FOAM CONSTRUCTION BOARDS WITH ENHANCED FIRE PERFORMANCE

1 - 14 . (canceled)

15 . A method for forming a foam composite construction board, the method comprising:

(i) providing a facer substrate having a coating layer disposed on the surface thereof, where the coating layer includes a polymeric matrix and expandable graphite dispersed throughout said matrix;

(ii) contacting a developing foam to the coating layer so as to sandwich the coating layer between the developing foam and the facer substrate; and

(iii) allowing the developing foam to cure and thereby form the foam composite construction board.

16 . The method of claim 15 , where said facer substrate is a glass mat.

17 . The method of claim 16 , where said glass mat is a non-woven fiberglass mat.

18 . The method of claim 17 , where said non-woven fiberglass mat has a basis weight of from about 50 to about 150 grams per square meter.

19 . The method of claim 18 , where said non-woven fiberglass mat has a thickness of from about 0.015 to about 0.1 inch.

20 . The method of claim 15 , where the coating layer has a thickness of from about 20 μm to about 1 mm.

21 . The method of claim 20 , where said coating layer includes from about 0.5 to about 50 wt. % expandable graphite based on the entire weight of the coating layer.

22 . The method of claim 21 , where said polymeric matrix of the coating layer includes a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, styrene-butadiene latexes, polyvinyl chlorides, acrylic latexes, methacrylic latexes, silicones, and functional copolymers thereof.

23 . The method of claim 15 , where the coating layer disposed on said facer substrate is a first coating layer, and where said facer substrate includes a second coating layer disposed on said facer substrate opposite said first coating layer, where said second coating layer includes a polymeric matrix including a filler, and where said second coating layer is devoid of expandable graphite.

24 . The method of claim 23 , where said second coating layer has a thickness of from about 0.09 to about 0.3 μm.

25 . The method of claim 24 , where said second coating layer includes from about 0.5 to about 50 wt. % filler based upon the entire weight of the second coating layer.

26 . The method of claim 25 , where said filler is selected from the group consisting of clays, silicates, titanium dioxide, magnesium silicate, mica, alumina trihydrate, antimony trioxide, calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, silica, magnesium hydroxide, calcium borate ore, and mixtures thereof.

27 . The method of claim 15 , where the step of contacting includes depositing a developing foam onto the coating layer disposed on said facer substrate, and further comprising contacting a second facer substrate to said developing foam.

28 . A construction board comprising:

(i) polyurethane or polyisocyanurate foam body having first and second planar surfaces, where the foam body includes a rigid closed-cell foam structure, and where the foam body is characterized by having an index of at least 120;

(ii) a first facer that is a fiberglass mat, said first facer including a foam-facing planar surface and an outwardly-facing planar surface, where the outwardly-facing planar surface includes an external coating in direct contact with the fiberglass mat, where the external coating includes an inorganic material dispersed throughout a binder, and where the external coating is substantially devoid of expandable graphite; and

(iii) a fire-resistant interfacial layer, where the fire-resistant interfacial layer is sandwiched between the first facer and the first planar surface of the foam body, where the fire-resistant interfacial layer includes expandable graphite dispersed throughout a polymeric binder, where the expandable graphite has an onset temperature of at least 160° C., where the thickness of the fire-resistant interfacial layer is from about 20 μm to about 1.0 mm, and where said fire-resistant interfacial layer includes from about 0.5 to about 50 wt. % expandable graphite relative to the entire weight of the layer.

29 . The construction board of claim 28 , where the expandable graphite has an onset temperature of at least 160° C.

30 . The method of claim 15 , where the foam composite construction board includes a foam body that has a density that is greater than 2.5 pounds per cubic foot

31 . The construction board of claim 28 , where the foam body is further characterized by having an index of from about 120 to about 360.