A GRANULAR INFILL MATERIAL AND A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING THE GRANULAR INFILL MATERIAL

Abstract

A disclosed process for producing granular infill material for a synthetic turf surface includes providing scraps of a composite material comprising a textile support. A coating of the textile support includes a polymeric material. A weight percentage of the textile support is greater than or equal to 5% of a total weight of the composite material. The production process includes grinding the scraps to obtain scrap pieces, preparing a mixture comprising the scrap pieces, and heating the mixture to obtain a blend comprising the polymeric material in a softened state and pieces of the textile support dispersed in the polymeric matrix. A plurality of solid granules may be obtained from the blend to make the granular infill material. Each granule includes a polymeric matrix including the polymeric materials and a reinforcing filler dispersed in the polymeric matrix. The reinforcing filler may include pieces of the textile support.

Description

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A process for producing a granular infill material for a synthetic turf surface, the process comprising: providing scraps of a composite material comprising a textile support and a coating of the textile support, wherein the coating comprises a polymeric material and wherein a weight percentage of the textile support is at least 5% of a total weight of the composite material;grinding the scraps to obtain scrap pieces;preparing a mixture comprising the scrap pieces;heating the mixture to obtain a blend comprising: the polymeric material in softened state; andpieces of the textile support dispersed in the polymeric material;obtaining, from the blend, a plurality of granules for the granular infill material, wherein each of the granules comprises: a polymeric matrix, wherein the polymeric matrix includes the polymeric material; anda reinforcing filler dispersed in the polymeric matrix, the reinforcing filler comprising the pieces of the textile support.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein providing scraps of the composite material comprises providing scraps of imitation leather.

13. The process of claim 12, wherein providing scraps of imitation leather comprises providing scraps of two or more imitation leather materials.

14. The process of claim 13, wherein a weight percentage of the textile support is in a range between 8% and 40% for each of the two or more imitation leather materials.

15. The process of claim 13, wherein a weight percentage of the polymeric material is greater than or equal to 50% for each of the two or more composite materials comprises.

16. The process of claim 11, wherein the polymeric material is selected from: polyvinylchloride, polyurethane, polyester, polypropylene, or mixtures thereof.

17. The process of claim 16, wherein the textile support includes at least one of: natural textile fibers and synthetic textile fibers.

18. The process of claim 17, wherein a fabric type of the textile support is selected from: knitted fabric, warp and weft fabric and non-woven fabric.

19. The process of claim 11, wherein preparing the mixture comprises adding to the scrap pieces a further polymeric material not coming from the scraps, and wherein the further polymeric material is selected from: polyvinylchloride, polyurethane, polyester, polypropylene.

20. The process of claim 11, wherein preparing the mixture comprises: adding to the scrap pieces an amount of a reinforcing material not coming from the scrap pieces, wherein the reinforcing material is a mineral material comprising a least one of: calcium carbonate, talc, kaolin, sand, and lime.

21. The process of claim 20, wherein the reinforcing material includes at least one plant material selected from: coco fiber/peat, cork, rice husk, banana fiber/peat, lignin, cellulose, tree defibration, and hemp.

22. The process of claim 21, wherein preparing the mixture further includes: adding to the scrap pieces at least one additive selected from: flame retardants, antioxidants, anti-UV rays and dyes.

23. The process of claim 11, wherein preparing the mixture comprises: adding to the scrap pieces an amount of wallpaper scrap pieces, wherein the amount of wallpaper scrap pieces is less than or equal to 55% of a mass of the scrap pieces.

24. The process of claim 11, further comprising: feeding the mixture to an extruding device.

25. The process of claim 24, wherein heating the mixture comprises bringing the blend to a temperature greater than or equal to a melting temperature of the polymeric material and less than or equal to a melting temperature of a material of the textile support.

26. The process of claim 24, wherein heating the mixture comprises bringing the blend to a temperature greater than or equal to 130° C. and less than or equal to 220° C.

27. The process of claim 24, wherein obtaining the granules comprises: extruding a plurality of sizes of the blend; andgrinding the sizes of blend.

28. A granular infill material for a synthetic turf surface, wherein the granular infill material comprises: a plurality of granules, wherein each of the plurality of granules includes: a polymeric matrix comprising a polymeric material; anda reinforcing filler dispersed in the polymeric matrix, the reinforcing filler comprising pieces of a textile support.

29. The granular infill material of claim 28, wherein the polymeric matrix and the reinforcing filler at least partially derive from scraps of a composite material comprising: the pieces of the textile support; anda coating of the textile support, wherein the coating comprises the polymeric material, and wherein a weight percentage of the textile support is greater than or equal to 5% of a total weight of the composite material.

30. The granular infill material of claim 29, wherein: the polymeric matrix comprises an amount of a further polymeric material not coming from the scraps, wherein the further polymeric material is selected from: polyvinylchloride, polyurethane, polyester and polypropylene;the reinforcing filler comprises a network of textile fibers originated from pieces of textile support and an amount of a reinforcing material not coming from the scraps, wherein the reinforcing material is a mineral material selected from: calcium carbonate, talc, kaolin, sand, and lime.

31. The granular infill material of claim 30, wherein: the reinforcing filler further includes a plant material selected from: coco fiber/peat, cork, rice husk, banana fiber/peat, lignin, cellulose, tree defibration, and hemp; andeach of the granules comprises a respective plurality of textile fibers which protrude from an outer surface of the granules.

32. A synthetic turf surface comprising: a synthetic turf mat; anda layer of a granular infill material according to claim 28 arranged above the synthetic turf mat.

33. The synthetic turf surface of claim 32, wherein a mass per unit area of the layer of granular infill material is in a range between 3 kg/m2 and 20 kg/m2.