Roofing materials with synthetic roofing granules and methods of making thereof

1. A roofing material comprising:

(a) a coated substrate having (i) a top surface, (ii) a back surface, (iii) a headlap portion, and (iv) a buttlap portion having a plurality of tabs; and

(b) a plurality of roofing granules applied to the top surface of the coated substrate,

wherein the plurality of roofing granules comprises from 50% to 100% of unitary, uncoated, non-mineral based particles, the non-mineral based particles comprising at least one of a thermoplastic polymer, filled polymers, filled rubbers, filled plastics, a polymer-sand composite, a rubber particle, a wood filled polymer, a bio-based particle, a thermoset material, a fiber-reinforced polymer, and combinations thereof,

wherein the plurality of roofing granules that are applied to the top surface are applied at an average surface coverage amount of the roofing granules of greater than 80%, with the plurality of roofing granules applied to the top surface being exposed across the buttlap portion,

wherein the roofing material is configured to be installed on a roof to form a roofing system, and

wherein, when the roofing material is installed on the roof to form the roofing system, the plurality of roofing granules forms an exposed surface of the roofing system.

2. The roofing material according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises one of a fiberglass mat, a polyester mat, a scrim, a coated scrim, or a combination thereof.

3. The roofing material according to claim 1 , wherein the roofing material is one of a roofing shingle and a roofing tile.

4. The roofing material according to claim 1 , wherein the roofing material is one of (i) an asphaltic shingle, (ii) a non-asphaltic shingle, and (ii) a polymer-modified asphalt shingle.

5. The roofing material according to claim 1 , wherein each roofing granule of the plurality of roofing granules has a density of 1.2 g/cm 3 to 2.5 g/cm 3 .

6. The roofing material according to claim 1 , wherein the non-mineral based particles comprise a synthetic particle.

7. The roofing material according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one of a thermoplastic polymer, filled polymers, filled rubbers, filled plastics, a polymer-sand composite, a rubber particle, a wood filled polymer, a bio-based particle, a thermoset material, a fiber-reinforced polymer, and combinations thereof comprises a recycled material.

8. The roofing material according to claim 1 , wherein the non-mineral based particles have an aspect ratio of from 1.5 to 50.

9. The roofing material according to claim 1 , wherein the non-mineral based particles have a particle size of from #8 US mesh to #60 US mesh.

10. The roofing material according to claim 1 , wherein less than 1% by weight of the plurality of roofing granules have a particle size of greater than #100 US mesh.

11. The roofing material according to claim 1 , wherein the roofing material exhibits a lower weight per thickness as compared to a roofing material prepared with roofing granules comprising mineral based particles.

12. The roofing material according to claim 1 , wherein the roofing material exhibits a weight per thickness of from 0.17 to 0.21 g/mil.

13. The roofing material according to claim 1 , wherein the roofing material exhibits an improved staining resistance as compared to a roofing material prepared with roofing granules comprising mineral based particles.

14. The roofing material according to claim 1 , wherein the roofing granules exhibit a total solar reflectance (TSR) of from 0.2 to 0.8 according to ASTM C1549.

15. The roofing material according to claim 1 , wherein the roofing granules exhibit a higher color saturation as compared to roofing granules comprising mineral based particles.

16. A method of preparing a roofing material, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining a coated substrate having (i) a top surface, (ii) a back surface, (iii) a headlap portion, and (iv) a buttlap portion having a plurality of tabs;

(b) obtaining a plurality of roofing granules, wherein the plurality of roofing granules comprises from 50% to 100% of unitary, uncoated, non-mineral based particles, the non-mineral based particles comprising at least one of a thermoplastic polymer, filled polymers, filled rubbers, filled plastics, a polymer-sand composite, a rubber particle, a wood filled polymer, a bio-based particle, a thermoset material, a fiber-reinforced polymer, and combinations thereof; and

(c) applying the plurality of roofing granules to the top surface of the coated substrate to form a roofing material,

wherein the applying the plurality of roofing granules to the top surface of the coated substrate is conducted to achieve an average surface coverage amount of the roofing granules of greater than 80%, with the plurality of roofing granules applied to the top surface being exposed across the buttlap portion,

wherein the roofing material is configured to be installed on a roof to form a roofing system, and

wherein, when the roofing material is installed on the roof to form the roofing system, the plurality of roofing granules forms an exposed surface of the roofing system.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the substrate comprises one of a fiberglass mat, a polyester mat, a scrim, a coated scrim, or a combination thereof.

18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein each roofing granule of the plurality of roofing granules has a density of 1.2 g/cm 3 to 2.5 g/cm 3 .

19. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the non-mineral based particles comprise a synthetic particle.

20. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one of a thermoplastic polymer, filled polymers, filled rubbers, filled plastics, a polymer-sand composite, a rubber particle, a wood filled polymer, a bio-based particle, a thermoset material, a fiber-reinforced polymer, and combinations thereof comprises a recycled material.