FULLY-ADHERED ROOFING SYSTEMS UTILIZING A PRIMER HAVING A SILICON-TERMINATED POLYMER

1 . A method of installing a roof system, the method comprising:

(i) providing a first membrane composite including

a) a polymeric planar body which is a cured rubber membrane, the polymeric planar body having

1) a first planar surface and

2) a second planar surface,

b) a UV-cured pressure-sensitive adhesive layer disposed on the second planar surface,

c) a release member removably secured to the UV-cured pressure-sensitive adhesive layer opposite the polymeric planar body, and

d) a primer layer disposed along a lap area on the first planar surface, where the primer layer includes a cured residue of a silyl-terminated polymer, where the silyl-terminated polymer includes a polyurethane backbone, where the primer layer has a thickness of less than 178 μm (7 mil);

(ii) adhesively securing the first membrane composite to a roof surface through the UV-cured pressure-sensitive adhesive layer of the first membrane composite;

(iii) providing a second membrane composite including

a) a polymeric planar body which is a cured rubber membrane, the polymeric planar body having

1) a first planar surface and

2) a second planar surface,

b) a UV-cured pressure-sensitive adhesive layer disposed on the second planar surface,

c) a release member removably secured to the UV-cured pressure-sensitive adhesive layer opposite the planar body, and

d) optionally a primer layer disposed along a lap area on the first planar surface;

(iv) adhesively securing the second membrane composite to the roof surface through the UV-cured pressure-sensitive adhesive layer of the second membrane composite, where the second membrane composite is positioned adjacent to and partially overlapping the lap area of the first membrane composite; and

(v) adhesively securing the second membrane composite to the first planar surface of the first membrane composite along the primer layer through the UV-cured pressure-sensitive adhesive layer disposed on the second membrane composite.

2 . The method of claim 1 , where the primer layer of the first membrane composite is applied in a fabrication facility as a pre-applied primer layer.

3 . The method of claim 1 , where the primer layer of the first membrane composite is applied at the roof system location as an uncured primer composition, the method further comprising a step of allowing the primer composition to cure.

4 . The method of claim 1 , where said step of providing a first membrane composite includes providing a first membrane composite in the form of a roll, and where the process includes unrolling the first membrane composite.

5 . The method of claim 1 , where said step of providing a second membrane composite includes providing a second membrane composite in the form of a roll, and where the process includes unrolling the second membrane composite.

6 . The method of claim 3 , where the uncured primer composition includes a silyl-terminated polymer.

7 . The method of claim 6 , where the silyl-terminated polymer includes a polyether backbone.

8 . The method of claim 3 , where the uncured primer composition is characterized by a Brookfield Viscosity (#2 spindle at 20 r.p.m.) of less than 1500 centipoise.

9 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising a step of removing a release member that is removably secured to the pre-applied primer layer.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lap area extends along a lateral edge of the roofing membrane.

11 . The method of claim 1 , where the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer includes a UV-cured acrylic resin.

12 . The method of claim 1 , where the polymeric planar body is a thermoplastic membrane.

13 . The method of claim 1 , where the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer has a thickness of from about 102 to about 381 μm and a Tg of less than 0° C.

14 . The method of claim 1 , where the pressure-sensitive adhesive includes one or more units deriving from butyl acrylate or 2-ethylhexyl acrylate.

15 . The method of claim 1 , where the primer layer has a thickness of less than 178 μm (7 mil).

16 . A membrane composite comprising:

(i) a polymeric membrane panel having a first planar surface and a second planar surface, where the polymeric membrane panel is a cured rubber membrane;

(ii) a UV-cured pressure-sensitive adhesive layer disposed on said second planar surface, where the UV-cured pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is adapted to be disposed on a roof surface;

(iii) a release member removably secured to said UV-cured pressure-sensitive adhesive layer; and

(iv) a primer layer applied along a lap area on said second planar surface, where the primer layer includes a cured residue of a silyl-terminated polymer, where the silyl-terminated polymer includes a polyurethane backbone, where the primer layer has a thickness of less than 178 μm (7 mil).

17 . The membrane of claim 16 , further including a release member removably secured to said primer layer.

18 . A method of installing a roof system, the method comprising:

(i) providing a first membrane composite including a polymeric planar body which is a cured rubber membrane, the polymeric planar body having a first planar surface and a second planar surface, a UV-cured pressure-sensitive adhesive layer disposed on the second planar surface, and a release member removably secured to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer opposite the polymeric planar body;

(ii) removing the release member;

(iii) adhesively securing the first membrane composite to a roof surface through the UV-cured pressure-sensitive adhesive layer of the first membrane composite;

(iv) providing a second membrane composite including a polymeric planar body which is a cured rubber membrane, the polymeric planar body having a first planar surface and a second planar surface, a UV-cured pressure-sensitive adhesive layer disposed on the second planar surface, and a release member removably secured to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer opposite the planar body;

(v) partially removing the release member from the second membrane composite;

(vi) adhesively securing the second membrane composite to the roof surface through the UV-cured pressure-sensitive adhesive layer of the first membrane composite where the release member has been partially removed, where the second membrane composite is positioned adjacent to and partially overlapping a lap area on the first planar surface of the first membrane composite;

(vii) applying a primer composition to the lap area on the first planar surface of the first membrane, where the primer composition includes a silyl terminated polymer, where the silyl-terminated polymer includes a polyurethane backbone;

(viii) allowing the primer composition to at least partially cure and thereby form an at least partially cured primer layer, where the at least partially cured primer layer has a thickness of less than 178 μm (7 mil);

(ix) fully removing the release member from the second membrane composite; and

(x) adhesively securing the second membrane composite to the first planar surface of the first membrane composite by mating the pressure-sensitive adhesive of the second membrane to the least partially cured primer layer disposed on the first membrane composite.

19 . The method of claim 18 , where the step of applying the primer composition takes place at a coverage rate of from greater than 100 to less than 1000 square feet per gallon.

20 . The method of claim 18 , where the primer composition includes a silyl-terminated polymer, an adhesion promoter, a moisture scavenger, a plasticizer, and a catalyst.