SUSTAINABLE RESIDENTIAL SHEET
Described herein are surface coverings comprising a support layer; and a vinyl base layer formed from a fluid matrix comprising a virgin vinyl chloride resin, a recycled vinyl chloride resin, a plasticizer, and a blowing agent. Also described are methods of making and using same.
1 . A surface covering comprising:
a support layer; and
a vinyl base layer formed from a fluid matrix comprising:
a vinyl chloride resin comprising a virgin vinyl chloride resin and a recycled vinyl chloride resin;
a plasticizer; and
a blowing agent.
2 . The surface covering of claim 1 , wherein the virgin vinyl chloride resin or the recycled vinyl chloride resin comprises a vinyl chloride homopolymer.
3 . The surface covering of claim 1 , wherein the virgin vinyl chloride resin or the recycled vinyl chloride resin comprises a vinyl chloride copolymer.
4 . The surface covering of claim 3 , wherein the vinyl chloride copolymer comprises a vinyl chloride monomer and a second monomer selected from: vinyl acetate, a methacrylate-based monomer; and a combination thereof.
5 . The surface covering of claim 1 , wherein the vinyl base layer formed from a fluid matrix comprises from about 5 wt. % to about 25 wt. % of a recycled vinyl chloride resin.
6 . The surface covering of claim 1 , wherein the vinyl base layer formed from a fluid matrix comprises about 9.5 wt. % of a recycled vinyl chloride resin.
7 . The surface covering of claim 1 , wherein the vinyl base layer formed from a fluid matrix further comprises a heat stabilizer selected from a mixed metal stabilizer; an epoxy compound and a combination thereof.
8 . The surface covering of claim 1 , wherein the vinyl chloride resins are suspended within the plasticizer.
9 . The surface covering of claim 1 , wherein the virgin vinyl chloride resin and the recycled vinyl chloride resin have an average particle size of from about 1 to about 150 microns.
10 . The surface covering of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of vinyl chloride resin to plasticizer is from about 3:1 to about 1:1.
11 . The surface covering of claim 1 , wherein the recycled vinyl chloride resin is a cryogenically frozen vinyl chloride resin.
12 . The surface covering of claim 1 , wherein the blowing agent is selected from: Azodicarbonamide (ADC); 4,4-Oxybis(benzenesulfonylhydrazide) (OBSH); P-toluenesulfonylhydrazide (TSH); P-tolyenesulfonylsemicarbazide (PTSS); Dinitrosopentamethylenetetramine (DNPT); sodium bicarbonate; 5-phenyltetrazole (PT); and a combination of two or more thereof.
13 . The surface covering of claim 1 , wherein the plasticizer is a liquid plasticizer.
14 . The surface of claim 1 , wherein the blowing agent is present in an amount of from about 0.05 wt. % to about 5 wt. %.
15 . The surface covering of claim 1 , further comprising a filler selected from: pecan shells; wood flour; saw dust; walnut shells; rice hulls; corn cob grit; ground shells from clams or coral; limestone; quartz; ceramic powder; glass; fly ash; concrete powder; and a combination of two or more thereof.
16 . The surface covering of claim 1 , wherein the support layer comprises a fibrous component.
17 . The surface covering of claim 16 , wherein the fibrous component comprises a fiber; a filament; a yarn; a roving; a chopped strand; a woven or nonwoven fabric; or a combination of two or more thereof.
18 . The surface covering of claim 1 , wherein the surface is a floor.
19 . A method of making a surface covering comprising:
providing a source of post-consumer or pre-consumer vinyl chloride resin containing scrap material;
cryogenically freezing said scrap material;
grinding said cryogenically frozen scrap material;
mixing said ground scrap material with a plasticizer and a blowing agent, to form a fluid matrix;
applying said fluid matrix to a support layer; and
curing the support layer to which the fluid matrix has been applied.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the cryogenically frozen scrap material is ground to an extent sufficient to provide an average particle size of from about 1 to about 150 microns.