Patent GB-1159645-A (GB)
Title: Foamed Decorative Covering Material and Method of Manufacture
IPC: D06N7/00
Filed: 1967-07-05
Abstract: 1,159,645. Decorative sheet material. GAF CORP. 5 July, 1967 [6 July, 1966], No. 31061/67. Heading B2E. Decorative sheet of material having a relief pattern effect is prepared by a process comprising applying to a base sheet first layer of polyvinylchloride resin material having dispersed therein a thermally decomposable foaming agent, two additional coating materials being associated with the first layer, one being a second layer comprising a catalytic agent acting to lower the decomposition temperature of the foaming agent, and the other comprising an agent acting to deactivate the catalytic agent the deactivating agent being applied in spaced pattern areas lying on one face of the layer comprising the catalytic agent and heating the laminate to a temperature sufficient to effect substantial decomposition of the foaming agent in the areas of the first layer intervening between the deactivating pattern areas and so to expand the thickness of the intervening areas as compared with the areas of a first layer in registry with the deactivated pattern areas. The agent for deactivating the catalytic agent may be printed on one of the two layers and lie therebetween or alternatively the catalytic agent may be applied as a coating on the layer containing the foaming agent and the deactivating agent applied on the coating of catalytic agent. A pigment or dye may be introduced either with the catalyst deactivator  or in a composition containing no deactivator. A sealing or prime coat may be applied to one face of the base before applying the further coating and then a transparent top coating may also be applied. The base web may be a foil base such as a mineral fibre web, for example, an asbestos felt or an organic felt and may incorporate saturants of conventional type. As a flexible base sheets may also be paper, cloth, metal foils or sheets or plastics strips or sheet. The prime or seal coat may be made of a synthetic latex such as an acrylic polymer with or without pigments or fillers, such as a copolymer of ethyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate containing clay as filler. The foamable coat may comprise in addition to the polyvinyl chloride, plasticizers such as butyl benzyl phthalate and others which are exemplified as well as pigments such as carbon black and titanium dioxide. A stabilizer 'such as epoxidised soya oil may also be present. Numerous foaming agents are specified such as azodicarbonamide. The catalyst deactivator may be benzotriazole or aminotriazole. Numerous others are specified. It may be applied as a solution type of ink comprising, for example, the copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate or a terpolymer of vinylchloride, vinyl acetate and maleic acid. The catalysts may be zinc or lead salts of organic acids, such as fatty acids, e.g. stearates, palmitates, borates, and other organic acids, such as resinates and naphthanates. The catalysts may be applied with a dispersion type polyvinyl chloride resin. The top coat, which is optional, may comprise polyvinyl chloride which may contain an epoxy dosed soya oil and lead stabilizer.