Composite cement article incorporating a powder coating and methods of making same

• US 20060024480A1
• Filed: 07/11/2005
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James Hardie Technology Limited (James Hardie Industries Plc)
• Original Assignee: James Hardie Technology Limited (James Hardie Industries Plc)
• Inventors: Lyons, David, Sukkar, Theresa
• Granted Patent: US 7,998,571 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/172
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 13/02 with fibres or particles being present as additives in the layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 13/12 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/26 characterised by a particular shape of the outline of the cross-section of a continuous layer; characterised by a layer with cavities or internal voids foam layer B32B5/18; layer of synthetic resin characterised by fillers that create voids or cavities B32B27/205; characterised by an apertured layer
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/0048 Fibrous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/02 containing hydraulic cements other than calcium sulfates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/0045 Irradiation; Radiation, e.g. with UV or IR C04B41/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/009 characterised by the material treated
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/4545 applied as a powdery material
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/4568 Electrostatic processes
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/48 Macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/483 Polyacrylates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/4905 containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/52 Multiple coating or impregnating multiple coating or impregnating with the same composition or with compositions only differing in the concentration of the constituents, is classified as single coating or impregnation
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/71 at least one coating being an organic material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249967 Inorganic matrix in void-containing component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249968 Of hydraulic-setting material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249986 Void-containing component contains also a solid fiber or solid particle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24999 Inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249991 Synthetic resin or natural rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249992 : Linear or thermoplastic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31511 : Of epoxy ether
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31551 : Of polyamidoester [polyurethane, polyisocyanate, polycarbamate, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31786 : Of polyester [e.g., alkyd, etc.]

Abstract

A cementitious composite article incorporating a powder coating on at least one surface is provided. The composite article includes a surface treatment adapted to facilitate application of the powder coating onto the article. The surface treatment can include modifications to surface porosity, surface, and/or application of a sealer to the surface so as to make the cementitious surface more conducive to powder coating. One method of manufacturing the cementitious composite article includes first applying a sealer coating to a surface of a fiber cement substrate, partially curing the substrate to a gel-like state, applying a powder coating to the article, processing the article to a curing device in which the powder coating and sealer coating are co-cured to form a hardened film.

Claims

1. A cementitious composite article, comprising:

a cementitious substrate having a first surface;

a powder coating layer formed on said first surface; and

a surface interface interposed between the first surface and the powder coating layer, wherein the surface interface facilitates application of said powder coating layer onto the first surface of the substrate.

2. The composite article of claim 1, wherein the surface interface comprises a sealer coating on the first surface.

3. The composite article of claim 1, wherein the surface interface comprises a modified surface porosity.

4. The composite article of claim 1, wherein the surface interface comprises a modified moisture level.

5. The composite article of claim 1, wherein the powder coating layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of urethanes, epoxies, acrylics, polyesters, and combinations thereof.

6. The composite article of claim 2, wherein the sealer coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polymer latex, polymer emulsion, silanes, silanols, siloxanes, and combinations thereof.

7. The composite article of claim 1, wherein the article is a fiber cement cladding panel.

8. The composite article of claim 1, wherein the article is a fiber cement column.

9. The composite article of claim 1, wherein the first surface is an exterior surface.

10. A method of applying a powder coating to a fiber cement article, comprising:

applying a surface interface to a first surface of the fiber cement article, wherein said surface interface comprises a curable material selected to reduce the degree of fiber swelling induced by subsequent applications of a powder coating;

partially curing the curable material to a gel-like state;

applying a polymer coating in powder form to said first surface; and

curing the polymer coating to form a hardened protective layer on the first surface.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein curing the polymer coating includes simultaneously curing the curable material.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the curable material and the polymer coating are cured using near infrared radiation.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising removing a predetermined amount of moisture from the first surface of the fiber cement article prior to applying a polymer coating in powder form to said first surface.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said polymer coating is applied to the first surface using an electrostatic spray process.

15. A method of forming a film on a fiber cement surface, comprising:

treating the fiber cement surface;

depositing a plurality of finely divided, heat fusible material onto said fiber cement surface;

fusing said finely divided material into a continuous film; and

curing said film.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein treating the fiber cement surface comprises modifying the porosity of the surface.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the porosity of the fiber cement surface is modified by altering the surface with an inorganic filler which fills the voids and pores present in the surface.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein treating the fiber cement surface comprises modifying the moisture level of the surface.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein modifying the moisture level of the surface comprises drying the surface.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein treating the fiber cement surface comprises forming a sealer coating on the surface.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein depositing the plurality of finely divided, heat fusible material onto said fiber cement surface comprises depositing the heat fusible material using a triboelectric coating process.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein treating the fiber cement surface comprises treating a surface having a groove.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein said film is cured using a process that does not use combustion sources.