Asphaltic sheet materials including expandable graphite

1. A method for producing an asphaltic composite, the method comprising:

(i) providing an asphaltic sheet by saturating a fabric with a molten asphaltic composition to thereby form the asphaltic sheet, where the asphaltic sheet has first and second opposed planar surfaces;

(ii) dropping a material consisting of solid particulates onto the first planar surface of the asphaltic sheet, where the solid particulates include expandable graphite particles characterized by an onset temperature of at least 160° C., where said step of dropping takes place while the asphaltic composition is in a molten or semi-molten state so that the expandable graphite particles at least partially embed in to the asphaltic composition and the asphaltic composition serves to hold at least some of the expandable graphite particles to the first planar surface of the asphaltic sheet;

(iii) laminating a polymeric film to the first planar surface of the asphaltic sheet to thereby sandwich the expandable graphite between the first planar surface of the asphaltic sheet and the polymeric film; and

(iv) removably securing a release member to the second planar surface of the asphaltic sheet.

2. The method of claim 1 , where said dropping occurs 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.

3. The method of claim 1 , where said step of dropping takes place while the asphalt composition is at a temperature of at least 85° C.

4. The method of claim 3 , where the expandable graphite is characterized by an onset temperature of at least 180° C.

5. The method of claim 1 , where said step of dropping creates a concentration gradient of expandable graphite where the concentration of the expandable graphite decreases from a first surface to a lower region within the asphaltic sheet.

6. The method of claim 1 , where the expandable graphite has a mean particle size of from about 30 μm to about 1.5 mm.

7. A method for producing an asphaltic composite, the method comprising:

(i) providing an asphaltic sheet by saturating an fabric with a molten asphalt composition to thereby form the asphaltic sheet, where the asphaltic sheet has first and second opposed planar surfaces;

(ii) dropping solid particulates onto the first planar surface of the asphaltic sheet to thereby form an asphaltic composite having a plurality of expandable graphite on a planar surface thereof, where said dropping occurs at a rate and amount to create layer of expandable graphite particles on said first planar surface of the asphaltic sheet, where the solid particulates include expandable graphite particles characterized by an onset temperature of at least 160° C., where said step of dropping takes place while the asphalt composition is at or above 85° C.;

(iii) calendering the asphaltic composite;

(iv) laminating a polymeric film to the layer of expandable graphite; and

(v) removably securing a release member to the second planar surface of the asphalt sheet.