Multi-purpose Floor Finish Composition with Acrylic Polymer and Plasticizers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional floor coatings fail to combine the properties of both a floor finish and a floor sealer in a single product, resulting in the need for separate applications, which increases labor and time, and often lack flexibility and scratch resistance.

Innovation Solution

A multi-purpose floor finish composition comprising an acrylic polymer emulsion, benzoate ester plasticizers, and hydrophobic glycol solvents, which provides a balance of tensile strength and flexibility, allowing for a single application that functions as both a floor finish and sealer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a floor finish is designed to yield high gloss and exceptional scratch resistance, then scratch and scuff resistance is improved, but the formulation becomes brittle and lacks flexibility

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescratch and scuff resistanceVSAvoidbrittleness and lack of flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters by using acrylic polymer emulsion with specific particle size (less than 150 nanometers) and solids content (11-16%), combined with benzoate ester plasticizers in optimized amounts, to achieve both high scratch resistance and flexibility simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite formulation combining acrylic polymer emulsion, benzoate ester plasticizers, and hydrophobic glycol solvents to integrate the properties of both floor finish (scratch resistance) and floor sealer (flexibility) into a single product

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If separate floor finish and floor sealer products are used to achieve both high gloss and flexibility, then scratch resistance and flexibility are improved, but the number of applications and labor time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility and scratch resistanceVSAvoidlabor and time for separate applications
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the functions of floor finish and floor sealer into a single multi-purpose composition that can be applied once to achieve both high gloss appearance and flexibility, eliminating the need for separate applications

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal floor coating composition that performs multiple functions: providing high gloss finish, delivering scratch and scuff resistance, and maintaining flexibility, replacing the need for multiple specialized products

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Strength

If the degree of crosslinking is increased to improve tensile strength, then tensile strength is improved, but the floor finish becomes more brittle

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetensile strengthVSAvoidbrittleness
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the plasticizer concentration and polymer composition parameters to achieve high tensile strength (≥1000 psi) while maintaining flexibility (≥100% elongation), avoiding the brittleness associated with high crosslinking

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3423533B1Multi-purpose floor finish composition
Publication Date: 2024.01.17 SC JOHNSON & SON INC
  • EP3423533B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

A composition for a multi-purpose floor finish is disclosed that includes at least one polymer, at least one plasticizer, and at least one hydrophobic glycol solvent. Further, the composition for a multi-purpose floor finish comprises a percent elongation of at least 100% and a tensile strength of at least 1000 psi.