Surface coverings including carbon sequestering materials and methods of making
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional carpet tiles have a significant carbon footprint due to the use of fossil fuel-based materials and high greenhouse gas emissions throughout their production process, necessitating a reduction in fossil fuel usage and an increase in bio-based or recycled materials for environmental sustainability.
Innovation Solution
The development of surface coverings, including carpet tiles, that incorporate a backing composite with high purity biochar as a filler, along with optimized yarn and precoat formulations, to achieve a reduced or negative carbon footprint through the use of bio-based and recycled materials, and precision manufacturing to minimize material usage without compromising performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If fossil fuel-based materials and conventional manufacturing processes are used, then production efficiency and material availability are maintained, but carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition parameters by incorporating bio-based materials (biochar, bio-resin, bio-oil) and recycled materials into the backing compound formulation, replacing conventional fossil fuel-based materials. This substitution directly reduces the carbon footprint while maintaining the manufacturing process framework
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite backing compound material system that integrates multiple components: biochar (carbon-sequestering material), bio-resin, bio-oil, recycled materials, and conventional additives. This composite approach achieves carbon reduction goals while preserving the functional properties and ease of manufacture through synergistic material combinations
2Object-affected harmful factors
If high purity biochar is incorporated as a filler in backing composite, then carbon sequestration and negative carbon footprint are achieved, but material purity requirements and manufacturing precision increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies precise compositional parameters for the backing compound, including the amount of biochar (sufficient to achieve negative carbon footprint), bio-resin, bio-oil, and other components. These controlled parameter ranges ensure consistent carbon sequestration performance while maintaining manufacturability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent formulates a multi-component composite backing compound that distributes the functional requirements across different materials: biochar for carbon sequestration, bio-resin for binding, bio-oil for flexibility, and conventional additives for processing. This composite strategy reduces the precision burden on any single material while achieving overall performance goals
3Object-affected harmful factors
If bio-based and recycled materials are used to reduce carbon footprint, then environmental sustainability is improved, but material consistency and performance reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite backing compound that combines bio-based materials (biochar, bio-resin, bio-oil) with conventional materials and recycled content. This composite approach leverages the environmental benefits of bio-based materials while using conventional components to ensure consistent performance and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the formulation parameters of the backing compound, specifying ranges for bio-based content, recycled material content, and additive quantities. This parameter control ensures that environmental sustainability goals are met while maintaining product performance within acceptable ranges for commercial use
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 proposed solution results in carpet tiles with a reduced carbon footprint, achieving negative carbon emissions when assessed by Life Cycle Assessment, while maintaining performance standards for durability and wear resistance, and aligning with environmental sustainability goals.
Implementation Method 1
the backing compound includes a carbon-sequestering material and/or a bio-based material... at least one of the layers in the product has been engineered to be carbon negative as measured by a Life Cycle Assessment
Data Source
AI summary
Floor coverings, such as modular panels or tiles, for installation on interior surfaces include an upper wear layer and a backing layer, where the backing layer includes a filler that includes concentrated carbon. The floor coverings can sequester carbon such that the resulting product has a negative carbon footprint when subjected to a Life Cycle Assessment.