MULTI-PURPOSE INSULATING MATERIAL AND PRODUCTION METHOD THEREOF

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an insulating material which is used for insulation in structures such as buildings, constructions, and whose sound insulation, thermal conductivity, water vapor permeability and/or mechanical properties are improved, and to a production method of the said insulating material.

Background of the Invention

Insulation has an important role in terms of energy efficiency of buildings/ structures in the construction sector. Energy loss can be minimized thanks to insulation technologies. Insulating materials produced with appropriate methods provide good insulation performance and can therefore be long-lasting, cost-effective, environmentally friendly and healthy, local and sustainable. Within this context, heat and sound insulation is of great importance in terms of ensuring reasonable energy consumption, and adequate comfort and health conditions in dwellings, and the sound insulation, thermal conductivity, water vapor permeability and/or mechanical properties of the insulating material are highly important.

In the state-of-the-art, the most used insulating materials against four different external factors such as heat, sound, water and fire are glass and rock wool, expanded or extended polystyrene, polyurethane foams and bitumen derivatives. The materials used for sound and heat insulation are applied in 30-200 mm thick wall-mounted form or in the form of spraying. Especially rock and glass wool are applied in thicknesses of more than 3 centimeters to increase heat insulation, but their mechanical resistance weakens in thicknesses of more than 3 centimeters. In addition, rock and glass wool materials with a thickness of more than 3 centimeters have no effect on water insulation. Polystyrene foams, which are used as insulating materials in the state-of-the-art, are effective in heat insulation, but they do not provide water insulation and likewise do not function in sound insulation. Moreover, the fire resistance of foam materials provided by these synthetic polymers is not in group A. In addition, chemicals which are very dangerous to human health, such as hydrogen cyanide, are released during combustion in polyurethane foams. As can be seen, the most used insulating materials have different application types, but they are sufficient against one or two different factors such as sound insulation, thermal conductivity, water vapor permeability and/or mechanical properties, and are insufficient against other factors. In addition, mechanical properties also have individual properties in terms of human and environmental health.

Also, the materials used for insulation, mentioned above, cause many drawbacks during use. The main drawbacks are that they are difficult to use in winter, the end products cause problems in terms of durability, they have low strength, it is easy for adverse health factors such as fungi and bacteria to grow, and they are low quality end products.

The application numbered JP11343681 in the state-of-the-art relates to an open-cell polyurethane foam insulating material used for insulating walls of buildings and the like, preventing condensation and the like, and a method for producing the same. The said application discloses an insulating material in the form of a foam comprising open-cell polyurethane foam having a closed cell ratio of 10% or less.

Summary of the Invention

The objective of the present invention is to provide a novel material which is used for insulation in structures such as buildings, constructions, and which can meet at least 3 different insulation factors such as sound insulation, thermal conductivity, water vapor permeability and/or adequate mechanical properties, and a production method of this material.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a fabric or fiber insulating material, which is environment and human friendly, whose performance is not affected by temperature, which is durable and flexible even at very low temperatures, scratch and tear resistant, and has high strength, and a production method of this material.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The insulating material developed to fulfill the objectives of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying figures, in which:

Figure 1. is a front view of the insulating material of the present invention in the form of a silicone-coated fiber.

Figure 2. is a front view of the insulating material of the present invention in the form of a silicon-coated fabric.

The parts in the figures are individually numbered and their equivalents are given below.

1. Insulating material

2. Fiber

3. Fabric

4. Silicone foam

5. Pore

An insulating material (1), which is used for insulation in structures such as buildings, constructions, and whose sound insulation, thermal conductivity, water vapor permeability and/or mechanical properties are improved, comprises: - at least one fiber (2) or fabric material (3), and

- silicone foam (4), which is coated on fiber or fabric material and comprises silanol (Momentive RTF7000A chemical), crosslinker Momentive SS4300c chemical and silica filler (Evonik Aerosil 300 hydrophilic fumed silica).

The insulating material (1) of the present invention consists of silicone foam (4) coated on a fabric (3) or silicone foam (4) coated on a fiber (2). Silicone foam (4) comprises Momentive RTF7000A chemical (silanol), Momentive SS4300c chemical and silica filler (Evonik Aerosil 300 hydrophilic fumed silica). The said fabric (3) can be nylon and polyester, and kratos fibers can be utilized in the fiber (2) and the fiber (2) or fabric (3) coated with silicone foam (4) is mechanically reinforced. Furthermore, the insulating material (1) with silicone foam (4) provides good thermal insulation and self-extinguishes after flaming for a maximum of 3 seconds. Since the water vapor permeability of silicone foams (4) is high, the water vapor permeability of the insulating material (1) is also high. In addition, since the sound absorption coefficients of silicone foam (4) are below 0.7 between 200-1200 Hz, the material (1) has high sound insulation properties. Silicone foams (4) are materials that are light, resistant to temperature, resistant to ozone and UV, elastic, difficult to burn, hardly flammable, moisture/water repellent, adhesive; they are not affected by aging, and their hardness can be adjusted as desired. Due to its innate structure, silicone foam (4) is a material with low temperature conductivity and low sound permeability. In addition to the above-mentioned properties, an insulating material which is human and environment friendly, whose performance is not affected by temperature, which is durable and flexible even at very low temperatures, scratch and tear resistant, and has high strength has been formed with fabric or fibers coated with silicone foam (4). Even though methanol was used as a gasifying agent in the production of silicone foam (4) used in the insulating material (1), in the end-product, methanol is not present in the silicone foam (4) due to its volatile properties. The insulating material (1) of the present invention has a structure in which there is a fiber or fabric in silicone polymers and the silica chemical used is bound to the polymer structure.

The production method of the insulating material, which is used for insulation in structures such as buildings, constructions, and whose sound insulation, thermal conductivity, water vapor permeability and/or mechanical properties are improved, comprises the following process steps:

- adding momentive silanol (RTF7000A chemical) for the main mixture, crosslinking silane (Momentive SS4300c chemical), silica filler (Evonik Aerosil 300 hydrophilic fumed silica) and methanol as gasifying agent and forming the mixture,

- pouring the chemical materials forming silicone foam onto a thermoplastic fabric,

- while it is in viscous state, placing a second layer of thermoplastic fabric thereon,

- keeping it at room temperature for curing reactions.

The production method of the insulating material, which is used for insulation in structures such as buildings, constructions, and whose sound insulation, thermal conductivity, water vapor permeability and/or mechanical properties are improved, comprises the following process steps:

- forming a mixture for silicone foam by adding silanol, a crosslinking chemical, a filler, and a gasifying agent,

- adding fiber-containing material into silicone foam,

- stirring it before foaming begins and spreading into the pre-prepared mold,

- keeping it for curing. In an embodiment of the invention, the material comprising fiber is nylon, polyester fabric or KratosTM.

In the process of forming silicone foam of the present invention, first the main mixture base-Momentive RTF7000A chemical (silanol), then the crosslinker Momentive SS4300c chemical, silica filler (Evonik Aerosil 300 hydrophilic fumed silica) and finally methanol as gasifying agent were added. It was stirred in a plastic container to form a homogeneous mixture, preferably for 1 minute (30 seconds to 2 minutes). Immediately after the stirring process, the foam mixture was left in a free state and within approximately 3-5 minutes, the foam formed due to curing and outgassing in the form of bubbles was observed. The cured foam, which became solid, was kept for 2 days in room conditions at 22 degrees Celsius in a free state to ensure that the curing was completely finished.

In an embodiment of the invention, a mixture comprising silane as crosslinker and Pt catalyst is used.

In an embodiment of the invention, the momentive SS4300c chemical, which is added as a crosslinker, is added to the mixture at a ratio of 0.1% to 10% (20/1.5 g/g). In another embodiment of the invention, momentive silanol in a ratio of 7.5% is added to the mixture.

In an embodiment of the invention, the silica filler (Evonik Aerosil 300 hydrophilic fumed silica) is added to the mixture at a ratio of 0.1% to 5% (20/ 0.5 g). In another embodiment of the invention, silica filler in a ratio of 1% is added to the mixture.

In an embodiment of the invention, methanol is added to the mixture as a gasifying agent at a ratio of 0.1% to 20% (20/2 g). In another embodiment of the invention, methanol in a ratio of 10% is added to the mixture. In an embodiment of the invention, an HTV high temperature curing process is applied for the curing process. In the HTV method, high-temperature activated peroxide-type chemicals are used as reaction initiators and cross-linking reactions continue through the formation of Si-C-C bonds.

In an embodiment of the invention, RTV curing at room temperature is applied for the curing process. In the RTV method, the hydrosilylation reaction is used. (Figure 1)

Gasification:

Figure 1 : Reactions that take place in the RTV process

In this reaction, silanes and vinylsilanes perform a cross-linking reaction by forming Si-C bonds, conventionally in the presence of Pt or Sn catalysts. In the RTV process, the condensation reactions of silanes and silanols are also utilized. In these reactions, silanols and silanes react and hydrogen gas is released as a gasifier. Furthermore, another reaction that utilizes silanes is the Piers-Rubinsztajn (PR) reaction in which the strong Lewis acid B(C6F5)3 (BCF) is used (Figure 2). In this method, which is used to produce polysiloxane at room temperature, it is necessary to provide anhydrous/dry environment with organic solvents while BCF, a heavy metal-free catalyst, is used.

Figure 2: An example of a Piers-Rubinsztajn reaction

Production method of insulating material (Silicone coated fabric): The chemical materials forming silicone foam which are taken into a suitable mold are poured onto thermoplastic fabric (Polyester or nylon 6,6). While it is in viscous state, a second layer of thermoplastic fabric is placed thereon. While in this state, it is observed that the mixture forms foam on its own. The curing reactions are allowed to be completed for 48 hours at room temperature.

Production method of insulating material (Silicone coated fiber):

The chemicals forming silicone foam are mixed respectively in a container and microKRatos of 6 mm and 12 mm lengths are added. It is stirred before foaming begins and spread into the pre-prepared mold. While in this state, it is observed that the mixture forms foam on its own. The curing reactions are allowed to be completed for 48 hours at room temperature.