Foam insulation board faced with polymer-fibrous sheet composite

Claim 2

A thermally insulating structural laminate comprising a core of rigid plastic foam having two major surfaces, at least one of the major surfaces of the foam being attached to a facer comprising a fibrous sheet having at least one polymeric layer comprising a vinylidene chloride copolymer disposed on the inner surface thereof and interposed between the fibrous sheet and the foam, the oxygen transmission of the facer being a value of less than about 1 cc/100 in 2 -24 hrs-atm sufficient to make the facer substantially impervious to the passage of air and water vapor, and the foam being formed in contact with the polymeric layer.

Claim 3

The structural laminate of claim 1 wherein the other major surface of the rigid plastic foam is attached to a facer selected from the group consisting of a metal sheet, perlite board, gypsum board, fiberboard, asphalt-saturated felt, fiber glass sheet, and asphalt fiber glass sheet.

Claim 4

The structural laminate of claim 1 wherein the fibrous sheet comprises a member selected from the group consisting of a paper sheet, a glass fiber sheet and composites thereof.

Claim 5

The structural laminate of claim 1 wherein the fibrous sheet comprises a paper sheet.

Claim 6

The structural laminate of claim 1 wherein at least one other polymeric layer is present to improve adherence of the facer to the foam.

Claim 7

The structural laminate of claim 1 wherein the surface of the vinylidene chloride copolymer contacts the foam and has carboxyl groups to increase adhesion of the facer to the foam.

Claim 8

The structural laminate of claim 1 comprising a core of rigid plastic foam having two major surfaces and a facer on each of the major surfaces, each facer comprising a fibrous sheet having at least one layer of a vinylidene chloride copolymer disposed on the inner surface thereof and interposed between the fibrous sheet and the foam, the oxygen transmission of each facer being a value of less than about 1 cc/100 in 2 -24 hrs-atm sufficient to make the facer substantially impervious to the passage of air and water vapor.

Claim 9

The structural laminate of claim 7 wherein at least one other polymeric layer is present to improve adherence of each facer to the foam.

Claim 10

The structural laminate of claim 7 wherein the fibrous sheets may be the same or different and comprise a member selected from the group consisting of a paper sheet, a glass fiber sheet and composites thereof.

Claim 11

The structural laminate of claim 9 wherein the rigid plastic foam is a member selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyisocyanurate, phenolic, rubber, polyvinyl chloride, urea-aldehyde, melamine-aldehyde, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, cellulose acetate, epoxy, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer and silicone foams.

Claim 12

The structural laminate of claim 10 wherein the oxygen transmission value of each facer is less than about 0.3 cc/100 in 2 -24 hrs-atm.

Claim 13

The structural laminate of claim 10 wherein the rigid plastic foam is reinforced by glass fibers.

Claim 14

The structural laminate of claim 10 wherein the outer surface of each fibrous sheet is coated with a protective coating containing a flame retardant.

Claim 15

The structural laminate of claim 10 wherein two polymeric layers are interposed between each fibrous sheet and the adjacent foam surface, the first polymeric layer comprising a first vinylidene chloride copolymer disposed on the fibrous sheet surface and the second polymeric layer being interposed between the first polymeric layer and foam and comprising a second vinylidene chloride copolymer having a higher oxygen transmission value than the first vinylidene chloride copolymer.

Claim 16

The structural laminate of claim 14 wherein the surface of the second vinylidene chloride copolymer contacts the foam and has carboxyl groups to increase adhesion of the facer to the foam.

Claim 17

The structural laminate of claim 7 wherein each fibrous sheet comprises a paper sheet.

Claim 18

The structural laminate of claim 16 wherein the rigid plastic foam is a member selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyisocyanurate, phenolic, rubber, polyvinyl chloride, urea-aldehyde, melamine-aldehyde, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, cellulose acetate, epoxy, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer and silicone foams.

Claim 19

The structural laminate of claim 17 wherein the rigid plastic foam is reinforced by glass fibers.

Claim 20

The structural laminate of claim 17 wherein the oxygen transmission of each facer is less than about 0.3 cc/100 in 2 -24 hrs-atm.

Claim 21

The structural laminate of claim 19 wherein at least one other polymeric layer is present to improve adherence of each facer to the foam.

Claim 22

The structural laminate of claim 19 wherein the surface of the vinylidene chloride copolymer contacts the foam and has carboxyl groups to increase adhesion of the facer to the foam.

Claim 23

The structural laminate of claim 17 wherein the outer surface of each paper sheet is coated with a protective coating containing a flame retardant.

Claim 24

The structural laminate of claim 22 wherein at least one other polymeric layer is present to improve adherence of each facer to the foam.

Claim 25

The structural laminate of claim 22 wherein the surface of the vinylidene chloride copolymer contacts the foam and has carboxyl groups to increase adhesion of the facer to the foam.

Claim 26

The structural laminate of claim 17 wherein two polymeric layers are interposed between each paper sheet and the adjacent foam surface, the first polymeric layer comprising a first vinylidene chloride copolymer disposed on the paper sheet surface and the second polymeric layer being interposed between the first polymeric layer and foam and comprising a second vinylidene chloride copolymer having a higher oxygen transmission value than the first vinylidene chloride copolymer.

Claim 27

The structural laminate of claim 25 wherein the rigid plastic foam is a polyisocyanurate foam.

Claim 28

The structural laminate of claim 25 wherein the surface of the second vinylidene chloride copolymer contacts the foam and has carboxyl groups to increase adhesion of the facer to the foam.

Claim 29

The structural laminate of claim 25 wherein the rigid plastic foam is a member selected from the group consisting of polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams.

Claim 30

The structural laminate of claim 28 wherein the surface of the second vinylidene chloride copolymer contacts the foam and has carboxyl groups to increase adhesion of the facer to the foam.

Claim 31

The structural laminate of claim 29 wherein the outer surface of each paper sheet is coated with a protective coating containing a flame retardant.

Claim 32

The structural laminate of claim 25 wherein the rigid plastic foam is a polyisocyanurate foam comprising the reaction product of a polymethylene polyphenylisocyanate, an aromatic polyester polyol, a fluorocarbon blowing agent and a trimerization catalyst.

Claim 33

The structural laminate of claim 31 wherein each paper sheet comprises kraft paper weighing 50 to 150 lbs./3000 ft. 2 , and coated with 5 to 20 lbs./3000 vinylidene chloride copolymers.

Claim 34

A process for continuously producing a thermally insulating structural laminate comprising a rigid plastic foam core having two major surfaces and a facing material on at least one of the major surfaces, the method comprising: (a) conveying a lower facing material along a production line; (b) applying a foam-forming mixture to the lower facing material; (c) optionally supplying an upper facing material over the applied foam-forming mixture, at least one facing material comprising a fibrous sheet having at least one polymeric layer comprising a vinylidene chloride copolymer disposed on one surface thereof, the oxygen transmission of the facing material being a value of less than about 1 cc/100 in 2 -24 hrs-atm sufficient to make the facing material substantially impervious to the passage of air and water vapor, and the fibrous sheet being positioned so that the polymeric layer is brought into contact with the foam-forming mixture; and (d) foaming and thermally curing the foam-forming mixture.

Claim 35

A process for continuously producing a thermally insulating structural laminate comprising a rigid plastic foam core having two major surfaces and a facing material on at least one of the major surfaces, the method comprising: (a) conveying a lower facing material along a production line; (b) applying a foam-forming mixture to the lower facing material; (c) optionally supplying an upper facing material over the applied foam-forming mixture, at least one facing material comprising a fibrous sheet having at least one polymeric layer comprising a vinylidene chloride copolymer disposed on one surface thereof, the oxygen transmission of the facing material being a value of less than about 1 cc/100 in 2 -24 hrs-atm sufficient to make the facing material substantially impervious to the passage of air and water vapor, and the fibrous sheet being positioned so that the polymeric layer is brought into contact with the foam-forming mixture; and (d) foaming and thermally curing the foam-forming mixture.

Claim 36

The process of claim 33 wherein the thermal curing is carried out at a temperature from about 150° F. to 250° F.

Claim 37

The process of claim 33 wherein an upper facing material is supplied over the applied foam-forming mixture and both the upper and lower facing materials comprise a fibrous sheet having at least one polymeric layer comprising a vinylidene chloride copolymer disposed on one surface thereof, the oxygen transmission of each facing material being a value of less than about 1 cc/100 in 2 -24 hrs-atm sufficient to make the facing materials substantially impervious to the passage of air and water vapor, and each facing material being positioned so that the polymeric layer is brought into contact with the foam-forming mixture.

Claim 38

The process of claim 35 wherein the fibrous sheets may be the same or different and comprise a member selected from the group consisting of a paper sheet, a glass fiber sheet and composites thereof.

Claim 39

The process of claim 36 wherein each fibrous sheet comprises a paper sheet.

Claim 40

The process of claim 37 wherein the foam-forming mixture comprises a mixture for forming a rigid polymer foam selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyisocyanurate, phenolic, rubber, polyvinyl chloride, urea-aldehyde, melamine-aldehyde, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, cellulose acetate, epoxy, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer and silicone foams.

Claim 41

The process of claim 38 wherein the surface of the vinylidene chloride copolymer of each paper sheet is brought into contact with the foam-forming mixture and contains carboxyl groups for improved adhesion of the paper sheet to the rigid foams.

Claim 42

The process of claim 38 wherein two polymeric layers are disposed on each paper sheet, the first polymeric layer comprising a first vinylidene chloride copolymer disposed on the paper sheet surface and the second polymeric layer being disposed on the first polymeric layer and comprising a second vinylidene chloride copolymer having a higher oxygen transmission value than the first vinylidene chloride copolymer and containing carboxyl groups for improved adhesion of the paper sheet to the rigid foam, and each facing material being positioned so that the second polymeric layer is brought into contact with the foam-forming mixture.

Claim 43

The process of claim 40 wherein the foam-forming mixture comprises a mixture for forming a polyisocyanurate foam.

Claim 44

The process of claim 41 wherein each paper sheet comprises kraft paper weighing 50 to 150 lbs./3000 ft. 2 , and coated with 5 to 20 lbs./3000 ft. 2 of vinylidene chloride copolymers.

Claim 45

The process of claim 42 wherein the outer surface of each paper sheet is coated with a protective coating containing a flame retardant.

Claim 46

The process of claim 43 wherein, before step (b), a mat of reinforcing glass fibers is introduced above the lower facing material so that the foam-forming mixture is applied to the mat of glass fibers and a sandwich is formed of the upper and lower facing materials with the foam-forming mixture and reinforcing fibers therebetween.