Surfacing media with flame retarding effects and high solar reflectance, and method of making same

1. A method of making solar-reflective, fire-retardant roofing materials, the method comprising:

(a) providing a base material having an upper surface formed of bituminous material, a plurality of roofing granules being partially embedded in the upper surface of the base material; and then

(b) applying a fluid solar-reflective surface coating composition to the upper surface of the base material, wherein the fluid solar-reflective coating composition includes at least one solar-reflective pigment, such that the fluid solar-reflective surface coating composition coats the upper surface of the base material and the granules; and then

(c) depositing a fire-retardant particulate material on the fluid solar-reflective surface coating composition, the fire-retardant material being selected from the group consisting of hydrated meta silicates, alumina hydrates, antimony-containing compounds, phosphorous-containing compounds, and halogenated compounds, the deposition being performed such that the fire-retardant particulate material becomes at least partially embedded in the fluid solar-reflective coating composition; and then

(d) curing the fluid solar-reflective surface coating composition to a solid state to form a solar-reflective exterior coating disposed on the upper surface of the base material, the solar-reflective exterior coating to at least partially encapsulate the fire-retardant particulate material in the solar-reflective exterior coating.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one solar reflective pigment is selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, pearlescent pigments including mica, pearlescent pigments including titanium dioxide, mirrorized silica pigments based upon metal-doped silica, silica encapsulated metal flake pigments, and alumina.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the solar reflective coating composition comprises at least one binder material selected from the group consisting of metal silicate compositions, silicas, phosphates, and polymeric binder compositions.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the fire-retardant particulate material is selected from the group consisting of intumescent fire-retardant materials.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein in step (c), the fire-retardant particulate material becomes fully embedded in the fluid solar-reflective coating composition; and in step (d), the curing of the fluid solar-reflective surface coating composition fully encapsulates the fire-retardant particulate material in the solar-reflective exterior coating.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the fluid solar reflective coating composition comprises a polymeric binder.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein the polymeric binder is selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, poly(meth)acrylates, polysilicones, fluoropolymers, and polyvinyl chloride.

8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the fire-retardant particulate material is only partially encapsulated in the solar-reflective exterior coating.

9. A method according to claim 8 , wherein a tack-free time of a thusly coated upper surface of a base material is shorter than the tack-free time of a coated substrate surface cured without the fire-retardant particulate material deposited thereon.

10. A method according to claim 8 , wherein the fire-retardant particulate material has a particle size from US mesh #8 to US mesh #325.

11. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the fire-retardant particulate material is selected from the group consisting aluminum trihydrate, magnesium trioxide, antimony trioxide, antimony pentoxide, decabromodiphenyloxide, phosphates, alkaline earth metal phosphates, ammonium phosphates, borates, bromated phosphorous complex, and halogenated hydrocarbons.

12. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the solar-reflective exterior coating composition having the fire-retardant particulate material at least partially encapsulated therein forms the top surface of the solar-reflective, fire-retardant roofing material.

13. A method according claim 1 , wherein

the at least one solar reflective pigment is selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, pearlescent pigments including mica, pearlescent pigments including titanium dioxide, mirrorized silica pigments based upon metal-doped silica, silica encapsulated metal flake pigments, and alumina;

the fire-retardant particulate material is selected from the group consisting of hydrated metal silicates, alumina hydrates, antimony-containing compounds, phosphorous-containing compounds, and halogenated compounds; and

the fluid solar reflective coating composition comprises a polymeric binder.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the polymeric binder is selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, poly(meth)acrylates, polysilicones, fluoropolymers, and polyvinyl chloride.

15. A method according to claim 14 , wherein the fire-retardant particulate material is only partially encapsulated in the solar-reflective exterior coating, and wherein a tack-free time of a thusly coated upper surface of a base material is shorter than the tack-free time of a coated substrate surface cured without the fire-retardant particulate material deposited thereon.

16. A method according to claim 14 , wherein in step (c), the fire-retardant particulate material becomes fully embedded in the fluid solar-reflective coating composition; and in step (d), the curing of the fluid solar-reflective surface coating composition fully encapsulates the fire-retardant particulate material in the solar-reflective exterior coating.