Insulation having a reduced thermal conductivity

Claim 2

A THERMAL INSULATION BOARD HAVING A REDUCED COEFFICIENT OF THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 0.333 TO ABOUT 0.342 IN THE ABSENCE OF MINERAL FIBERS CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF: A THERMALLY EXPANDED MINERAL AGGREGATE WHEREIN AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID THERMALLY EXPANDED MINERAL AGGREGATE HAS BEEN MILLED AT LEAST ONCE TO REDUCE PARTICLE SIZE, A DEFIBRATED ORGANIC FIBROUS MATERIAL, AND AN OPTIONAL SIZING AGENT OR COMBINATION BINDER-SIZING AGENT.

Claim 3

The thermal insulation board of claim 1 wherein the thermally expanded mineral aggregate is perlite.

Claim 4

The thermal insulation board of claim 1 wherein the binder-size is bituminous.

Claim 5

The thermal insulation board of claim 1 wherein the defibrated organic fibrous material is cellulosic.

Claim 6

The thermal insulation board of claim 1 wherein the density of the milled thermally expanded mineral aggregate ranges from about 2.35 to about 4.64 pounds per cubic foot.

Claim 7

A thermal insulation board having a reduced coefficient of thermal conductivity in the range of about 0.333 to about 0.342 in the absence of mineral fibers consisting essentially of: from about 40 to about 90% expanded mineral aggregate wherein at least a portion of said thermally expanded mineral aggregate has been milled to reduce particle size; from about 10 to about 60% defibrated cellulosic fibrous materials; and from less than 1 to about 15% bituminous binder-size.

Claim 8

A thermal insulation board having a reduced coefficient of thermal conductivity in the range of about 0.333 to about 0.342 in the absence of mineral fibers consisting essentially of: from about 40 to about 90% expanded mineral aggregate wherein at least a portion of said thermally expanded mineral aggregate has been milled to reduce particle size; from about 10 to about 60% defibrated cellulosic fibrous materials; and from less than 1 to about 15% bituminous binder-size.

Claim 9

The thermal insulation board of claim 6 wherein the defibrated cellulosic fibrous material is selected from the group consisting of pulped newsprint, kraft paper pulp, and bagasse and wherein the bituminous binder-size is asphalt.

Claim 10

The thermal insulation board of claim 7 wherein the defibrated cellulosic fibrous material is pulped newsprint.

Claim 11

The thermal insulation board of claim 6 wherein a portion of said thermally expanded mineral aggregate has been milled at least once to reduce the particle size to fall within a range of from about 6 microns to about 295 microns.

Claim 12

The thermal insulation board of claim 9 wherein a major portion of the particle size of the milled perlite falls within a range of from about 38 microns to about 147 microns.

Claim 13

A thermal insulation board having a reduced coefficient of thermal conductivity in the range of about 0.333 to about 0.342 in the absence of mineral fibers consisting essentially of, on a dry basis, from about 65 to about 85% thermally expanded perlite having an initial loose weight density of from about 1.0 to about 5.0 pounds per cubic foot and wherein at least a portion of said thermally expanded perlite has been milled to reduce particle size; from about 15 to about 35% pulped newsprint; and from about 4 to 6% asphalt.

Claim 14

A thermal insulation board having a reduced coefficient of thermal conductivity in the range of about 0.333 to about 0.342 in the absence of mineral fibers consisting essentially of, on a dry basis, from about 65 to about 85% thermally expanded perlite having an initial loose weight density of from about 1.0 to about 5.0 pounds per cubic foot and wherein at least a portion of said thermally expanded perlite has been milled to reduce particle size; from about 15 to about 35% pulped newsprint; and from about 4 to 6% asphalt.