Methods for the manufacture of sheets having a highly inorganically filled organic polymer matrix

A method for manufacturing a sheet having an inorganically filled matrix, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) mixing together water, a water-dispersible organic polymer binder, an aggregate material, and a fibrous material to form an inorganically filled mixture in which the organic polymer binder is substantially solvated in the water, wherein the aggregate material has a concentration in a range from about 40% to about 98% by volume of total solids in the inorganically filled mixture;
• (b) passing the inorganically filled mixture between forming rollers to form a coherent sheet having a thickness;
• and
• (c) evaporating a substantial portion of the water from the sheet to harden the organic polymer binder in less than about 10 minutes after forming the sheet, thereby binding the aggregates to the fibers in the sheet, wherein the sheet has a thickness of about 1 cm or less.

A method for manufacturing a sheet having an inorganically filled matrix, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) mixing together water, a water-dispersible organic polymer binder, an inorganic aggregate material, and a fibrous material in order to form an inorganically filled moldable mixture in which the organic polymer binder is substantially solvated in the water, the inorganic aggregate material having a concentration in a range from about 40% to about 98% by volume of total solids in the mixture, the organic polymer binder having a concentration in a range from about 1% to about 50% by volume of total solids in the mixture, the fibrous material having a concentration in a range from about 0.5% to about 50% by volume of total solids in the mixture, and the water having a concentration in a range from about 5% to about 50% by volume of the mixture;
• (b) passing the organically filled mixture between forming rollers to form a sheet having a desired thickness;
• and
• (c) evaporating a substantial portion of the water from the sheet to harden the organic polymer binder in less than about 10 minutes after forming the sheet, thereby binding the aggregates and fibers in the sheet, wherein the sheet has a thickness in a range from about 0.01 mm to about 1 cm.

A method for manufacturing a sheet having an inorganically filled matrix, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) mixing together water, a water-dispersible organic polymer binder, a nonhydraulically-reactive aggregate filler, and a fibrous material to form an inorganically filled mixture in which the organic polymer binder is substantially solvated in the water, the organic polymer binder and fibrous material having a combined concentration in a range from about 5% to about 60% by volume of total solids in an inorganically filled mixture;
• (b) passing the inorganically filled mixture between forming rollers to form a sheet having a desired thickness;
• and
• (c) evaporating a substantial portion of the water from the sheet to harden the organic polymer binder in less than about 10 minutes after forming the sheet, thereby binding the aggregates and fibers in the sheet, wherein the sheet has a thickness of less than about 1 cm.

A method for manufacturing a sheet having an inorganically filled matrix, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) mixing together water, a water-dispersible organic polymer binder, an inert aggregate material, and a fibrous material to form an inorganically filled mixture in which the organic polymer binder is substantially solvated in the water;
• (b) passing the inorganically filled mixture between forming rollers to form a sheet having a thickness less than about 1 mm;
• and
• (c) evaporating a substantial portion of the water from the sheet to harden the organic polymer binder in less than about 10 minutes after forming the sheet, thereby binding the aggregates and fibers in the sheet.

A method for manufacturing a sheet having an inorganically filled matrix, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) mixing together water, a water-dispersible organic polymer binder, an aggregate material, and a fibrous material to form an inorganically filled moldable mixture in which the organic polymer binder is substantially solvated in the water, the aggregate material having a concentration in a range from about 40% to about 98% by volume of total solids in the inorganically filled mixture;
• (b) passing the inorganically filled moldable mixture between forming rollers to initially form the moldable mixture into a sheet;
• (c) evaporating a substantial portion of the water from the sheet to harden the organic polymer binder in less than about 10 minutes after forming the sheet, thereby binding the aggregates and fibers in the sheet, wherein the sheet has a thickness of less than about 1 cm;
• and
• (d) rolling the sheet obtained from step (c) onto a spool.