Polymer Coated Insulating Panel Backing Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multilayer insulating panels with metal backing layers are costly to manufacture, require complex lamination processes, and can suffer from delamination issues due to adhesive layers, which affect gas-barrier performance and dimensional stability.
Innovation Solution
A backing layer comprising a fibrous reinforcement layer with a mineral coating and a gas-impermeable water-dispersed polymer coating, applied in a way that provides flexibility, mechanical resistance, and dimensional stability, eliminating the need for metal or plastic films and preventing gas phase spreading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metal coating layers are used to ensure gas-impermeability, then gas-barrier performance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive metal coating layers with a cheaper organic polymer coating that provides sufficient gas-barrier performance. The polymer coating is applied directly to the foam surface and cured to form a gas-impermeable layer, eliminating the need for costly metal laminations while maintaining the required oxygen transmission rate below 4.5 ml/m2/day.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to organic polymer for the gas-barrier layer. By selecting specific polymer compounds and adjusting coating thickness and composition, the system achieves the required gas-impermeability without relying on metal, thereby reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining reliability.
2Reliability
If multilayer backings with metal or plastic films are used, then gas-impermeability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complex multilayer structure (metal films, plastic films, adhesive layers) and replaces it with a single-layer polymer coating applied directly to the foam. This simplifies the overall device structure from multiple laminated layers to a single coating system, reducing both device complexity and manufacturing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the gas-barrier function with the surface coating function into a single integrated polymer coating layer. This eliminates the need for separate metal or plastic barrier layers and adhesive layers, combining multiple functions into one layer that provides both gas-impermeability and surface protection.
3Strength
If adhesive layers are used to laminate multiple layers, then layer bonding is improved, but delamination and bubble formation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the adhesive layer entirely from the system. Instead of bonding multiple layers together with adhesives that can delaminate, the polymer coating is applied directly to the foam surface and cured to form an integral, delamination-resistant gas-barrier layer. This eliminates the source of delamination problems while maintaining layer bonding through direct adhesion to the foam.
4Adaptability or versatility
If metal layers are coated with polymer or lacquering, then compatibility with polyurethane foam is improved, but additional manufacturing steps and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the metal layer and its associated coating requirements, replacing it with a polymer coating that is inherently compatible with polyurethane foam. This eliminates the need for metal surface preparation, metal polymer coating, lacquering, or painting steps, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining compatibility through the use of foam-compatible polymer chemistry.
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 solution ensures consistent gas-impermeability, prevents delamination, and reduces manufacturing complexity, while maintaining thermal insulation properties and mechanical stability, comparable to metal-based solutions, at a lower cost.
Implementation Method 1
a second coating layer (3) of the reinforcement layer having gas-impermeability (gas-tight) properties, in particular obtained from a water dispersion of a polymer resin
Implementation Method 2
the reduced thermal conductivity of the expanded polyurethane and of the similar expanded synthetic products (polystyrene, styrene) is due to the cellular structure thereof: it is foam in which about 3 to 5% by weight consists of the polymer and the remaining 97% to 95% of a gas phase of expanding agents incorporated in closed cells
Implementation Method 3
having a average thermal conductivity coefficient λ [W m -1 K -1 ] of less than 0.025 W m -1 K -1
Implementation Method 4
a second coating layer (3) of the reinforcement layer having gas-impermeability (gas-tight) properties, in particular obtained from a water dispersion of a polymer resin
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
The invention relates to a backing layer (10; 10'; 10") for an insulating construction panel (100) which comprises: - a main thermally insulating layer (50) having a first surface (51) and an opposite second surface (52); - at least one backing layer connected to the main layer along at least one of such surfaces. The backing layer comprises: - a reinforcement layer (1) made of fibrous material, - a first coating layer (2) of the mineral type, - a second coating layer (3) having gas-impermeability properties to avoid the gas phase of the main layer from spreading outside the panel. The backing layer is characterized in that the second gas-impermeable coating layer is made by applying at least one polymer to the reinforcement layer or to the first mineral coating layer, and subsequent drying, in particular at a high temperature.