Method for manufacturing asphaltic sheet materials including expandable graphite

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

(i) preparing an asphaltic masterbatch including an asphalt binder at a first temperature;

(ii) cooling the asphaltic masterbatch to a second temperature, where the second temperature is lower than the first temperature;

(iii) adding, after said step of cooling, a concentrate including expandable graphite to form an asphaltic composition including an expandable graphite concentrate; and

(iv) fabricating an asphaltic sheet from the asphaltic composition including an expandable graphite concentrate by submerging a reinforcing textile into the asphaltic composition including an expandable graphite concentrate.

2. The method of claim 1 , where said step of preparing an asphaltic masterbatch includes combining a polymeric modifier and an inorganic filler with the asphalt binder.

3. The method of claim 2 , where the asphaltic masterbatch includes at least 0.5 parts by weight inorganic filler per 100 parts by weight asphalt binder.

4. The method of claim 2 , where the asphaltic masterbatch includes at least 1 parts by weight inorganic filler per 100 parts by weight asphalt binder.

5. The method of claim 1 , where said step of preparing an asphaltic masterbatch includes combining a tackifier with the asphalt binder.

6. The method of claim 1 , where said step of preparing an asphaltic masterbatch includes combining an inorganic filler with the asphalt binder.

7. The method of claim 1 , where said first temperature is from about 150 to about 260° C.

8. The method of claim 1 , where said second temperature is from about 120 to about 200° C.

9. The method of claim 1 , where the concentrate includes expandable graphite and a carrier, and where the weight ratio of the carrier to the expandable graphite is from about 0.5:1 to about 6:1.

10. A method for incorporating expandable graphite into a molten asphaltic composition in order to produce a molten asphaltic composition having expandable graphite dispersed therein, the method comprising:

(i) heating asphaltic binder to a temperature of at least 180° C.;

(ii) adding one or more constituents to the asphaltic binder and to form a masterbatch;

(iii) mixing the masterbatch at a temperature of at least 180° C.;

(iv) cooling the masterbatch to a temperature of at most 170° C.; and

(v) adding a concentrate including expandable graphite to the masterbatch at a temperature of at most 170° C.; and

(vi) mixing the concentrate including expandable graphite and the masterbatch to form the asphaltic composition having expandable graphite dispersed therein.

11. The method of claim 10 , where said one or more constituents that are added to said asphaltic binder are selected from the group consisting of inorganic filler, polymer modifier, and tackifier resin.

12. The method of claim 10 , where said step of heating asphaltic binder includes heating to a temperature of at least 190° C.

13. The method of claim 10 , where said step of adding a concentrate including expandable graphite to the masterbatch takes place at a temperature of at most 170° C.

14. The method of claim 10 , where the concentrate includes expandable graphite and a carrier, and where the weight ratio of the carrier to the expandable graphite is from about 0.5:1 to about 1:1.