Method of using adhesive joint dressing compositions and product

Claim 1

A method for restoring, preserving and improving a surface which surface is immediately adjacent to surfaces not subject to such method, said method comprising applying a layer of a dressing composition onto said surface to be treated and adjacent surfaces and removing the excess dressing composition from the adjacent surfaces wherein said dressing composition comprises i. a high molecular weight polymer in the form of an emulsion which is alkali-thickenable whereby it is capable of substantially increasing the viscosity of the composition as the pH of the composition is increased above neutral pH; ii. a high molecular weight polymer in the form of an emulsion which is not alkali-thickenable; iii. an alkaline agent wherein the cation or cations of said agent are mono-valent, said alkaline agent present in sufficient amounts to cause the alkali-thickenable polymer to increase the viscosity of the composition; and iv. water; wherein both of said polymers are room temperature curable and form water resistant films when cured and wherein the dispersion of at least one of said polymers becomes destabilized in the presence of polyvalent cations whereby its emulsion phase is broken and the droplets of the polymer no longer remain suspended in the liquid phase and wherein the total weight of polymer solids is in the range of 5-60% by weight of the total composition, the volatile components comprising at least 20% by weight of the total composition and the composition having a thixotropic rheology with a viscosity greater than about 50,000 cps at 70° F.

Claim 2

A method for restoring, preserving and improving a surface which surface is immediately adjacent to surfaces not subject to such method, said method comprising applying a layer of a dressing composition onto said surface to be treated and adjacent surfaces and removing the excess dressing composition from the adjacent surfaces wherein said dressing composition comprises i. a high molecular weight polymer in the form of an emulsion which is alkali-thickenable whereby it is capable of substantially increasing the viscosity of the composition as the pH of the composition is increased above neutral pH; ii. a high molecular weight polymer in the form of an emulsion which is not alkali-thickenable; iii. an alkaline agent wherein the cation or cations of said agent are mono-valent, said alkaline agent present in sufficient amounts to cause the alkali-thickenable polymer to increase the viscosity of the composition; and iv. water; wherein both of said polymers are room temperature curable and form water resistant films when cured and wherein the dispersion of at least one of said polymers becomes destabilized in the presence of polyvalent cations whereby its emulsion phase is broken and the droplets of the polymer no longer remain suspended in the liquid phase and wherein the total weight of polymer solids is in the range of 5-60% by weight of the total composition, the volatile components comprising at least 20% by weight of the total composition and the composition having a thixotropic rheology with a viscosity greater than about 50,000 cps at 70° F.

Claim 13

A method for restoring, preserving and improving the grout surfaces of a ceramic tile-grout assembly, said method comprising the steps of applying a dressing composition onto the grout and tile surfaces and removing excess dressing composition from the tile surfaces leaving a layer of the dressing composition over the grout surface, wherein said tile grout dressing composition is capable of selectively adhering to grout surfaces and forming on adherable grout surfaces a non-porous, stain resistant, washable layer when cured, said composition comprising i. a high molecular weight polymer in the form of an emulsion which is not alkali-thickenable, which emulsion is destabilized in the presence of polyvalent cations, said polymer selected from the group consisting of polymers of carboxylic acids, polymers of esters of carboxylic acids, and copolymers of a carboxylic acid or ester of a carboxylic acid with one or more monomers from the group consisting of the carboxylic acids, esters of carboxylic acids, acrylonitriles, acrylamides, aromatic compounds and alkenes, said polymer characterized as being room-temperature curable and forming a water-resistant film when cured; ii. an alkali-thickenable high molecular weight polymer capable of substantially increasing the viscosity of the composition as its pH is increased above neutral pH, said polymer in the form of a colloidal dispersion or emulsion of polymer particles which dispersion or emulsion is destabilized in the presence of polyvalent cations, said polymer selected from the group consisting of polymers of carboxylic acids, polymers of esters of carboxylic acids, and copolymers of a carboxylic acid or ester of a carboxylic acid with one or more monomers from the group consisting of the carboxylic acids, esters of carboxylic acids, acrylonitriles, acrylamides, aromatic compounds and alkenes, said polymer characterized as being room-temperature curable and forming a water-resistant film when cured; iii. an alkaline agent wherein the cation or cations of said agent are mono-valent and said alkaline agent is present in sufficient amounts to cause the alkali-thickenable polymer to increase the viscosity of the composition; iv. water; and v. a solvent having a vapor pressure at room temperature lower than that of water and capable of inhibiting the time rate of film formation of the composition and present in an amount sufficient to allow adequate time for the composition to be suitably applied to a substrate; wherein the total weight of polymer solids is in the range of 5-60% by weight of the total composition, at least 5% by weight of the total polymer solids is the polymer in the form of an emulsion, and the volatile components comprise at least 20% by weight of the composition, and wherein the composition has a thixotropic rheology and a viscosity which is greater than about 50,000 cps at 70° F.

Claim 14

A method for restoring, preserving and improving the grout surfaces of a ceramic tile-grout assembly, said method comprising the steps of applying a dressing composition onto the grout and tile surfaces and removing excess dressing composition from the tile surfaces leaving a layer of the dressing composition over the grout surface, wherein said tile grout dressing composition is capable of selectively adhering to grout surfaces and forming on adherable grout surfaces a non-porous, stain resistant, washable layer when cured, said composition comprising i. a high molecular weight polymer in the form of an emulsion which is not alkali-thickenable, which emulsion is destabilized in the presence of polyvalent cations, said polymer selected from the group consisting of polymers of carboxylic acids, polymers of esters of carboxylic acids, and copolymers of a carboxylic acid or ester of a carboxylic acid with one or more monomers from the group consisting of the carboxylic acids, esters of carboxylic acids, acrylonitriles, acrylamides, aromatic compounds and alkenes, said polymer characterized as being room-temperature curable and forming a water-resistant film when cured; ii. an alkali-thickenable high molecular weight polymer capable of substantially increasing the viscosity of the composition as its pH is increased above neutral pH, said polymer in the form of a colloidal dispersion or emulsion of polymer particles which dispersion or emulsion is destabilized in the presence of polyvalent cations, said polymer selected from the group consisting of polymers of carboxylic acids, polymers of esters of carboxylic acids, and copolymers of a carboxylic acid or ester of a carboxylic acid with one or more monomers from the group consisting of the carboxylic acids, esters of carboxylic acids, acrylonitriles, acrylamides, aromatic compounds and alkenes, said polymer characterized as being room-temperature curable and forming a water-resistant film when cured; iii. an alkaline agent wherein the cation or cations of said agent are mono-valent and said alkaline agent is present in sufficient amounts to cause the alkali-thickenable polymer to increase the viscosity of the composition; iv. water; and v. a solvent having a vapor pressure at room temperature lower than that of water and capable of inhibiting the time rate of film formation of the composition and present in an amount sufficient to allow adequate time for the composition to be suitably applied to a substrate; wherein the total weight of polymer solids is in the range of 5-60% by weight of the total composition, at least 5% by weight of the total polymer solids is the polymer in the form of an emulsion, and the volatile components comprise at least 20% by weight of the composition, and wherein the composition has a thixotropic rheology and a viscosity which is greater than about 50,000 cps at 70° F.