structure formation. By controlling these compositional parameters within defined ranges, the manufacturing process achieves consistent cellular structure development without requiring overly complex process control.
3Ease of operation
If PVC content is reduced to improve flexibility, then ease of operation is improved, but sound transmission loss deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite material system where PVC is combined with filler material, plasticizer, and cellular structure promoting agent. The cellular structure that develops in this composite system provides sound attenuation properties, compensating for the reduced PVC content. This allows the formulation to achieve both improved flexibility and maintained sound transmission loss through the synergistic interaction of composite components.
Solution Approach 2:
The introduction of a cellular (porous) structure into the sheet material provides sound attenuation through the tortuous path that sound waves must travel through the cell structures. This porous structure compensates for the reduced PVC content, maintaining sound transmission loss while allowing higher flexibility through the cellular architecture.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The resulting sheet material exhibits increased resilience, flexibility, and sound attenuation characteristics, providing improved sound transmission loss and thermal insulation, making it suitable for various building applications, including pipe lagging and flooring, with a density of 0.8-2.0 g/cm³ and a thickness of 1-50 mm.
Implementation Method 1
the cellular structure promoting agent includes one or more surfactants selected from an alkylbenzenesulfonate, an aliphatic amine oxide or an amine oxide
Implementation Method 2
heating the sheet formed from the composition in step b. to promote the cellular structure within the composition and to cure the composition
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet material with a cellular structure wherein the sheet material is produced by preparing a composition including PVC, a filler material and a plasticiser and providing a cellular structure within the composition prior to curing to form the sheet material. The composition may further include a cellular structure promoting agent. The sheet material with a cellular structure may be used in building applications and has advantageous sound attenuation, thermal conductivity, resilience and impact resistance properties.