Method for infiltrating a ceramic, artificial or natural stone surface

1. Method for infiltrating a ceramic, artificial or natural stone surface, wherein a material forming a bond with valences on the surface is applied and rubbed onto the surface, whereby frictional heat is generated, wherein the material is a self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition and is used as a suspension, and the method comprises the following steps:

(a) applying a self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition onto the surface of a ceramic, artificial or natural stone,

(b) rubbing in the self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition until a homogeneous distribution and filling of the pores in the surface is achieved, whereby an excess of material of self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition remains on the surface,

(c) drying the surface, and

(d) abrading or polishing off excess of material of self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition remaining on the surface,

whereby when the self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition reacts in the cavities present in the thus treated ceramic, artificial or natural stone, tridimensional grid or scaffold structures are formed, which increase the material density and increase the mechanical stability along the penetration depth of the infiltration composition,

wherein the self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition comprises from 0.1 to 25% weight C 1-4 alkanol, and the self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition is used as an aqueous suspension, and

wherein the ceramic, artificial or natural stone surface is the surface of a plate or slab of a size greater than 30×30 cm.

2. Method according to claim 1 , wherein step (c) further comprises blowing the surface.

3. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the step sequence (a) and (b) is repeated once or several times.

4. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition further comprises one, or more from the group consisting of poly-di-C 1-6 -alkylsiloxanes, C 8-18 -Alkyl-tri-C 1-4 -alkoxysilanes, polysiloxane, aminofunctional polysiloxanes, and C 1-4 -carboxylic acids.

5. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition further comprises a C 1-4 -carboxylic acid and one, two or more selected from the group consisting of poly-di-C 1-6 -alkylsiloxanes, C 8-18 -Alkyl-tri-C 1-4 -alkoxysilanes, and aminofunctional polysiloxanes.

6. Method according to claim 4 , wherein the C 8-18 -Alkyl-tri-C 1-4 -alkoxysilane is hexadecyltrimethoxysilane, and/or the poly-di-C 1-6 -alkylsiloxane is polydimethylsiloxane.

7. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the water content in the self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition ranges between 50% and 90% of the total weight of the composition.

8. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition further comprises one or more compounds from the group consisting of SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , BN, B 2 O 3 , SiC, SiN, TiO 2 and Zr 2 O 3 .

9. Method according to claim 1 , furthermore comprising before step (a):

i. applying a colloidal silica sol or a water glass composition, followed by rubbing in until a homogeneous distribution and filling of the pores in the surface is achieved,

ii. drying the surface and polishing off an excess of material, and

iii. optionally repeating once or several times step sequence i. and ii.

10. Method according to claim 1 , wherein, during step (b) and/or step (d) and/or the rubbing of step i. and/or the polishing of step ii. the temperature measured at the treated surface is increased by from 5 to 120° C.

11. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the ceramic, artificial or natural stone surface is selected from natural stone, ceramics, Lappato and hydraulically, inorganically or resin-bound natural stone, quartz, ceramic, glass and/or artificial stone agglomerate.

12. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition comprises from 1 to 10% weight C 1-4 -alkanol.

13. Ceramic, artificial or natural stone substrate, in particular a hydraulically, inorganically or resin-bound natural stone, quartz, ceramic, glass, and/or artificial stone agglomerate, obtained by a method for infiltrating a ceramic, artificial or natural stone surface, wherein a material forming a bond with valences on the surface is applied and rubbed onto the surface, whereby frictional heat is generated, wherein the material is a self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition and is used as a suspension, and the method comprises the following steps:

(a) applying a self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition onto the surface of a ceramic, artificial or natural stone,

(b) rubbing in the self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition until a homogeneous distribution and filling of the pores in the surface is achieved, whereby an excess of material of self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition remains on the surface,

(c) drying the surface, and

(d) abrading or polishing off excess of material of self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition remaining on the surface,

whereby when the self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition reacts in the cavities present in the thus treated ceramic, artificial or natural stone, tridimensional grid or scaffold structures are formed, which increase the material density and increase the mechanical stability along the penetration depth of the infiltration composition,

wherein the self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition comprises from 0.1 to 25% weight C 1-4 -alkanol, and the self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition is used as an aqueous suspension, and

wherein the ceramic, artificial or natural stone surface is the surface of a plate or slab of a size greater than 30×30 cm.

14. Ceramic, artificial or natural stone substrate according to claim 13 , wherein step (c) further comprises blowing the surface.

15. Ceramic, artificial or natural stone substrate according to claim 13 , wherein the self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition further comprises one, or more from the group consisting of poly-di-C 1-6 -alkylsiloxanes, C 8-18 -Alkyl-tri-C 1-4 -alkoxysilanes, aminofunctional polysiloxanes, and C 1-4 -carboxylic acids.

16. Ceramic, artificial or natural stone substrate according to claim 13 , wherein the self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition further comprises a C 1-4 -carboxylic acid and one, two or more selected from the group consisting of poly-di-C 1-6 -alkylsiloxanes, C 8-18 -Alkyl-tri-C 1-4 -alkoxysilanes, and aminofunctional polysiloxanes.

17. Ceramic, artificial or natural stone substrate according to claim 13 , wherein the water content in the self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition ranges between 50% and 90% of the total weight of the composition.

18. Ceramic, artificial or natural stone substrate according to claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises before step (a):

i. applying a colloidal silica sol or a water glass composition, followed by rubbing in until a homogeneous distribution and filling of the pores in the surface is achieved,

ii. drying the surface and polishing off an excess of material, and

iii. optionally repeating once or several times step sequence i. and ii.

19. Ceramic, artificial or natural stone substrate according to claim 13 , wherein the ceramic, artificial or natural stone surface is selected from natural stone, ceramics, Lappato and hydraulically, inorganically or resin-bound natural stone, quartz, ceramic, glass and/or artificial stone agglomerate.

20. Ceramic, artificial or natural stone substrate according to claim 13 , wherein the self-repelling hydrophobizing infiltration composition comprises from 1 to 10% weight C 1-4 -alkanol.