Coated Particles for Turf Infill Drainage and Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current artificial turf systems face issues with inefficient water drainage, leading to microbial growth and poor rotational resistance, which affects performance and safety, and lack adequate energy dissipation to reduce impact forces and prevent injuries.
Innovation Solution
Coated particulates for turf infill are developed, featuring a core covered with polymeric coatings such as polyurethane, epoxy, or phenolic coatings, incorporating additives like UV stabilizers, antimicrobial agents, and surface modifiers to enhance drainage, microbial resistance, and rotational resistance, while also modifying the surface chemistry to reduce friction and impact forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional turf infill is used, then the structure is simple and cost-effective, but water drainage is inefficient leading to microbial growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by coating sand particles with polymeric materials (such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyester) to create a composite infill system. This composite structure combines the drainage capabilities of sand with the water-repellent properties of polymers, enabling efficient water drainage while maintaining structural integrity and preventing microbial growth.
Solution Approach 2:
The coated particulates are designed with porous structures that allow water to pass through while maintaining particle integrity. The porous nature of the coating material creates capillary channels that facilitate water drainage, solving the drainage efficiency problem without requiring complex infill structures.
2Reliability
If turf infill with high rotational resistance is used, then athlete safety improves, but performance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies physical parameters of the infill particles, including size distribution (0.5mm to 5mm), shape (spherical, angular, or irregular), and surface properties through coating. These parameter changes allow tuning of rotational resistance to achieve optimal balance between safety and performance, with different particle configurations providing different levels of cleat penetration resistance.
3Strength
If hard artificial turf system is used, then structural strength is maintained, but impact force absorption is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates energy-dissipating coated particulates that act as preliminary cushioning elements between the athlete and the hard turf structure. The coating materials and particle configurations are designed to deform under impact, absorbing kinetic energy before it reaches the athlete's body, thereby reducing impact forces while maintaining overall structural strength.
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 coated particulates improve water drainage, reduce microbial growth, enhance rotational resistance, and dissipate impact forces effectively, creating a safer and more performant artificial turf surface.
Implementation Method 1
an omniphobic surface, a very low surface energy coating which exhibits both oleophobic (oil repellent) and hydrophobic behavior (water repellent), provides anti-fouling properties
Implementation Method 2
an omniphobic surface, a very low surface energy coating which exhibits both oleophobic (oil repellent) and hydrophobic behavior (water repellent)
Implementation Method 3
the polymeric coating is selected from a polyurethane coating, an epoxy coating, a phenolic coating, a polyurethane-phenol coating
Data Source
AI summary
The present embodiments are directed, in part, to coated particulates, methods of preparing thereof, and methods of using the same, for example, as turf infill.