Abstract: Disclosed is an energy curable coating composition for roll coating, a product, and continuous process of applying the energy curable coating composition to a substrate. The energy curable coating composition has a substantially constant viscosity and includes an energy curable resin having plurality of texturing particles suspended therein. The substantially constant viscosity of the energy curable coating composition remains at least less than about 1500 centipoise at approximately 15° C. to approximately 40° C., during recirculation, in a coating pan, and prior to application using a roll coating apparatus. The plurality of texturing particles provide a predetermined texture to a cured energy coating composition. The continuous process of applying the energy curable coating to a substrate allows the process to continuously operate until the energy curable coating composition is depleted from the container.

Abstract: Described herein is a linoleum flooring product that includes a linoleum substrate and a printed wear layer having decorative indicia. The printed wear layer includes a wear layer and an ink print layer. The linoleum substrate may include a base linoleum layer applied on a backing material and the printed wear layer may be adhesively bonded onto the linoleum substrate.

Abstract: A linoleum flooring product in one embodiment includes a linoleum substrate and a printed wear layer comprising a decorative indicia. The printed wear layer includes a wear layer and an ink print layer. The linoleum substrate may include a base linoleum layer applied on a backing material, and in some embodiments further includes a visual linoleum layer formed on top of the base linoleum layer. The printed wear layer may be adhesively bonded onto the linoleum substrate. In one embodiment, an ultraviolet curable adhesive may be used. A related method for forming the linoleum flooring product is also provided.

Abstract: Described herein are UV curable coating comprising: an acrylate component a photoinitiator, an amine synergist, and an abrasive; along with methods of making and using same.

Abstract: Disclosed is an energy curable coating composition for roll coating, a product, and continuous process of applying the energy curable coating composition to a substrate. The energy curable coating composition has a substantially constant viscosity and includes an energy curable resin having plurality of texturing particles suspended therein. The substantially constant viscosity of the energy curable coating composition remains at least less than about 1500 centipoise at approximately 15° C. to approximately 40° C., during recirculation, in a coating pan, and prior to application using a roll coating apparatus. The plurality of texturing particles provide a predetermined texture to a cured energy coating composition. The continuous process of applying the energy curable coating to a substrate allows the process to continuously operate until the energy curable coating composition is depleted from the container.

Abstract: A process for producing higher molecular weight polyester includes heating a polyester to form a melt, and applying and maintaining a vacuum of between about 5 mm and about 85 mm of mercury to the melt while passing bubbles of gas through the melt until molecular weight has increased. The process may involve esterification of a diacid component and a diol component at elevated temperature. After the acid functional groups have essentially reacted, a vacuum of about 5 mm of mercury or less was applied and excess diol stripped off during transesterification, thereby increasing molecular weight.

Abstract: A radiation curable biobased coating, such as a UV/EB curable biobased coating, for flooring applications includes a biobased component comprising renewable and/or biobased materials. The biobased component is selected from the group consisting of a biobased resin, a biobased polyol acrylate, or a biobased polyol. The biobased component is blended with a coating formula. The coating formula includes at least one initiator. The radiation curable biobased coating contains at least about 5% weight of renewable materials or biobased content.

Abstract: Ultraviolet curable compositions are disclosed that can be applied to achieve a uniform gloss after curing even under conditions of varying ultraviolet intensity during curing, that do not require continuous agitation to keep flattening agents and other additives suspended prior to application of the composition, and/or which do not exhibit a significant increase in viscosity over time in a roll coater application.

Abstract: A floor covering includes a wear layer including a resin and a photoinitiator in which the composition of the wear layer is curable by radiation having the strongest wavelength in the UVV range of 400 to 450 nm. The gloss of the wear layer can be controlled by controlling the amount of flatting agent in the composition applied to the surface, the amount of power applied to the surface coated with the composition or the temperature of the surface coated with the composition when the coated surface is subjected to the UVV radiation.

Abstract: A radiation curable biobased coating, such as a UV/EB curable biobased coating, for flooring applications includes a biobased component comprising renewable and/or biobased materials. The biobased component is selected from the group consisting of a biobased resin, a biobased polyol acrylate, or a biobased polyol. The biobased component is blended with a coating formula. The coating formula includes at least one initiator. The radiation curable biobased coating contains at least about 5% weight of renewable materials or biobased content.

Abstract: The methods for making a coated thin veneer, plank or wood product in which the coated surface does not crack due to instability of the wood involve applying to a veneer, plank or wood product a composition including a hydrophilic polymer and a reactive monomer or a composition including a reactive (meth)acrylate. In one embodiment, the hydrophilic polymer is a polyalkylene glycol, such as polyethylene glycol. The composition also advantageously includes a thermally activated free radical initiator, a photoinitiator or both. The veneer is further laminated into wood product boards that are cut down to planks. In another aspect of the current invention, several solvent based resins are roll coated onto the loose and/or tight side of the thin veneer or unfinished plank wood, dried to remove solvent, and exposed to UV radiation to cure the resinous material by radical initiation of the photoinitiator that leads to polymerization.

Abstract: A process for producing higher molecular weight polyester includes heating a polyester to form a melt, and applying and maintaining a vacuum of between about 5 mm and about 85 mm of mercury to the melt while passing bubbles of gas through the melt until molecular weight has increased. The process may involve esterification of a diacid component and a diol component at elevated temperature. Typically, an excess of diol was employed. After the acid functional groups have essentially reacted, a vacuum of about 5 mm of mercury or less was applied and excess diol stripped off during transesterification, thereby increasing molecular weight.

Abstract: The methods for making a coated thin veneer, plank or wood product in which the coated surface does not crack due to instability of the wood involve applying to a veneer, plank or wood product a composition including a hydrophilic polymer and a reactive monomer or a composition including a reactive (meth)acrylate. In one embodiment, the hydrophilic polymer is a polyalkylene glycol, such as polyethylene glycol. The composition also advantageously includes a thermally activated free radical initiator, a photoinitiator or both. The veneer is further laminated into wood product boards that are cut down to planks. In another aspect of the current invention, several solvent based resins are roll coated onto the loose and/or tight side of the thin veneer or unfinished plank wood, dried to remove solvent, and exposed to UV radiation to cure the resinous material by radical initiation of the photoinitiator that leads to polymerization.

Abstract: The methods for making a coated thin veneer, plank or wood product in which the coated surface does not crack due to instability of the wood involve applying to a veneer, plank or wood product a composition including a hydrophilic polymer and a reactive monomer or a composition including a reactive (meth)acrylate. In one embodiment, the hydrophilic polymer is a polyalkylene glycol, such as polyethylene glycol. The composition also advantageously includes a thermally activated free radical initiator, a photoinitiator or both. The veneer is further laminated into wood product boards that are cut down to planks. In another aspect of the current invention, several solvent based resins are roll coated onto the loose and/or tight side of the thin veneer or unfinished plank wood, dried to remove solvent, and exposed to UV radiation to cure the resinous material by radical initiation of the photoinitiator that leads to polymerization.

Abstract: The invention comprises a composition and method for controlling the gloss of surface covering products through curing of the composition to create a wearlayer surface, and preferably on a floor covering product. The surface covering product preferably is prepared by application of an aromatic polyester acrylate composition including a flatting agent and/or hard particles, and at least one free-radical generating compound to a substrate, and then the coating is partially cured by exposure to low peak irradiance UV light in either ambient or inert air, followed by fully curing the coating with high peak irradiance UV light in preferably an inert atmosphere to form a low gloss abrasion resistant wearlayer surface. Alternatively, a high gloss wearlayer surface is obtained by solely exposing the preferred composition to high peak irradiance UV light in ambient atmosphere. Furthermore, a differential gloss flooring product is obtained by using the present inventive method described herein.

Abstract: The invention comprises a composition and method for controlling the gloss of surface covering products through curing of the composition to create a wearlayer surface, and preferably on a floor covering product. The surface covering product preferably is prepared by application of an aromatic polyester acrylate composition including a flatting agent and/or hard particles, and at least one free-radical generating compound to a substrate, and then the coating is partially cured by exposure to low peak irradiance UV light in either ambient or inert air, followed by fully curing the coating with high peak irradiance UV light in preferably an inert atmosphere to form a low gloss abrasion resistant wearlayer surface. Alternatively, a high gloss wearlayer surface is obtained by solely exposing the preferred composition to high peak irradiance UV light in ambient atmosphere. Furthermore, a differential gloss flooring product is obtained by using the present inventive method described herein.

Abstract: The invention comprises a composition and method for controlling the gloss of surface covering products through curing of the composition to create a wearlayer surface, and preferably on a floor covering product. The surface covering product preferably is prepared by application of an aromatic polyester acrylate composition including a flatting agent and/or hard particles, and at least one free-radical generating compound to a substrate, and then the coating is partially cured by exposure to low peak irradiance UV light in either ambient or inert air, followed by fully curing the coating with high peak irradiance UV light in preferably an inert atmosphere to form a low gloss abrasion resistant wearlayer surface. Alternatively, a high gloss wearlayer surface is obtained by solely exposing the preferred composition to high peak irradiance UV light in ambient atmosphere. Furthermore, a differential gloss flooring product is obtained by using the present inventive method described herein.

Abstract: A transfer sheet is printed with inks containing sublimable dyes. A carpet having face fibers and a backing is prepared. The inked surface of the transfer sheet and the carpet are positioned adjacent the openings on opposite sides of a honeycomb structure. Heated air is applied to the transfer sheet to sublime the dyes in the ink and to transfer the sublimed dyes from the carrier, through the passageways of the honeycomb structure, to the carpet. The fibers of the carpet are thereby dyed.