Thermoplastic membranes containing expandable graphite

1. A multi-layered membrane comprising:

i. a first thermoplastic layer formed from a first thermoplastic composition including a polyolefin, where the first thermoplastic composition has a melt temperature, where said first thermoplastic layer is white or substantially white in color, and where said first thermoplastic layer is devoid of expandable graphite; and

ii. a second thermoplastic layer formed from a second thermoplastic composition, where said second thermoplastic composition has a melt temperature, where the second layer includes expandable graphite dispersed therein, where the second thermoplastic composition has a melt temperature below 150° C., and where the second thermoplastic composition has a melt temperature at least 10° C. below the melt temperature of the first thermoplastic composition.

2. The membrane of claim 1 , where the membrane further includes a reinforcing fabric.

3. The membrane of claim 1 , where the second layer includes at least 5 parts by weight expandable graphite per 100 parts by weight of the thermoplastic polymer.

4. The membrane of claim 1 , where said thermoplastic polymer forming said thermoplastic polymer matrix having a melt temperature below 150° C. is ethylene vinyl acetate.

5. The membrane of claim 1 , where said thermoplastic polymer forming said thermoplastic polymer matrix having a melt temperature below 150° C. is ethylene alkyl acrylate.

6. The membrane of claim 1 , where said second layer including expandable graphite includes greater than 10 parts by weight expandable graphite per 100 parts by weight thermoplastic polymer.

7. The membrane of claim 1 , where said second layer including expandable graphite includes greater than 15 parts by weight expandable graphite per 100 parts by weight thermoplastic polymer.

8. A multi-layered thermoplastic membrane comprising:

i. an upper thermoplastic layer including a first sub layer and a second sub layer, each sub layer having a melt temperature, where the first sub layer of the upper thermoplastic layer is white or substantially white in color, and where said first sub layer of the upper thermoplastic layer is devoid of expandable graphite;

ii. a lower thermoplastic layer including a first sub layer and a second sub layer, each sub layer having a melt temperature; and

iii. a reinforcing fabric disposed between said upper and lower thermoplastic layers, where the reinforcing fabric is adjacent to said first sub layer of the lower thermoplastic layer and adjacent to the second sub layer of the upper thermoplastic layer, and where said first sub layer of said lower thermoplastic layer includes expandable graphite dispersed within a thermoplastic polymer matrix having a melt temperature below 150° C., and where said melt temperature of said first sub layer of said lower thermoplastic layer is at least 10° C. less than the melt temperature of said first sub layer of said upper thermoplastic layer.

9. The membrane of claim 8 , where said first sub layer of said lower thermoplastic layer includes from about 5 to about 30 parts by weight expandable graphite per 100 parts by weight of the thermoplastic polymer.

10. The membrane of claim 8 , where said second sub layer of said upper thermoplastic layer includes expandable graphite dispersed within a thermoplastic polymer matrix having a melt temperature of below 150° C.

11. The membrane of claim 8 , where said thermoplastic polymer forming said thermoplastic polymer matrix having a melt temperature below 150° C. is ethylene vinyl acetate.

12. The membrane of claim 8 , where said thermoplastic polymer forming said thermoplastic polymer matrix having a melt temperature below 150° C. is ethylene alkyl acrylate.

13. The membrane of claim 8 , where said first sub layer of said lower layer includes greater than 10 parts by weight expandable graphite per 100 parts by weight thermoplastic polymer.

14. The membrane of claim 8 , where said first sub layer of said lower layer includes greater than 15 parts by weight expandable graphite per 100 parts by weight thermoplastic polymer.

15. The membrane of claim 8 , where the first sub layer of the upper thermoplastic layer includes a propylene-based plastic.

16. The membrane of claim 8 , where the first sub layer of the upper thermoplastic layer includes a polyolefin.

17. A multi-layered thermoplastic membrane comprising:

i. A top layer including a polyolefin, where the top layer is white or substantially white in color, and where the top layer is devoid of expandable graphite;

ii. A reinforcing fabric located below said top layer;

iii. A lower middle layer adjacent to and located below said reinforcing fabric, where said lower middle layer includes expandable graphite dispersed within a matrix formed by a thermoplastic polymer having a melt temperature of less than 150° C.; and

iv. A bottom layer located below said lower middle layer, where said bottom layer includes a polyolefin.

18. The membrane of claim 17 , where said lower middle layer and said bottom layer are coextruded.

19. The membrane of claim 17 , further including an upper middle layer located below said top layer and above said reinforcing fabric.

20. The membrane of claim 19 , where said top layer and said upper middle layer are coextruded.

21. The membrane of claim 20 , where said upper middle layer includes expandable graphite dispersed within matrix formed by a thermoplastic polymer having a melt temperature of less than 150° C.

22. The membrane of claim 17 , where said bottom layer is devoid of expandable graphite.