IP Library Granted Patent US 11,761,200
Granted Patent B2
US 11,761,200 · App. 15/994,242 · Granted Sep 19, 2023

Flame retardant clear coatings for building panels

Inventors: John E. Hughes (Lincoln University, PA); Linzhu Zhang (Pittsburgh, PA); Michelle X. Wang (Lititz, PA)
Assignee: AWI LICENSING LLC
E04B1/942C09D1/00C09D1/02C09D1/04C09D5/00C09D5/18C09D7/61C09D7/63E04B9/045E04B9/16E04B9/366E04C2/10E04C2/26E04C2/296
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,761,200
App. No.
15/994,242
Granted
Sep 19, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Described herein is a flame-retardant building panel comprising a body having a first major surface opposite a second major surface, an inorganic coating atop the first major surface, the inorganic coating being optically transparent and flame retardant and comprising a silicate compound; and wherein the inorganic flame retardant coating is substantially transparent such that the first major surface of the body is visible through the inorganic coating.

Claims (48)

1. A flame-retardant building panel comprising:

a body having a first major surface opposite a second major surface;

an inorganic coating atop the first major surface, the inorganic coating being optically transparent and flame retardant and comprising;

a silicate compound present in an amount from about 70 wt. % to about 98 wt. %, based on the total dry weight of the inorganic coating,

hydrogen peroxide present in an amount from about 0.1 wt. % to about 2 wt. %, based on the total dry weight of the inorganic coating, and

a hydrate compound present in an amount from about 0.5 wt. % to about 12.5 wt. %, based on the total dry weight of the inorganic coating; and

wherein the inorganic flame retardant coating is substantially transparent such that the first major surface of the body is visible through the inorganic coating; and

wherein the inorganic coating comprises a non-ionic dispersant and an ionic dispersant.

2. The flame-retardant building panel according to claim 1 , wherein the first major surface of the body is wood.

3. The flame-retardant building panel according to claim 1 , wherein the inorganic coating further comprises a dispersant present in an amount ranging from a non-zero value up to about 1.5 wt. % based on the total weight of the inorganic coating.

4. The flame-retardant building panel according to claim 1 , wherein the inorganic coating comprises up to about 2 wt. % of organic components based on the total weight of the inorganic coating, wherein the organic component is selected from the groups consisting of dispersant, wax blend, wax emulsion, and combinations thereof.

5. The flame-retardant building panel according to claim 1 , wherein the inorganic coating is present in an amount ranging from about 40 g/m 2 to about 120 g/m 2 .

6. The flame-retardant building panel according to claim 1 , wherein the silicate compound is selected from the group consisting of potassium silicate, tetraethyl orthosilicate, and combinations thereof.

7. The flame-retardant building panel according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrate compound is alumina trihydrate and is present in an amount ranging from about 0.5 wt. % to about 12.5 wt. % based on the total weight of the inorganic coating.

8. The flame-retardant building panel according to claim 1 , wherein the inorganic coating is formed from an inorganic coating having a pH ranging from about 9 to less than about 13.

9. A flame-retardant building panel comprising:

a body having a first major surface opposite a second major surface;

an inorganic coating atop the first major surface, the inorganic coating formed from a coating composition comprising,

a silicate compound present in an amount from about 70 wt. % to about 98 wt. %, based on the total dry weight of the inorganic coating,

hydrogen peroxide present in an amount from about 0.1 wt. % to about 2 wt. %, based on the total dry weight of the inorganic coating, and

a hydrate compound present in an amount from about 0.5 wt. % to about 12.5 wt. %, based on the total dry weight of the inorganic coating; and

wherein the coating composition has a minimum pH of 9;

wherein the inorganic coating comprises wax in an amount ranging from a non-zero value up to 2 wt. % based on the total weight of the inorganic coating;

wherein the inorganic coating comprises a non-ionic dispersant and an ionic dispersant;

wherein the non-ionic dispersant comprises propoxylated ethoxylated linear alcohol and the ionic dispersant comprises sodium polyacrylate, and

wherein the inorganic flame retardant coating is substantially transparent such that the first major surface of the body is visible through the inorganic coating.

10. The flame-retardant building panel according to claim 9 , wherein the inorganic coating has a solids content of at least 99 wt. % based on the total weight of the inorganic coating and a pH of about 12.

11. The flame-retardant building panel according to claim 9 , wherein the silicate compound is selected from the group consisting of potassium silicate, tetraethyl orthosilicate, and combinations thereof.

12. The flame-retardant building panel according to claim 9 , wherein the inorganic coating further comprises filler selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, aluminum carbonate, lithium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, silica, fumed silica, and combinations thereof.

13. The flame-retardant building panel according to claim 9 , wherein the composition is formed from a composition having a pH ranging from about 10 to less than about 13.

14. A flame-retardant building panel comprising:

a body having a first major surface opposite a second major surface;

a top coat comprising:

a first sub-layer atop the first major surface of the body and having a pH of about 12, the first sub-layer comprising,

a first silicate compound,

hydrogen peroxide present in an amount from about 0.1 wt. % to about 2 wt. %, based on the total dry weight of the inorganic coating, and

a hydrate compound,

a non-ionic dispersant comprising a propoxylated ethoxylated linear alcohol and an ionic dispersant comprising sodium polyacrylate; and

a second sub-layer atop the first sub-layer, the second sub-layer comprising a second silicate compound, one or more dispersants selected from propoxylated ethoxylated linear alcohol and sodium polyacrylate, and a wax; and

wherein the top coat is optically transparent such that the first major surface of the body is visible through the top coat.

15. The flame-retardant building panel according to claim 14 , wherein the first sub-layer is formed from a first composition comprising the first silicate compound, and wherein the second sub-layer is formed from a second composition comprising the second silicate compound and the organic wax and has a minimum pH of about 9.

16. The flame-retardant building panel according to claim 14 , wherein the top coat further comprises a third sub-layer that is atop the second sub-layer, the third sub-layer comprising an organic component in an amount of at least 40 wt. % based on the total dry-weight of the third sub-layer.

17. The flame-retardant building panel according to claim 1 , wherein the non-ionic dispersant comprises a propoxylated ethoxylated linear alcohol and the ionic dispersant comprises sodium polyacrylate.

18. The flame-retardant building panel according to claim 14 , wherein the optical clarity of the flame-retardant building panel is at least about 91.6%.

19. The flame-retardant building panel according to claim 18 , wherein the flame spread rating of the flame-retardant building panel is 28 or lower.

20. The flame-retardant building panel of claim 1 , wherein the hydrate compound is alumina trihydrate.

21. The flame-retardant building panel of claim 9 , wherein the hydrate compound is alumina trihydrate.

22. The flame-retardant building panel of claim 14 , wherein the hydrate compound is alumina trihydrate.

Assignments (4)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 11, 2025
From: AWI LICENSING LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS THE COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073939/0866 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 10, 2023
From: ARMSTRONG WORLD INDUSTRIES, INC.
To: AWI LICENSING LLC
Reel/Frame 064548/0152 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Oct 11, 2019
From: ARMSTRONG WORLD INDUSTRIES, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 050710/0093 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 31, 2018
From: HUGHES, JOHN E.; ZHANG, LINZHU; WANG, MICHELLE X.
To: ARMSTRONG WORLD INDUSTRIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 045952/0069 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62513126 · May 31, 2017
Related Publication 20180347186A1 · Dec 6, 2018