ASPHALTIC SHEET MATERIALS INCLUDING EXPANDABLE GRAPHITE

1 - 28 . (canceled)

29 . An asphaltic sheet comprising:

(i) an asphaltic component including an asphalt binder; and

(ii) a layer including expandable graphite, where said layer is adjacent to said asphaltic component.

30 . The asphaltic sheet of claim 29 , where the asphaltic component further includes a polymeric modifier dispersed within the asphalt binder.

31 . The asphaltic sheet of claim 29 , where the asphaltic component includes a textile fabric embedded therein.

32 . The asphaltic sheet of claim 29 , further including a polymeric layer laminated to said asphaltic component.

33 . The asphaltic sheet of claim 29 , where said asphaltic component is a planar body of asphalt material and includes first and second planar surfaces, and where said expandable graphite is deposited on said first planar surface, and further including a polymeric layer laminated to said first planar surface.

34 . The asphaltic sheet of claim 29 , further including a release film removably secured to said second surface.

35 . The asphaltic sheet of claim 29 , where the expandable graphite is characterized by an onset temperature of at least 130° C.

36 . The asphaltic sheet of claim 29 , where the asphaltic component further includes a flame retardant dispersed within the asphalt binder.

37 . The asphaltic sheet of claim 29 , where the thickness of the layer including expandable graphite is from about 10 μm to about 3 mm.

38 . A composite sheet comprising:

(i) a planar body including asphalt material, said planar body having first and second opposed planar surfaces;

(ii) expandable graphite deposited on said first planar surface.

39 . The composite sheet of 38 , further including a polymeric sheet laminated to said first planar surface of said planar body thereby sandwiching said expandable graphite between said planar body and said polymeric sheet.

40 . The composite sheet of claim 38 , further including a textile embedded within said planar body of asphalt.

41 . The composite sheet of claim 38 , further including a release film removably secured to said second planar surface of said planar body.

42 . The composite sheet of claim 38 , further including release agents deposited on said first planar surface.

43 . The composite of claim 38 , where said expandable graphite is held in place on said first planar surface by said asphalt material of said planar body.

44 . The composite of claim 38 , where said expandable graphite is adhered to said first planar surface by said asphalt material.

45 . A method for producing an asphaltic sheet, the method comprising:

a. providing an asphaltic sheet; and

b. applying expandable graphite particles to the asphaltic sheet.

46 . The method of claim 45 , where said step of applying includes dropping the expandable graphite onto a sheet that has been coated with molten asphalt, and where the expandable graphite is dropped at a rate and amount to create at least a partial layer of expandable graphite particles adjacent to the asphalt of the coated asphalt sheet.

47 . The method of claim 45 , where said step of applying includes at least partially embedding some of the graphite particles in to the asphalt such that the asphalt serves as a binder to hold the graphite particles in place or serves to adhere the graphite particles to the surface of the sheet.

48 . The method of claim 45 , where said step of applying includes dropping expandable graphite on to an asphaltic sheet after the asphaltic sheet is prepared from a molten asphalt composition and prior to a substantial cooling of the asphalt material.