HEAT BUILD-UP AND COLOR FADE RESISTANT VINYL EXTRUDATE

1 . A heat build-up resistant polymer extrudate panel, the panel comprising:

a top polymer layer;

an infrared light reflective capstock layer blended with at least one additive, the capstock layer disposed beneath the top layer; and

a substrate layer disposed beneath the capstock layer wherein the extrudate panel exhibits a predicted heat build-up of less than about 50° F.

2 . The heat build-up resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 1 , wherein the top polymer layer is comprised of polyvinylidene difluoride.

3 . The heat build-up resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 1 , wherein the top polymer layer has a thickness in the range of 0.0005 inches to 0.001 inches.

4 . The heat build-up resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 1 , wherein the capstock layer comprises a polymer selected from the group of polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene polymers and copolymers and mixtures thereof.

5 . The heat build-up resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 1 , wherein the at least one additive is chosen from a color pigment, a white pigment, a metallic pigment, or a combination of two of more thereof.

6 . The heat build-up resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 5 , wherein the at least one additive is a TiO 2 pigment.

7 . The heat build-up resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 6 , wherein, the TiO 2 pigment additive is greater than about 10 parts per hundred parts polyvinyl chloride.

8 . The heat build-up resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 1 , wherein the at least one additive is selected from the group consisting of lubricants, tin stabilizers, impact modifiers, polyvinyl chloride and mixtures thereof.

9 . The heat build-up resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 1 , wherein the capstock layer has a thickness in the range of from 0.003 to 0.005 inches.

10 . The heat build-up resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 1 , wherein the capstock layer has total solar reflectance of at least 30%.

11 . The heat build-up resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 1 , wherein the substrate layer is comprised of approximately 80% polyvinyl chloride.

12 . The heat build-up resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 11 , wherein the substrate layer is further comprised of calcium carbonate to enhance panel stiffness.

13 . The heat build-up resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 1 , wherein the panel has an L* value of less than about 50.

14 . A color fade resistant polymer extrudate panel, the panel comprising:

a top polymer layer;

an infrared energy reflective capstock layer blended with at least one additive, the capstock layer disposed beneath the top polymer layer;

a substrate layer disposed beneath the capstock layer, and wherein the panel exhibits a predicted heat build-up of less than about 50° F. for an L* value of less than 40 and a ΔE not to exceed 1 in five years of outdoor weathering.

15 . The color fade resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 14 , wherein the top polymer layer is selected from the group consisting of acrylic, acrylonitrile styrene acrylate, polyvinyl chloride and polyvinylidene difluoride.

16 . The fade resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 14 , wherein the top polymer layer has a thickness in the range of from 0.0005 to 0.005 inches.

17 . The fade resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 14 , wherein the infrared energy reflective capstock layer disposed beneath the top layer has a thickness in the range of from 0.003 to 0.005 inches.

18 . The fade resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 14 , wherein the substrate layer has a thickness in the range of from 0.036 to 0.050 inches.

19 . A heat build-up and color fade resistant polymer extrudate panel, the extrudate panel comprising:

a top polymer layer;

an infrared energy reflective capstock layer blended with at least one additive, the capstock layer disposed beneath the top polymer layer;

a substrate layer disposed beneath the capstock layer, and wherein the extrudate panel exhibits an L* value of less than 40 and a ΔE not to exceed 1 after five years of outdoor weathering.

20 . The heat build-up and color fade resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 21 , wherein the capstock layer has a total solar reflectance of at least 30%.

21 . The heat build-up and color fade resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 21 , wherein the panel exhibits a predicted heat build-up of less than about 50° F.

22 . The heat build-up and color fade resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 21 , wherein the color change due to exposure to the environment does not exceed a ΔE of 1 color unit after five years of outdoor weathering, measured pursuant to ASTM D6864.

23 . The heat build-up and color fade resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 21 , wherein the color change of the panel due to exposure to the environment does not exceed a ΔE of 2 color units after six or more years of outdoor weathering, measured pursuant to ASTM D6864.

24 . A heat build-up and color fade resistant polymer extrudate panel, the extrudate panel comprising:

a first polymer layer disposed atop at least one additional polymer layer, wherein the panel exhibits an L* value of less than 40, a heat build-up of less than 50° F. and the ΔE of the panel does not exceed 1 color unit after five years of outdoor weathering.

25 . The heat build-up and color fade resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 24 , wherein the heat build-up of the panel is measured pursuant to ASTM D4803 or ASTM WK47658.

26 . The heat build-up and color fade resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 24 , wherein the L* value of the panel is determined pursuant to ASTM D2244.

27 . The heat build-up and color fade resistant polymer extrudate panel of claim 24 , wherein the ΔE of the panel is measured according to ASTM D6864.