Colorized rubber and method of making same
OwnerGerald P. Coffeyinventor
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to colorized rubber and methods of coloring the same, particularly vulcanized rubber, and rubber particles. The present invention is more particularly directed to colorized vulcanized rubber particles having improved color durability. The present invention is also directed to utilization of the colorized rubber as synthetic mulch. In the compositions and methods of the present invention, it is preferable that aqueous organic or inorganic pigment dispersions are mixed with vulcanized rubber particles to color coat the rubber particles. Preferably an emulsion polymer is added to the color coated particles to encapsulate the particles. The resulting colored vulcanized rubber particles exhibit improved color stability and color abrasion resistance.
Claims20
A surface material comprising:
- vulcanized rubber particles;
- a color coating covering said vulcanized rubber particles;
- and
- a polymer coating covering said color coating to thereby form abrasion resistant surface material.
A method of preparing colored rubber particles comprising:
- mixing vulcanized rubber particles with an aqueous pigment dispersion to color coat said rubber particles thereby forming color coated rubber particles;
- and
- adding an emulsion polymer to said color coated rubber particles to form a protective film around said color coated rubber particles.
A method of converting vulcanized rubber into surface covering material comprising:
- mixing rubber particles with an aqueous pigment dispersion to form mixture;
- stirring said mixture to color coat said rubber particles thereby forming color coated rubber particles;
- and
- adding an aqueous polymer dispersion to said color coated rubber particles to encapsulate said color coated rubber particles and form a protective film around said color coated rubber particles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.