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Composite wear layers that include a polyethylene terephthalate wear layer adhered to an organic/inorganic (O/I) top coat layer, and surface coverings and surface covering components including the composite wear layers, are disclosed. The organic/inorganic top coat layer is formed from a top coat fo

Composite wear layers that include a polyethylene terephthalate wear layer adhered to an organic/inorganic (O/I) top coat layer, and surface coverings and surface covering components including the composite wear layers, are disclosed. The organic/inorganic top coat layer is formed from a top coat formulation that comprises a coupling agent that includes an organic polymerizable moiety such as epoxy, acrylate and the like, as well as an inorganic polymerizable moiety such as a silanol. The wear layer is typically in the range of about 1-20 mils thickness, and the top coat layer is typically in the range of 2 microns to 0.5 mils thickness. The composite wear layers can be included in surface coverings or surface covering components, such as floor and wall coverings. An adhesion promoter/binder can be used to better adhere the polyethylene terephthalate wear layer to the organic/inorganic top coat layer.

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1. A composite wear layer comprising:a) a polyethylene terephthalate wear layer, b) an organic/inorganic top coat layer formed from a top coat formulation comprising (1) a coupling agent having an organic polymerizable moiety and an inorganic polymerizable moiety and (2) a tetraalkylsiloxane, and c)

1. A composite wear layer comprising:a) a polyethylene terephthalate wear layer, b) an organic/inorganic top coat layer formed from a top coat formulation comprising (1) a coupling agent having an organic polymerizable moiety and an inorganic polymerizable moiety and (2) a tetraalkylsiloxane, and c) an adhesion promoter between the wear layer and the top coat layer. 2. The composite wear layer of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the wear layer is between about 1 mil and about 20 mils.3. The composite wear layer of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the top coat layer is between about 2 microns and about 13 microns.4. The composite wear layer of claim 1, wherein the top coat layer further comprises hard particles.5. The composite wear layer of claim 4, wherein the hard particles are nanoparticles.6. The composite wear layer of claim 1, wherein the wear layer comprises a polyethylene terephthalate copolymer.7. The composite wear layer of claim 1, wherein the organic/inorganic top coat was formed from a top coat formulation comprising a colloidal inorganic sol.8. The composite wear layer of claim 1, wherein the organic polymerizable moiety is selected from the group consisting of (meth)acrylate, epoxy, isocyanate, vinyl ether, allyl, vinyl, and acetylenic.9. The composite wear layer of claim 1, wherein the inorganic polymerizable moiety is selected from the group consisting of hydrolyzable Al, Zr, Si, Ti or B alkoxides and mixtures thereof.10. The composite wear layer of claim 1, wherein the organic/inorganic top coat composition was formed from a top coat formulation further comprising (3) an organic polymerizable monomer or oligomer.11. The composite wear layer of claim 10, wherein the coupling agent comprises a reactive organic moiety that reacts with the organic polymerizable monomer, but is not capable of self polymerization.12. The composite wear layer of claim 1, wherein the organic/inorganic top coat has been cured by heat, UV radiation, electron beam radiation or combinations thereof.13. A surface covering comprising the composite wear layer of claim 1 and a substrate.14. The surface covering of claim 13, wherein the surface covering is a floor covering.15. The surface covering of claim 14, wherein the floor covering is a resilient tile.16. The surface covering of claim 14, wherein the floor covering is a resilient sheet product.17. The surface covering of claim 16, wherein the resilient sheet product comprises a foam or foamable layer.18. The surface covering of claim 14, wherein the substrate is a flooring substrate and the flooring substrate further comprises a second adhesion promoter between the wear layer and the flooring substrate.19. The surface covering of claim 18, wherein the adhesion promoter between the wear layer and the top coat layer is different from the adhesion promoter between the wear layer and the flooring substrate.20. The composite wear layer of claim 1, wherein the glass transition temperature of the organic/inorganic top coat layer is above 25° C.21. The composite wear layer of claim 1, wherein the Mohs hardness of the top coat is greater than 1.5.22. The floor covering of claim 14, wherein the final product exhibits gloss retention properties of greater than 90%.23. The floor covering of claim 14, wherein the final product exhibits a light stability color change of less than 3 Delta b units.24. A process of manufacturing a floor covering, comprising:a) laminating a PET film to a flooring substrate, b) applying an adhesion promoter to the PET film before or after the PET film is laminated to the flooring substrate whereby the PET film is interposed between the adhesion promoter and the flooring substrate with the adhesion promoter being exposed when the PET film is laminated to the flooring substrate and the adhesion promoter is applied to the PET film, c) applying an organic/inorganic top coat formulation comprising (1) a coupling agent having an organic polymerizable moiety and an inorganic polymerizable moiety and (2) a tetraalkylsiloxane to the exposed adhesion promoter, and d) then curing the top coat formulation. 25. The process of claim 24, wherein the adhesion promoter is applied to the PET film before the PET film is laminated to the flooring substrate.26. The process of claim 24, wherein a second adhesion promoter is applied to at least one of the PET film and the flooring substrate before the PET film is laminated to a flooring substrate.27. The process of claim 26, wherein the adhesion promoter on one side of the PET film is different from the adhesion promoter on the other side of the PET film.28. The process of claim 24, wherein the PET film comprises a copolymer of polyethylene terephthalate.29. A process of manufacturing a floor covering, comprising:a) applying an organic/inorganic top coat formulation comprising CD a coupling agent having an organic polymerizable moiety and an inorganic polymerizable moiety and (2) a tetraalkylsiloxane, to a PET film to form a composite wear layer, and b) laminating the composite wear layer to a flooring substrate such that the PET film is overlying the flooring substrate and the organic/inorganic top coat is exposed when the flooring covering is installed. 30. The process of claim 29, wherein the PET film further comprises an adhesion promoter.31. The process of claim 30, wherein the top coat formulation is applied to the adhesion promoter.32. The process of claim 30, wherein the adhesion promoter is between the PET film and the flooring substrate when the composite film is laminated to the flooring substrate.33. The process of claim 31, wherein a second adhesion promoter is between the PET film and the flooring substrate when the composite film is laminated to the flooring substrate.34. The process of claim 33, wherein the adhesion promoter comprising the PET film is different from the second adhesion promoter.35. The process of claim 29, wherein the PET film comprises a copolymer of polyethylene terephthalate.36. The surface covering of claim 13, wherein the PET wear layer comprises a copolymer of polyethylene terephthalate.