Utility materials incorporating a microparticle matrix

• US 8,349,444 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2011
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akamai Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ashtech Industries, LLC
• Inventors: Kipp, Michael D., Ridges, Michael D., McCarvill, William T., Pugh, Dilworth L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Hai
• Application Number:
  US13/176,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20120060440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 428/304.4, 428/323, 428/312.2, 428/313.3, 428/318.4, 525/78, 264/241, 264/261
• US Class Current: 428/318.4
• 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: B32B 5/16 characterised by features of a layer formed of particles, e.g. chips, powder or granules layer formed of natural mineral particles B32B19/00; layer being formed of wood fibres, chips or particles B32B21/02
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/082 Cenospheres
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/0036 Microsized or nanosized
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00612 as one or more layers of a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/2092 Resistance against biological degradation
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/27 Water resistance, i.e. waterproof or water-repellent materials
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/28 Fire resistance, i.e. materials resistant to accidental fires or high temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/2623 Polyvinylalcohols; Polyvinylacetates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/26 Silicates of the alkali metals
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/10 by using foaming agents C04B38/02 takes precedenceor by using mechanical means, e.g. adding preformed foam
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/84 Sound-absorbing elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/8409 sheet-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/86 slab-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/90 slab-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/02 characterised by specified materials translucent E04C2/54
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/043 of plaster E04C2/049 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/16 of fibres, chips, vegetable stems, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/91 Use of waste materials as fillers for mortars or concrete
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249967 : Inorganic matrix in void-containing component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249971 : Preformed hollow element-containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249987 : With nonvoid component of specified composition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 : Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2982 : Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, etc.]

Abstract

A utility material can include microparticles, an organic binder and an inorganic binder. The microparticles can be present in an amount from about 25 wt % to about 60 wt %, based on wet formulation. The inorganic binder can optionally include sodium silicate. The organic binder can optionally include a vinyl acetate. The utility material can be formed into a variety of different products or building materials, such as wallboard, shear panels. In addition, the building material may be particularly used to attenuate sound.

Claims

1. A wallboard building material comprising:

a first facing membrane and a second facing membrane, wherein the first facing membrane and the second facing membrane are independently selected from the group consisting of paper, metal, and metal alloys; and

a core matrix sandwiched between the first facing membrane and the second facing membrane, wherein the core matrix includes;

from about 25 wt % to about 60 wt % of microspheres based on wet formulation, the microspheres having a size of from about 100 to about 1500 microns, wherein the microspheres are all cenospheres, each cenosphere comprising an outer shell and a hollow interior filled with a gas; and

from about 20 wt % to about 36 wt % sodium silicate binder; and

from about 5 wt % to about 15 wt % organic binder, wherein the microspheres are bonded together by the sodium silicate binder to create a plurality of voids between the microspheres,

wherein a cured core matrix material formed therefrom is resistant to substantially all mold growth.

2. The wallboard building material of claim 1, wherein the microspheres are present in an amount from about 30 wt % to about 40 wt % of the wet mixture.

3. The wallboard building material of claim 1, wherein the wallboard has an R value, when installed on a stud wall, of at least 15.

4. The wallboard building material of claim 1, wherein the wallboard having ½

inch thickness has a noise attenuation of greater than about 40 db.

5. The wallboard building material of claim 1, wherein the wallboard has a flexural strength of greater than 50% of that of gypsum wallboard of the same size and shape.

6. The wallboard building material of claim 1, further comprising a coupling system integrally formed in said core matrix, said coupling system operating to facilitate coupling of a first wallboard panel to a second wallboard panel, and to at least partially seal said first and second wallboard panels.

7. The wallboard building material of claim 1, wherein the core matrix includes cross-linking.

8. The wallboard building material of claim 1, wherein the core matrix further includes at least one additive selected from the group consisting of water soluble polymers, setting agents, foaming agents, and combinations thereof.

9. The wallboard building material of claim 1, further comprising a reinforcing member disposed within said core matrix, said reinforcing member being configured to reinforce said building material in one or more ways selected from the group consisting of reinforcing against sound transmission, reinforcing against heat transfer, enhancing strength, and any combination of these.

10. The wallboard building material of claim 1, wherein said building material comprises a Sound Transmission Class (STC) rating between 35 and 65.

11. The wallboard building material of claim 1, wherein said building material comprises a decibel noise reduction value between 55 and 65 dB at 3000 Hz, for a ½

inch thick wallboard.

12. The wallboard building material of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of cavities strategically formed throughout said core matrix.

13. The wallboard utility material of claim 1, wherein the microspheres contain an insulating gas.

14. The wallboard building material of claim 1, wherein the organic binder is vinyl acetate.

15. A method for manufacturing a wallboard building material of claim 1, comprising:

forming the core matrix of claim 1 by mixing together the microspheres, the organic binder, and the sodium silicate;

sandwiching the core matrix between the first facing membrane and the second facing membrane; and

heat curing the formable composition sufficient to form the core matrix, the first and second facing membranes being configured to adhere to the core matrix.

16. A method for manufacturing a wallboard building material comprising:

combining from about 25 wt % to about 60 wt % of a plurality of microspheres based on wet formulation with from about 20 wt % to about 36 wt % of a sodium silicate binder and from about 5 wt % to about 15 wt % of an organic binder organic binder to produce a formable composition, wherein the microspheres are all cenospheres having an outer shell and a hollow interior filled with gas and have a size of from about 100 to about 1500 microns;

disposing the formable composition onto a surface;

sandwiching the formable composition between a first facing membrane and a second facing membrane;

heat curing the formable composition sufficient to form a core matrix such that the microspheres are bonded together by the sodium silicate binder to create a plurality of voids between the microspheres, the first facing membranes and the second facing membrane adhering to the core matrix; and

wherein the first facing membrane and the second membrane are independently selected from the group consisting of paper, metal and metal alloys.

17. The method of claim 16, further forming cross linking in at least a part of the core matrix material.