Installation of Floorcovering Article on Chemically Abated Flooring Surface and Composite Article

Abstract

The present invention relates to the installation of floorcovering articles on chemically abated flooring surfaces and the composite article resulting therefrom. More specifically, the invention relates to a process for chemical removal of mastic, putty and/or paste material from a flooring surface. The process includes applying abatement chemical to the mastic material on the flooring surface to soften the mastic material and cause it to physically separate and release from the flooring surface, removal of the mastic material and abatement chemical, and the subsequent application of a barrier coating to the flooring surface. The barrier coating reduces and/or eliminates the migration of residual abatement chemicals into floorcovering articles thereinafter installed on the chemically abated flooring surface. The resulting composite article is comprised of a chemically abated flooring surface containing pores, at least one abatement chemical in said pores, a polymer-containing barrier material, and a floorcovering article.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composite article comprising:
 (a) A chemically abated flooring surface, wherein the flooring surface contains a plurality of pores,   (b) At least one abatement chemical, wherein the at least one abatement chemical is present in at least a portion of the plurality of pores,   (c) A polymer-containing barrier material, and   (d) A floorcovering article.   
     
     
         2 . The composite article of  claim 1 , wherein the chemically abated flooring surface is concrete. 
     
     
         3 . The composite article of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one abatement chemical is selected from petroleum-based chemicals, natural-based chemicals, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The composite article of  claim 3 , wherein petroleum-based abatement chemicals are selected from the group consisting of mineral spirits, glycol ethers, alcohols, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The composite article of  claim 3 , wherein petroleum-based abatement chemicals are selected from the group consisting of diethylene glycol butyl ether, hydrotreated light petroleum distillates, aminoethanol, 2-butoxyethanol, 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol, methylene chloride, methanol, toluene, monoethanolamine, 1,2-dimethyl-4-ethylbenzene, 1,2,3,5-tertramethylbenzene, 1,2,4,5-tetramethylbenzene, 1,3-dimethyl-4-ethylbenzene, 1,3-dimethyl-5-ethylbenzene, 1,4-dimethyl-2-ethylbenzene, 1-methyl-3-propylbenzene, naphthalene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, 3-ethyltoluene, mesitylene, 2-ethyltoluene, 4-ethyltoluene, 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene, propylbenzene, o-xylene, ethoxylated nonylphenol, 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol, alcohol alkoxylates, benzenemethanol, diethylene glycol monobutyl ether acetate, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, 2-(2-aminoethoxy) ethanol, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The composite article of  claim 3 , wherein natural-based abatement chemicals are selected from the group consisting of soy-containing materials, citrus-containing materials, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The composite article of  claim 6 , wherein soy-containing materials are selected from soybean oils. 
     
     
         8 . The composite article of  claim 7 , wherein soybean oils are alkyl esters of soybean oil. 
     
     
         9 . The composite article of  claim 8 , wherein alkyl esters of soybean oil are methyl esters of soybean oil. 
     
     
         10 . The composite article of  claim 6 , wherein citrus-containing materials are citrus oils. 
     
     
         11 . The composite article of  claim 10 , wherein citrus oils include D-limonene. 
     
     
         12 . The composite article of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer-containing barrier material is selected from the group consisting of acrylic material, epoxy-based material, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The composite article of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer-containing barrier material further includes at least one pigment. 
     
     
         14 . The composite article of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one pigment is selected from the group consisting of organic pigment, inorganic pigment, extender pigment, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The composite article of  claim 14 , wherein the extender pigment is selected from the group consisting of kaolin, clay, silicate, silica, calcium carbonate, talc, zinc oxide, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The composite article of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one pigment is a kaolin-based material. 
     
     
         17 . The composite article of  claim 16 , wherein the kaolin-based material is layered silicate. 
     
     
         18 . The composite article of  claim 1 , wherein the composite article further includes at least one adhesive material. 
     
     
         19 . The composite article of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one adhesive material is selected from the group consisting of hot melt adhesives, pressure sensitive adhesives, polyvinyl chloride, acrylic/pvc copolymer, partially chlorinated acrylic polymer, bitumen materials, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The composite article of  claim 1 , wherein the chemically abated flooring surface is substantially free from mastic material. 
     
     
         21 . The composite article of  claim 1 , wherein the floorcovering article further contains at least one adhesive material. 
     
     
         22 . The composite article of  claim 1 , wherein the floorcovering article is selected from the group consisting of rugs, mats, broadloom carpet, modular carpet, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The composite article of  claim 22 , wherein the floorcovering article is modular carpet. 
     
     
         24 . The composite article of  claim 23 , wherein the modular carpet is carpet tile. 
     
     
         25 . A process for installing a floorcovering article on a chemically abated flooring surface comprising the steps of:
 (a) Providing a chemically abated flooring surface;   (b) Applying a polymer-containing barrier material to at least a portion of the chemically abated flooring surface to form a chemically abated flooring surface containing a barrier coating thereon; and   (c) Applying a floorcovering article to the barrier-containing, chemically abated flooring surface.   
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 25 , wherein the chemically abated flooring surface is concrete. 
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 25 , wherein the polymer-containing barrier material is selected from the group consisting of acrylic material, epoxy-based material, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 25 , wherein the polymer-containing barrier material further includes at least one pigment. 
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one pigment is a kaolin-based material. 
     
     
         30 . The process of  claim 29 , wherein the kaolin-based material is layered silicate. 
     
     
         31 . The process of  claim 25 , wherein the process further includes the step of applying at least one adhesive material to the chemically abated flooring surface having the barrier coating thereon to form an adhesive-containing, chemically abated flooring surface 
     
     
         32 . The process of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one adhesive material is selected from the group consisting of hot melt adhesives, pressure sensitive adhesives, polyvinyl chloride, acrylic/pvc copolymer, partially chlorinated acrylic polymer, bitumen materials, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         33 . The process of  claim 25 , wherein the chemically abated flooring surface is substantially free from mastic material. 
     
     
         34 . The process of  claim 25 , wherein the floorcovering article contains an adhesive material for contact with the flooring surface. 
     
     
         35 . The process of  claim 25 , wherein the floorcovering article is selected from the group consisting of rugs, mats, broadloom carpet, modular carpet, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         36 . The process of  claim 35 , wherein the floorcovering article is modular carpet. 
     
     
         37 . The process of  claim 36 , wherein the modular carpet is carpet tile. 
     
     
         38 . A process for installing a floorcovering article on a chemically abated flooring surface comprising the steps of:
 (a) Providing a flooring surface having a mastic material thereon;   (b) Applying at least one petroleum-based or natural-based abatement chemical to the mastic material on the flooring surface;   (c) Agitating the at least one abatement chemical into and/or onto the mastic material of the flooring surface to form a chemically treated pre-abatement flooring surface;   (d) Optionally, allowing the chemically treated pre-abatement flooring surface to rest/soak for a period of time;   (e) Removing at least a portion of the mastic material and the at least one abatement chemical from the flooring surface to form a chemically abated flooring surface;   (f) Applying a polymer-containing barrier material to at least a portion of the chemically abated flooring surface to form a chemically abated flooring surface containing a barrier coating thereon;   (g) Applying at least one adhesive material to the chemically abated flooring surface having the barrier coating thereon to form an adhesive-containing, chemically abated flooring surface; and   (h) Applying a floorcovering article to the adhesive-containing, chemically abated flooring surface.   
     
     
         39 . The process of  claim 38 , wherein the flooring surface is concrete. 
     
     
         40 . The process of  claim 38 , wherein the at least one petroleum-based abatement chemical is selected from the group consisting of mineral spirits, glycol ethers, alcohols, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         41 . The process of  claim 38 , wherein the at least one petroleum-based abatement chemical is selected from the group consisting of diethylene glycol butyl ether, hydrotreated light petroleum distillates, aminoethanol, 2-butoxyethanol, 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol, methylene chloride, methanol, toluene, monoethanolamine, 1,2-dimethyl-4-ethyl benzene, 1,2,3,5-tertramethylbenzene, 1,2,4,5-tetramethylbenzene, 1,3-dimethyl-4-ethylbenzene, 1,3-dimethyl-5-ethylbenzene, 1,4-dimethyl-2-ethylbenzene, 1-methyl-3-propylbenzene, naphthalene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, 3-ethyltoluene, mesitylene, 2-ethyltoluene, 4-ethyltoluene, 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene, propylbenzene, o-xylene, ethoxylated nonylphenol, 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol, alcohol alkoxylates, benzenemethanol, diethylene glycol monobutyl ether acetate, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, 2-(2-aminoethoxy) ethanol, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         42 . The process of  claim 38 , wherein the at least one natural-based abatement chemical is selected from the group consisting of soy-containing materials, citrus-containing materials, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         43 . The process of  claim 42 , wherein soy-containing materials are selected from soybean oils. 
     
     
         44 . The process of  claim 43 , wherein soybean oils are alkyl esters of soybean oil. 
     
     
         45 . The process of  claim 44 , wherein alkyl esters of soybean oil are methyl esters of soybean oil. 
     
     
         46 . The process of  claim 42 , wherein citrus-containing materials are citrus oils. 
     
     
         47 . The process of  claim 46 , wherein citrus oils include D-limonene. 
     
     
         48 . The process of  claim 38 , wherein the chemically treated pre-abatement flooring surface is allowed to rest and/or soak for a period of about 0.25 hours to about 4 hours. 
     
     
         49 . The process of  claim 38 , wherein the step of removing is accomplished via at least one of the following methods: application of and subsequent removal of dry absorbent material, application of and subsequent removal of dry enzyme absorbent material, and application of and subsequent removal of soap and/or surfactant and water. 
     
     
         50 . The process of  claim 49 , wherein the soap and/or surfactant further includes an enzyme. 
     
     
         51 . The process of  claim 50 , wherein the enzyme is a water-based enzyme. 
     
     
         52 . The process of  claim 38 , wherein the polymer-containing barrier material is selected from the group consisting of acrylic materials, epoxy-based materials, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         53 . The process of  claim 38 , wherein the polymer-containing barrier material further includes at least one pigment. 
     
     
         54 . The process of  claim 53 , wherein the at least one pigment is a kaolin-based material. 
     
     
         55 . The process of  claim 54 , wherein the kaolin-based material is layered silicate. 
     
     
         56 . The process of  claim 38 , wherein the at least one adhesive material is selected from the group consisting of hot melt adhesives, pressure sensitive adhesives, polyvinyl chloride, acrylic/pvc copolymer, partially chlorinated acrylic polymer, bitumen materials, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         57 . The process of  claim 38 , wherein the chemically abated flooring surface is substantially free from mastic material. 
     
     
         58 . The process of  claim 38 , wherein the floorcovering article contains an adhesive material for contact with the flooring surface. 
     
     
         59 . The process of  claim 38 , wherein the floorcovering article is selected from the group consisting of rugs, mats, broadloom carpet, modular carpet, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         60 . The process of  claim 59 , wherein the floorcovering article is modular carpet. 
     
     
         61 . The process of  claim 60 , wherein the modular carpet is carpet tile. 
     
     
         62 . A process for installing a floorcovering article on a chemically abated flooring surface comprising the steps of:
 (a) Providing a flooring surface having a mastic material thereon;   (b) Applying at least one petroleum-based or natural-based abatement chemical to the mastic material on the flooring surface;   (c) Agitating the at least one abatement chemical into and/or onto the mastic material of the flooring surface to form a chemically treated pre-abatement flooring surface;   (d) Optionally, allowing the chemically treated pre-abatement flooring surface to rest/soak for a period of time;   (e) Removing at least a portion of the chemically treated pre-abatement flooring surface to form a chemically abated flooring surface;   (f) Applying a polymer-containing barrier material to at least a portion of the chemically abated flooring surface to form a chemically abated flooring surface containing a barrier coating thereon; and   (g) Applying a floorcovering article to the chemically abated flooring surface, wherein the floorcovering article contains at least one adhesive material, wherein the at least one adhesive material is in physical contact with the barrier coating of the chemically abated flooring surface.   
     
     
         63 . The process of  claim 62 , wherein the process further includes the step of applying at least one adhesive material to the chemically abated flooring surface having the barrier coating thereon to form an adhesive-containing, chemically abated flooring surface.