Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method and a system for
uniformly dispersing pigment in cement based compositions such
as mortars and grouts. More specifically, the invention relates
to a multi component system comprising a predetermined quantity
of a cement based component and a predetermined amount of an
aqueous pigment component. The mixture of the two components
results in a cement based composition of uniform and standardized
color that is capable of being consistently reproduced if
additional material is needed for a particular job.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Cement based compositions have found broad use in
industry as grouts and mortars. In particular, cement based
compositions have been used for setting and grouting tile, for
stuccos, for floor leveling and for patching mortars.
The addition of pigments or dyes to cement based
compositions is well known in the art. For example, United
States Patent No. 4,204,876 teaches a pigment containing
thixotropic slurry that can be stored in drums for 6-12 months
by a cement contractor and used in a batching system. See also:
United States Patent No. 5,199,986, United States Patent No.
3,667,976, United States Patent No. 4,946,505, United Kingdom
Patent No. 2,183,626, German Patent No. 3,709,909 and WO 92/12102
which generally describe pigmented cement compositions.
Traditionally, the addition of dyes or pigments to cement based
compositions have been directed to large scale applications where
highly sophisticated measuring devices have been available to
insure correct color uniformity and shading.
-2-
Pigmented or colored cement based compositions
such as grout, mortars and stuccos have been gaining
popularity because they provide unique and distinctive
appearances to various projects. In particular, colored
cement compositions have gained popularity for small
scale projects such as residential kitchens and baths.
Unfortunately, these small customized color
cement composition projects are limited because the
laborer does not have access to sophisticated measuring
devices which can be used to consistently produce various
quantities of cement. based compositions with a uniform
color. More importantly, retailers and distributors will
not stock a wide-variety of color mortars, grouts and
stuccos because demand for a particular color or shade is
not great enough to justify the large volume of shelve
and storage space required to provide a full spectrum of
colors and shades.
Therefore, it is an object of the present
invention to provide multi-component system and method
that can consistently produce a cement based composition
with a uniform color without the need for sophisticated
measuring equipment.
It is a further object of the present invention
to provide a multi-component system and that will allow
a retailer or distributor to stock a full spectrum of
colors and shades of cement based compositions, with
minimum shelf space.
A further objective of the present invention is
to provide a multi-component system and method that has
little or no volatile organic components which can be
emitted.
~1~~~~~
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects of the present
invention are achieved by a multi-component system
comprising a predetermined amount of a cement based
component and a predetermined amount of an aqueous based
pigment component. The cement component and the pigment
component are mixed together to produce a final
composition that can be used in any application where
cement based compositions have typically been used such
as a for grouting and setting of tile, as a mortar or as
a stucco.
The cement based component of the present
invention comprises cement and optionally other
conventional additives. such as inert fillers. The
conventional additives may be added as a separate
component in the system but it is preferred that the
fillers be premixed and prepackaged with the cement based
component to insure consistent color reproduction.
The cement of the cement based component is
preferably a portland cement but other cements such as
aluminious cement and portland blast furnace slag cement
or portland pozzolan cement may also be used.
The fillers that may be used comprise aggregate
filler, fine filler or a combination of aggregate and
fine fillers. The inert filler additive may be silica
sand, limestone, perlite, volcanic aggregate, alumina
trihydrate, ground quartz, volcanic ash, fine sand, talc,
mica, clays, other clean inert material or mixtures of
the foregoing. The inert filler aggregate component of
the composition may comprise one, or a combination of
clean inert materials. The ultimate criteria of the
component being that such component be graded with not
more than about 10 percent passing a number 140 sieve and
none retained on a number 6 sieve, as well as having a
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AFS Grain Fineness Number (American Foundry Society) of less than
100 but greater than 50.
The fine filler material should have an average
particle size which is less than 140 mesh, and may include inert
fillers such as limestone, alumina trihydrate, ground quartz,
volcanic ash, certain fine sands, talc, mica, clays and the like.
Preferably, the cement based component comprises
either white portland cement or gray portland cement. Preferably
the cement based component is a grout powder commercially
available from C-Cure Corp. of Houston, Texas under the trade
name COLOR PERFECT GROUT BASE, a mortar commercially available
from C-Cure Corp. of Houston, Texas under the trade name AC-CENT*
or a cement finish commercially available from C-Cure Corp. of
Houston, Texas under the trade names PM SMOOTH FINISH and
EXTERIOR STUCCO.
The aqueous pigment component of the present invention
comprises water and a pigment or combination of pigments such as
those described in United States Patent No. 5,362,322. It is
preferred that the aqueous pigment component have a viscosity of
about 8000 cps (centipoise) to about 12000 cps and most
preferably from about 9500 cps to about 10500 cps as determined
by ASTM D2196-86.
It is preferred that the aqueous pigment component
have a Hegman grind of about 4 to about 8 and most preferably
from about 6 to about 7 as determined by ASTM D-1210-79.
Either the cement based component or the aqueous
pigment component may further comprise conventional property
enhancing additives such as latexes, polymers, liquefiers,
reinforcing fibers, coalescence additives, preservatives,
antifoaming agents, thixotropy and viscosity
* denotes tm
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_5_
control agents, plasticizers and other miscellaneous additives
commonly known in the art. These property enhancing additives
are present in amounts commonly known in the industry. The
enhancing additives may also be added to the present invention
as a separate and distinct component or components which will
allow the pigmented cement based composition of the present
invention to be further customized for a particular application.
For example, an acrylic copolymer dispersion of an acrylic ester
and styrene may be premixed and prepackaged with the cement based
component, aqueous pigment component or a separate component to
impart elastomeric properties to the composition final
composition.
Preferred latex additives are those commercially
available from Dow Chemical under the Trade name DOW 460 or
Ameripol Synpol Corp under the trade name 4040 SBR Latexes.
Preferred polymer additives are anionic and non
anionic dispersions such as neoprene rubber, styrene, butadiene
rubber or vinyl acrylic. Especially preferred polymer additives
are acrylic based emulsions such as MC-76 which is commercially
available from Rohm & Haas Co., Philadelphia, PA, CP-67
commercially available from Air Products Co. of Allentown, PA,
and UNICAL 76 RES 1019 commercially available from Unical
Corporation.
Preferred liquefiers include sodium naphthalene
sulphates, sulphonated melamines, or melamine formaldehyde
condensate. An especially preferred liquefier in MELMENT*
commercially available from SKW Chemicals, Inc.
Preferred reinforcing fibers are chopped fiberglass or
polyethylene fibers. Especially preferred fibers are
Wollanstonite reinforcing fibers commercially available from the
James River Corporation.
* denotes tm
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Preferred coalescence additives are acetates such as
butoxy-ethyl acetate, ethoxyethyl acetate, or butoxy ethoxyethyl
acetate. Other preferred coalescence additives include toluene,
xylene, hydrocarbon resins, mineral spirits and the like, and
glycol esters such as n-butyl ethylene glycol ether and
diethylene glycol ethyl ether.
Preferred thixotropy and viscosity additives are
methyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl hydroxy
ethyl cellulose, animal glues, various starches, alginates,
polyvinyl alcohol and protein. Especially preferred thixotropy
and viscosity improvers are METHOCEL* K-100 methyl cellulose
or
METHOCEL 240 S hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose both are
commercially available from Dow Chemical Co.
Preferred preservatives may be COSAN* N 101
commercially available from CasChem, DOWACEL* 75 commercially
available from Dow Chemical Co., NUOSEPT* 95 commercially
available from Huls America Co. or TROYSAN* 174 commercially
available from Troy Chemical Co.
Preferred antifoaming agents are ANTIFOAM B
commercially available from Dow Corning Silicon, GE 75
commercially available from General Electric Company, SAG 10
commercially available from Union Carbide or NOPCO* NXZ or NDW
both commercially available from Henkel Co.
Preferred plasticizers are chlorinated paraffin,
asphalt emulsions, phthalates or phosphates.
Preferred non ionic surfactants are TRITON* X-100,
TERGITOL* NP9, TRITON N-101 and TRITON CF-10 all commercially
available from Union Carbide Co., and MAKON* 10 commercially
available from Stepan Chemical Co. The preferred anionic
surfactants are TRITON X-200 commercially available from Union
Carbide Co. and BIOSOFT* D-60 commercially available from Stepan
Chemical Co.
* denotes tm
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The other miscellaneous enhancing additives which may
be used are ethylene glycol, calcium chloride, propylene glycol,
vermiculite, chlorinated paraffins, bromine compounds, calcium
formate, sodium stearate and calcium stearate. These
miscellaneous additives are used to improve freeze thaw
stability, accelerate setting, preventing shrinkage,
efflorescence or sagging, flame retardancy or hydrophobic
properties.
The multi-component system of the present invention is
particularly useful on actual job sites to consistently and
repeatedly produce small quantities of a cement based composition
with uniform color. A cement based composition in accordance
with the present invention is prepared on the job site by either
mixing by hand or mechanical mixer a predetermined and preferably
prepackaged amount of the cement based component with a
predetermined and preferably prepackaged amount of the aqueous
pigment component. Additional water may be added to bring the
mixture to the proper consistency for application. If additional
water is required, it is preferred that the empty container
in
which the aqueous pigment component was prepackaged, is used
to
precisely measure the volume of additional water.
Once one batch of the cement based composition is
depleted a second or additional batches of the cement based
composition can be prepared from the present invention as
described above. The second or additional batches will have
the
same color and shade as the original batch.
In a broad aspect, then, the present invention relates
to a system for producing a pigmented cement composition
consisting of: (a) a powder cement component; and (b) an aqueous
pigment component wherein the cement component and pigment
component are separately packaged and mixed together prior
to use
to produce a composition with a uniform and standardized color.
CA 02169346 2000-12-14
_7 (a) _
In a further broad aspect, the present
invention relates to a method for the preparation of a
pigmented cement composition consisting of: (a) pouring
a prepackaged aqueous pigment component into a mixing
container; and (b) mixing a prepackaged amount of a
powder cement component with the aqueous pigment
component in the mixing container to obtain a cement
composition with a uniform and standardized colour.
In another broad aspect, then, the present
invention relates to a system for producing a pigmented
cement composition including: (a) a powder cement
component; and (.b) an aqueous pigment component wherein
the cement component and pigment component are separately
packaged and mixed together prior to use to produce a
composition with a uniform and standardized colour.
In yet another broad aspect, the present
invention relates to a method for the preparation of a
pigmented cement composition including the steps of: (a)
pouring a prepach:aged aqueous pigment component into a
mixing container; and (b) mixing a prepackaged amount of
a powder cement component with the aqueous pigment
component in the mixing container to obtain a cement
composition with a uniform and standardized colour.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention will be described in
detail by reference to the following examples which are
provided for illustrative purposes. The following
examples should not be construed as limiting the
invention. Many variations which do not depart from the
spirit or scope ef the present invention will suggest
themselves to those skilled in the art. All such obvious
modifications are within the intended scope of the
invention.
CA 02169346 2000-06-12
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PREPARATION 1
A cement based component is prepared by mixing 35 lbs
of white portland cement, 63.95 lbs of fine silica sand
exhibiting a 50-70 mesh, 1 lb of clay commercially available
from
the Kentucky-Tennessee Clay Co. under the trade name ALLAN*
A. F . ,
and 0.05 lbs of poly vinyl alcohol commercially available from
Air Products under the trade name 540. The components are mixed
in a ribbon type blender for approximately 10 minutes.
PREPARATION 2
A cement based component is prepared by the procedure
described for Preparation 1 except that 35 lbs of grey portland
cement is used instead of the white portland cement.
PREPARATION 3
A cement based component is prepared by mixing 50 lbs
of white portland cement, 49.65 lbs of limestone exhibiting
approximately a 325 mesh value commercially available from
Georgia Marble Co. under trade name No. 9 WHITE, 0.05 lbs of
poly
vinyl alcohol commercially available from Air Products under
the
trade name 540, and .30 lbs of hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose,
commercially available from Dow Chemical Co. under the trade
name
METHOCEL* 240 S. The components are mixed in a ribbon type
blender for approximately 10 minutes.
PREPARATION 4
A cement based component is prepared by the procedure
described for Preparation 3 except that 50 lbs of grey portland
cement is used instead of the white portland cement.
* denotes tm
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PREPARATION 5
A one pint aqueous pigment component is prepared by
adding 0.814 lbs of water and 0.204 lbs Dow 460 latex to a tank
and mixing the water and latex in a Cowles type disperser at 200
rpms. While the water and latex are mixing, 0.003 lbs of Dow
Corning Silicon, Antifoam B and 0.010 lbs of Union Carbide's non
ionic surfactant Triton* X-100 are added. After the antifoaming
agent and surfactant are added, 0.086 lbs of calcium chloride
which is approximately 77°s flake and commercially available from
Dow Chemicals under the trade name DOWFLAKE* is added to the
mixture.
Once the calcium chloride is dissolved in the mixture,
the speed of the mixer is increased to 2000 rpms and 0.093
lbs
of an attapulgite clay, commercially available from Engelhard
Minerals Co. under the trade name ATTAGEL* 40 is added to the
mixture. After a smooth consistency to the mixture is obtained,
0.001 lbs of Troysan* 174 is slowly added followed by 0.161
lbs
of yellow oxide commercially available from Harcross Pigments,
Inc. under the trade name Y02087, 0.003 lbs of red oxide
commercially available from Harcross Pigments, Inc. under the
trade name 803097 and finally 0.024 lbs of black oxide
commercially available from Harcross Pigments, Inc. under the
trade name BK-5099.
The mixing continues at high speed until a lump free
mixture is obtained with a Hegman grind of 6-7.
PREPARATION 6
A one pint aqueous pigment component is prepared by
adding 0.758 lbs of water and 0.204 lbs Dow 460 latex to a
tank
and mixing the water and latex in a Cowles type disperser at
200
rpms. While the water and latex are mixing, 0.003 lbs of Dow
Corning Silicon, Antifoam B and 0.010 lbs of Union Carbide's
non
ionic surfactant Triton X-100 are added. After the antifoaming
agent and surfactant
* denotes tm
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are added, 0.086 lbs of calcium chloride which is approximately
77% flake and commercially available from Dow Chemicals under the
trade name DOWFLAKE* is added to the mixture.
Once the calcium chloride is dissolved in the mixture,
the speed of the mixer is increased to 2000 rpms and 0.093 lbs
of an attapulgite clay, commercially available from Engelhard
Minerals Co. under the trade name ATTAGEL* 40 is added to the
mixture. After a smooth consistency of the mixture is obtained,
0.001 lbs of Troysan* 174 is slowly added followed by 0.32 lbs
of yellow oxide commercially available from Harcross Pigments
Inc. under the trade name Y02087, 0.104 lbs of red oxide
commercially available from Harcross Pigments, Inc., under the
trade name 803097 and finally 0.108 lbs black oxide commercially
available from Harcross Pigments, Inc., under the trade name BK-
5099.
The mixing continues at high speed until a lump free
mixture is obtained with a Hegman grind of 6-7.
PREPARATION 7
A one pint aqueous pigment component is prepared by
adding 0.903 lbs of water and 0.204 lbs of Dow 460 latex to a
tank and mixing the water and latex in a Cowles type disperser
at 200 rpms. While the water and latex are mixing, 0.003 lbs of
Dow Corning Silicon, Antifoam B and 0.010 lbs of Union Carbide's
non ionic surfactant Triton* X-100 are added. After the
antifoaming agent and surfactant are added, 0.086 lbs of calcium
chloride which is approximately 77% flake and commercially
available from Dow Chemicals under the trade name DOWFLAKE is
added to the mixture.
Once the calcium chloride is dissolved in the mixture,
the speed of the mixer is increased to 2000 rpms and 0.093 lbs
of an attapulgite clay, commercially available from Engelhard
Minerals Co. under the trade name
* denotes tm
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ATTAGEL* 40 is added to the mixture. After a smooth consistency
for the mixture is obtained 0.001 lbs of Troysan* 174 is slowly
added followed by 0.099 lbs of black oxide commercially available
from Harcross Pigments, Inc. under the trade name BK-5099.
The mixing continues at high speed until a lump free
mixture is obtained with a Hegman grind of 6-7.
EXAMPLE 1
A cement based composition in accordance with the
present invention is prepared by pouring the aqueous pigment
component of Preparation 5 into a mixing container. After the
aqueous pigment component is added to the mixing container, one
pint of water is added to the pint jar which held the aqueous
pigment component. The pint of water is stirred in the jar and
then poured into mixing container. The water addition and
stirring step is repeated until a total of three pints of water
and one pint of the aqueous pigment component are in the mixing
container. The repeated rinsing of the aqueous pigment component
jar with water assures that all of the pigment is removed from
the jar and is present in the mixing container.
After the aqueous pigment and water are in the mixing
container small amounts of the cement based component of
Preparation 1 are added to the mixing container and mixed by hand
or with a low rpm power mixer until 25 lbs of Preparation 1 have
been added and a uniform mixture with no color streaks has been
obtained. The resulting composition is a grout composition with
uniform and consistently reproducible sandstone color.
EXAMPLE 2
A cement based composition in accordance with the
present invention is prepared by mixing the aqueous pigment
component of Preparation 6 with 25 lbs of the cement based
component of Preparation 2 according to the
* denotes tm
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procedure outlined in Example 1. The resulting
composition is a grout with uniform and consistently
reproducible russet color.
L'vnMDT L'
A cement based composition in accordance with
the present invention is prepared by mixing the aqueous
pigment component of Preparation 7 with 25 lbs of the
cement based component of Preparation 2 according to the
procedure outlined in Example 1. The resulting
composition is a grout with uniform and consistently
reproducible grey color.
rvnMDT s n
A cement based composition in accordance with
the present invention is prepared by pouring the aqueous
pigment component of Preparation 5 into a mixing
container. After the aqueous pigment component is added
to the mixing container, one pint of water is added to
the pint jar which held the aqueous pigment component.
The pint of water is stirred in the jar and then poured
into mixing container. The water addition and stirring
step is repeated until a total of five pints of water and
one pint of the aqueous pigment component are in the
mixing container. The repeated rinsing of the aqueous
pigment component jar with water assures that all of the
pigment is removed from the jar and is present in the
mixing container.
After the aqueous pigment and water are in the
mixing container small amounts of the cement based
component of Preparation 3 are added to the mixing
container and mixed by hand or with a low rpm power mixer
until 25 lbs of Preparation 3 have been added and a
uniform mixture with no color streaks has been obtained.
The resulting composition is a non sanded grout
composition with uniform and consistently reproducible
light sandstone color.
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EXAMPLE 5
A cement based composition in accordance with the
present invention is prepared by mixing the aqueous pigment
component of Preparation 6 with 25 lbs of the cement based
component of Preparation 4 according to the procedure
outlined in Example 7. The resulting composition is a non
sanded grout with uniform and consistently reproducible light
russet color.
In practice, it is preferred that the aqueous
pigment component is packaged in pint size containers and the
cement based component is packaged in 25 lb containers to
eliminate the need for sophisticated measuring facilities on
a job site. Other size packaging may also be used such as
quart sized containers of the aqueous pigment and 50 lb
containers of the cement based component or cup (8 fl. oz.)
sized containers of the aqueous pigment and 12.5 lb
containers of the cement based component.
It has also been found that the aqueous pigment
component such as those described in Preparations 5-7 can be
mixed with predetermined and prepackaged amounts of cement
based products such as masonry mortars commercially available
from C-Cure Corporation of Houston, Texas under the trade
name AC-CENT*, cementitious finishes commercially available
from C-Cure Corporation under the trade name PM SMOOTH FINISH
and stuccos commercially available from C-Cure Corporation
under the trade name EXTERIOR STUCCO.
* denotes tm
