Floor element for forming a floor covering, a floor covering, and a method for manufacturing a floor element
A floor element for forming a floor covering, the floor element comprising a decorative layer comprising a ceramic material, an intermediate layer comprising a resin material, and a support layer arranged below the decorative layer, wherein the support layer comprises edges provided with coupling elements configured to realize a mechanical coupling with coupling elements of an adjacent floor element and wherein the resin material comprises a modulus of elasticity greater than 0.1 GPa, preferably greater than 0.5 GPa, even more preferably greater than 1 GPa.
1. A floor element for forming a floor covering comprising:
a decorative layer comprising a ceramic material;
an intermediate layer comprising epoxy; and
a support layer arranged below the decorative layer, the support layer comprising edges provided with coupling elements configured to realize a mechanical coupling with coupling elements of an adjacent floor element,
wherein the epoxy has an elongation at break between 10% and 50%, and
wherein the intermediate layer bonds the decorative layer and the support layer together.
2. The floor element according to claim 1 , wherein the epoxy permeates a lower surface of the decorative layer.
3. The floor element according to claim 1 , wherein the epoxy has a viscosity at 20° C. less than 1000 mPas.
4. The floor element according to claim 1 , wherein the epoxy comprises a polyester resin.
5. The floor element according to claim 1 , wherein the epoxy comprises a tensile strength between 50 and 90 MPa.
6. The floor element according to claim 1 , wherein the epoxy has a compressive strength between 90 and 130 MPal.
7. The floor element according to claim 1 , wherein the epoxy has a hardness value of at least 50 measured on a Shore D scale.
8. The floor element according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer covers 80 percent or more of a lower surface of the decorative layer.
9. The floor element according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer has a resin content of at least 150 g/sqm.
10. The floor element according to claim 1 , wherein the decorative layer has a back-face comprising excavations, the excavations having a depth less than 0.6 mm.
11. The floor element according to claim 1 , wherein the support layer comprises rigid polyvinylchloride (PVC).
12. The floor element according to claim 1 , wherein the support layer has a flexural modulus between 5 and 10 GPa.
13. The floor element according to claim 1 , wherein the support layer has a thickness less than 6 mm.
14. The floor element according to claim 1 , wherein the epoxy has a modulus of elasticity greater than 0.1 GPa.
15. The floor element according to claim 1 , wherein the support layer comprises a thermoplastic material.
16. The floor element according to claim 1 , wherein the support layer comprises between 50 and 75% by weight of filler.
17. A floor covering comprising a plurality of floor elements according to claim 1 .
18. The floor element according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer consists of epoxy.