Coated insulation material substrate

1 . A coated insulation material comprising an insulation material substrate and a coating on at least part of a surface of the insulation material substrate, wherein the coating is formed by curing an aqueous coating composition comprising alkali silicate and a curing agent, wherein the aqueous coating composition comprises:

(a) 10 to 50 wt. % of the alkali silicate, the alkali silicate comprising potassium silicate;

(b) 15 to 60 wt. % of the curing agent;

(c) at least 15 wt. % of water; and

(d) 0.1 to 15% wt. % of one or more compounds of Formula 1

wherein R denotes an optionally substituted C 2-6 hydrocarbyl or C 2-6 carbohydrate moiety and n is an integer from 1 to 6;

wherein the wt. % amounts are based on the total weight of the aqueous coating composition.

2 . The coated insulation material according to claim 1 wherein the aqueous coating composition comprises:

(a) 10 to 40 wt. % of the alkali silicate, the alkali silicate comprising potassium silicate and lithium silicate in amounts of

5 to 15 wt. % of K 2 O;

0.01 to 1 wt. % of Li 2 O; and

5 to 25 wt. % of SiO 2 ;

wherein the weight ratio SiO 2 to K 2 O is in a range of 1 to 1.5;

(b) 15 to 60 wt. % of the curing agent; and

(c) 0.02 to 0.8 wt. % of a surfactant; and

(d) 15 wt. % to 60 wt. % of water;

wherein the wt. % amounts are based on the total weight of the aqueous coating composition.

3 . The coated insulation material according to claim 1 wherein the curing agent comprises aluminum phosphate.

4 . The coated insulation material according to claim 1 wherein the aqueous coating composition further comprises a particulate filler material, and the particulate filler material is present in an amount of from 20 to 30 wt. % based on the total weight of the aqueous coating composition.

5 . The coated insulation material according to claim 4 wherein the particulate filler material is cellular glass.

6 . The coated insulation material according to claim 1 , wherein the insulation material is selected from: expanded polystyrene (EPS), extruded polystyrene (XPS), foamed polyurethane (PU), expanded polyisocyanurate (PIR), urea formaldehyde foam insulation, spray foam insulation, expanded perlite foam, cellular concrete, also known as aerated concrete, lightweight aerated concrete, variable density concrete, foam concrete, and aerated autoclave concrete.

7 . The coated insulation material according to claim 1 , wherein the coating is cured on the insulation material substrate at a thickness of from 1 mm to 3 mm.

8 . A coated insulation material comprising an insulation material substrate and a cured coating in a thickness of from 1 mm to 3 mm on at least part of a surface of the insulation material substrate and wherein the cured coating comprises 20 to 65 wt. % alkali silicate and one or more compounds of Formula 1

wherein R denotes an optionally substituted C 2-6 hydrocarbyl or C 2-6 carbohydrate moiety and n is an integer from 1 to 6; wherein the wt. % amounts are based on the total weight of the aqueous coating composition based on the total weight of the cured coating and the alkali silicate comprises potassium silicate.

9 . The coated insulation material according to claim 8 wherein the cured coating further comprises lithium silicate.

10 . The coated insulation material according to claim 8 wherein the cured coating further comprises a cured curing agent.

11 . The coated insulation material according to claim 10 wherein the cured curing agent comprises aluminum phosphate.

12 . The coated insulation material according to claim 11 wherein the cured coating further comprises a particulate filler material in an amount of from 20 to 40 wt. % based on to the total weight of the cured coating.

13 . The coated insulation material according to claim 12 wherein the particulate filler material has a bulk density of at least 0.38 kg/dm 3 .

14 . The coated insulation material according to claim 13 wherein the thermal expansion coefficient of the particulate filler is within the range of 50 to 150% of the insulation material substrate.

15 . The coated insulation material according to claim 14 wherein the particulate filler material has the same thermal expansion coefficient as the insulation material substrate.

16 . The coated insulation material according to claim 8 wherein the cured coating comprises:

(a) 20 to 65 wt. % of an alkali silicate comprising potassium silicate and lithium silicate in amounts of

10 to 32 wt. % of K 2 O;

0.05 to 1 wt. % of Li 2 O;

and 10 to 32 wt. % of

SiO 2 ;

wherein the weight ratio of SiO 2 to K 2 O is from 1 to 1.5; and

(b) optionally 20 to 40 wt. % of a particulate filler material;

where the wt. % amounts are based on the total weight of the cured coating.

17 . An aqueous coating composition for coating an insulation material substrate comprising:

(a) 10 to 40 wt. % of an alkali silicate comprising potassium silicate and lithium silicate in amounts of

5 to 15 wt. % of K 2 O;

0.01 to 1 wt. % of Li 2 O;

and 5 to 25 wt. % of

SiO 2 ;

wherein the weight ratio of SiO 2 to K 2 O from 1 to 1.5; and

(b) 15 to 60 wt. % of a curing agent; and

(c) 0.1 to 15 wt. % of one or more compounds of Formula 1

wherein R denotes an optionally substituted C 2-6 hydrocarbyl or C 2-6 carbohydrate moiety and n is an integer from 1 to 6; and

(d) 0.02 to 0.8 wt. % of a surfactant relative to the total weight of the composition; and

(e) 15 wt. % to 60 wt. % of water;

(f) a particulate filler material in an amount of from 20 to 30 wt. %;

wherein the wt. % amounts are based on the total weight of the aqueous coating composition.

18 . The aqueous coating composition according to claim 17 , wherein the particulate filler material is cellular glass.

19 . The aqueous coating composition according to claim 17 , wherein the particulate filler material has a thickness of about 10 microns.

20 . The aqueous coating composition according to claim 17 , the composition comprising:

(a) 10 to 25 wt. % of a silicate component comprising potassium silicate and lithium silicate in amounts of:

5 to 10 wt. % of K 2 O;

0.01 to 0.5 wt. % of Li 2 O;

and 5 to 15 wt. % of SiO 2 ;

(b) 20 to 50 wt. % of a curing agent,

(c) 0.1 to 10 wt. % of one or more compounds of Formula 1

wherein R denotes an optionally substituted C 2-6 hydrocarbyl or C 2-6 carbohydrate moiety and n is an integer from 1 to 6;

(d) 0.01 to 0.5 wt. % of a surfactant relative to the total weight of the composition;

(e) 20 to 30 wt. % of a particulate filler material,

wherein the wt. % amounts are based on the total weight of the composition.