Natural fiber coated artificial turf infill

Abstract

The method includes providing a base composition including a natural fiber, at least one first type of pigment, and a fluid binding agent. The fluid binding agent includes at least one type of polymer component. The natural fiber includes any one of hemp fiber, burlap fiber, sisal fiber, elephant grass, cotton, coconut fiber, and combinations thereof. The method further includes mixing the base composition. The method further includes adding water and a catalyst to the base composition during the mixing of the base composition to cure the fluid binding agent and the at least one first type of pigment into a base coating of the natural fiber.

1 . A method of manufacturing artificial turf infill ( 202 ,  202 ′,  202 ″), wherein the method comprises:
 providing ( 800 ) a base composition comprising a natural fiber ( 500 ), at least one first type of of pigment, and a fluid binding agent, wherein the fluid binding agent comprises at least one type of polymer component, wherein the natural fiber comprises any one of the following: hemp fiber, burlap fiber, sisal fiber, elephant grass, cotton, coconut fiber, and combinations thereof; 
 mixing ( 802 ) the base composition; 
 adding ( 804 ) water and a catalyst to the base composition during the mixing of the base composition to cure the fluid binding agent and the at least one first type of of pigment into a base coating ( 502 ) of the natural fiber. 
 
     
     
         2 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of  claim 1 , wherein the natural fiber consists of any one of the following: hemp fiber, burlap fiber, sisal fiber, elephant grass, cotton, coconut fiber, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 providing ( 900 ) a subsequent composition comprising the natural fiber with the base coating, a at least one second type of of pigment, and the fluid binding agent;   mixing ( 902 ) the subsequent composition;   adding ( 904 ) water and the catalyst to the subsequent composition during the mixing of the subsequent composition to cure the fluid binding agent and the at least one second type of of pigment into a subsequent coating of the natural fiber; an   providing ( 906 ) the natural fiber with the subsequent coating as artificial turf infill ( 202 ′).   
     
     
         4 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of  claim 3 , wherein any one of the following:
 the at least one first type of of pigment is identical with the at least one second type of of pigment, and   the at least one first type of of pigment is a different color from the at least one second type of of pigment.   
     
     
         5 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of  claim 3  or  4 , wherein the natural fiber with the base coating and the subsequent coating is re-coated at least one time by performing the following sequence:
 providing ( 1000 ) a subsequent composition ( 1222 ) by adding at least one additive and the fluid binding agent to the natural fiber; 
 mixing ( 1002 ) the subsequent composition; and 
 adding ( 1004 ) water and the catalyst to the subsequent composition during the mixing of the subsequent composition to cure the fluid binding agent and the at least one additive into a further coating, wherein the natural fiber with the further coating is provided as the artificial turf infill ( 202 ″). 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one additive further comprises any one of the following: the at least one first type of pigment, the at least one second type of pigment, a flame retardant, aluminum trihydrate, magnesium hydroxide, an intumescent component, ammonium polyphosphate, exfoliated graphite, methylcellulose, zeolite, an antibacterial agent, silver, chitosan, an IR reflective pigment, a hindered amine light stabilizer, an anti-freeze additive, a de-icing additive, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium formate, potassium formate, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the natural fiber comprises fibers less than 5 mm long, more preferably less than 1.5 mm long. 
     
     
         8 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one first type of pigment and/or the at least one second type of pigment comprises any one of the following: an inorganic pigment, an organic pigment, iron oxide, copper phthalo green complex, Chromium(III) oxide, a Copper Phthalocyanine pigment, a nickel azopigment, titanium oxide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the polymer component comprises any one of the following: at least one type of monomer, at least one type of partially polymerized polymer, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the polymer component is cured into at least one type of polyurethane by the water and catalyst. 
     
     
         11 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fluid binding agent comprises a liquid polyurethane component. 
     
     
         12 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of  claim 11 , wherein the liquid polyurethane component comprises an NCO terminal polymer, which may comprise a pre-polymer, a polymeric isocyanate, an oligomeric isocyanate, a monomer, and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of  claim 11  or  12 , wherein the liquid polyurethane component comprises an aromatic diisocyanate of the group of toluene diisocyanate and/or 2,2′-Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate and/or 2,4′-Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate and/or 4,4′-Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate. 
     
     
         14 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of  claim 11 ,  12 , or  13 , wherein the liquid polyurethane component comprises an aliphatic diisocyanate of the group hexamethylene diisocyanate, isophorone diisocyanate, and/or 1,4-cyclohexyldiisocyanate. 
     
     
         15 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of any one of  claims 11  through  14 , wherein the liquid polyurethane component comprises an methylene diphenyldiisocyanate isomer mixture. 
     
     
         16 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of any one of  claims 11  through  15 , wherein the liquid polyurethane component comprises a hydroxyl component, wherein the hydroxyl component is selected from the group of polyether polyol or polyester polyol. 
     
     
         17 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of  claim 16 , wherein the hydroxyl component is based on a polyetherpolyol with a molecular weight between 500 and 10000, preferably the molecular weight is between 1500 and 6000, and more preferably the molecular weight is between 2000 and 4000. 
     
     
         18 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the catalyst belongs to any one of the following groups: a secondary amine catalyst, a tertiary amine catalyst, and a metal organic catalyst. 
     
     
         19 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of any  claim 3  through  18  with reference to  claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises drying the subsequent composition before providing the natural fiber as the artificial turf infill. 
     
     
         20 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method is at least partially performed in a flow reactor. 
     
     
         21 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of any one of  claims 1  through  19 , wherein the method is at least partially performed as a batch process. 
     
     
         22 . A method of manufacturing artificial turf ( 200 ), wherein the method further comprises:
 installing ( 300 ) an artificial turf carpet ( 100 ), wherein the artificial turf carpet comprises multiple artificial turf fiber tufts ( 104 ); and   providing ( 302 ) the artificial turf by spreading a layer of artificial turf infill ( 202 ,  202 ′,  202 ″) between the multiple artificial turf fiber tufts, wherein the artificial turf infill comprises natural fiber ( 500 ), wherein the natural fiber comprises any one of the following: hemp fiber, burlap fiber, sisal fiber, elephant grass, cotton, coconut fiber, and combinations thereof, wherein the natural fiber comprises at least one outer coating ( 502 ,  600 ,  700 ), wherein the at least one outer coatings comprise at least one first type of pigment and a binding agent, wherein the binding agent comprises at least one type of polyurethane polymer.   
     
     
         23 . Artificial turf infill ( 202 ,  202 ′,  202 ″), wherein the artificial turf infill comprises natural fiber ( 500 ), wherein the natural fiber comprises any one of the following: hemp fiber, burlap fiber, sisal fiber, elephant grass, cotton, coconut fiber, and combinations thereof, wherein the natural fiber comprises at least one outer coating ( 502 ,  600 ,  700 ), wherein the at least one outer coating comprises at least one first type of pigment and a binding agent, wherein the binding agent comprises at least one type of polyurethane polymer. 
     
     
         24 . The artificial turf infill of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one outer coating comprises openings ( 504 ) that expose the natural fiber. 
     
     
         25 . An artificial turf, wherein the artificial turf comprises:
 an artificial turf carpet ( 100 ), wherein the artificial turf carpet comprises multiple artificial turf fiber tufts ( 104 ); and   the artificial turf infill ( 202 ,  202 ′,  202 ″) according to  claim 23  or  24 .   
     
     
         26 . The artificial turf of  claim 25 , wherein the artificial turf further comprises a sprinkler system ( 400 ). 
     
     
         27 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of any one of  claims 1  through  21 , wherein the base coating comprises first openings ( 504 ) that expose the natural fiber. 
     
     
         28 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of any one of  claims 27  and  3  through  21  with reference to  claim 3 , wherein the subsequent coating comprises second openings ( 504 ) that expose the natural fiber. 
     
     
         29 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of  claims 28  and  27 , wherein a number of the first openings is bigger than a number of the second openings. 
     
     
         30 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of any of  claims 27  through  29 , wherein a portion of the first openings is covered by the subsequent coating. 
     
     
         31 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of any one of  claims 5  through  21  and  27  through  30  with reference to  claim 5 , wherein the further coating comprises third openings ( 504 ) that expose the natural fiber. 
     
     
         32 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of  claims 31  and  29 , wherein the number of the second openings is bigger than a number of the third openings. 
     
     
         33 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of claims any one of  claims 1  through  21  and  27  through  32  with reference to  claims 27  and  3 , wherein a portion of the first openings is covered by the subsequent coating. 
     
     
         34 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of claims any one of  claims 1  through  21  and  27  through  33  with reference to  claims 28  and  5 , wherein a portion of the second openings is covered by the further coating. 
     
     
         35 . The method of manufacturing artificial turf infill of  claims 28  and  31 , wherein a number of the second openings is bigger than a number of the third openings. 
     
     
         36 . The artificial turf infill of  claim 23  or  24 , wherein the at least one outer coating comprises openings ( 504 ) that expose the natural fiber.