Eggshell powder compositions and methods of producing eggshell powder compositions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11001700-B2
Application number	US-201214357944-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2012
Priority date	Nov 17, 2011
Publication date	May 11, 2021
Grant date	May 11, 2021

Abstract

A process for manufacturing eggshell powder for use in the production of bio-based products is provided. The process involves exposing a quantity of eggshell to high air speed at room temperatures to pulverize the eggshell and separate the eggshell component from the inner membrane component. Thus, the process avoids the use of high temperatures and other harsh chemical treatments to remove the inner membrane from the eggshell thereby resulting in an eggshell material that retains the original lipid-protein structure of the native eggshell from which the powder derives. Accordingly, an eggshell powder composition is provided that is substantially free of inner membrane material and possesses a lipid-protein structure substantially similar to that of the eggshell from which the powder is derived. A polymer composite composition comprising an eggshell component and a polymer component is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A polymer composite composition comprising:
an eggshell component, wherein the eggshell component possesses a lipid-protein structure substantially similar to that of the eggshell from which the eggshell component is derived, and wherein the eggshell component is substantially free of eggshell inner membrane material; and
a polymer component.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymer component is a thermoplastic polymer.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymer component is a thermoset polymer.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the eggshell component constitutes 50% of the polymer composite composition.

5. The composition of claim 1 further comprising an additive component selected from the group consisting of heat stabilizers, antioxidants, UV/light stabilizers, antistatic agents, antifogging agents, lubricants, processing aids, anti-blocking agents, slipping agents, mold-releasing agents, flame-retardant agents, chemical-blowing agents, crosslink agents, nucleating agents, antimicrobial agents, coupling agents, gas scavengers, acid and base scavengers, water scavengers, odor controlling agents, and food flavoring agents.

6. The composition of claim 1 further comprising a filler component selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, dolomite, magnesium carbonate, calcium sulfate, barium sulfate, silica, silicate, zeolite, carbon black, talc, mica, kaolin, clay, graphite, wollastonite, whiskers, glass fiber, carbon fiber, conductive filler, nano-filler, wood flour, wood fiber, cellulose fiber, distilled drained grain, pigment, dye, and fluorescent whitening agent.

7. The composition of claim 1 wherein the eggshell component has a particle size from about 10 μm to about 100 μm.

8. The composition of claim 1 wherein the eggshell component is hydrophobic.

9. A bio-based product comprising:
an eggshell powder, wherein the eggshell powder retains a lipid-protein structure similar to that of the eggshell from which the eggshell powder is derived; and
a polymer.

10. The product of claim 9 , wherein the polymer is a thermoplastic polymer.

11. The product of claim 9 , wherein the polymer is a thermoset polymer.

12. The product of claim 9 , wherein the eggshell powder constitutes 25% by weight of the total weight of the product.

13. The product of claim 9 , wherein the eggshell powder has a particle size from about 20 μm to about 50 μm.

14. The product of claim 9 , wherein the eggshell powder is hydrophobic.

15. A process for producing an eggshell powder comprising the steps of:
exposing a quantity of eggshell to air flow at a speed sufficient to pulverize the eggshell thereby rendering a bulk pulverized material comprising an eggshell component and a separated inner membrane component;
applying the bulk pulverized material to a first screen comprising a mesh size sufficient to retain the separated inner membrane component on the surface of the first screen while permitting passage of the eggshell component through the first screen; and
collecting the eggshell component following passage through the first screen, wherein the eggshell component collected forms a eggshell powder of a first particle size, wherein the first particle size is less than or equal to that permitted to pass through the first screen wherein the eggshell powder possesses a lipid-protein structure substantially similar to that of the eggshell from which the eggshell powder is derived, and wherein the eggshell powder is substantially free of eggshell inner membrane material.

16. The process of claim 15 , wherein the first particle size is less than or equal to 100 μm.

17. The process of claim 15 , further comprising the step of applying the eggshell powder of a first particle size to a second screen comprising a mesh size sufficient to permit passage of a second particle size, wherein the second particle size is less than the first particle size.

18. The process of claim 17 , wherein the second particle size is less than or equal to 50 μm.

19. The process of claim 17 , wherein the second particle size is less than or equal to 20 μm.

20. The process of claim 17 , further comprising the steps of:
collecting the eggshell powder that is retained on the second screen, wherein the eggshell powder retained on the second screen has a particle size greater than the second particle size;
re-exposing the eggshell powder retained on the second screen to air flow at a speed sufficient to further reduce the particle size; and
re-applying the eggshell powder to the second screen.

21. The process of claim 20 wherein the re-exposure of air flow is at a speed of 5,700 rpm for 10 seconds.

22. The process of claim 20 wherein the eggshell powder is exposed to air flow for a third time at a speed of 10,000 for 10 seconds.

23. The process of claim 15 , further comprising the step of sterilizing the eggshell prior to pulverizing.

24. The process of claim 15 , wherein the eggshell is not heated during the entire process.

25. The process of claim 15 , wherein the air flow is at a speed of 3,500 rpm for 10 seconds.

26. The process of claim 15 , wherein the step of exposing the eggshell to air flow is performed in a vortex dryer.

27. The process of claim 15 , wherein the step of exposing the eggshell to air flow is performed in a cyclone wind tunnel.

28. A composition comprising an eggshell powder, wherein the eggshell powder possesses a lipid-protein structure substantially similar to that of the eggshell from which the eggshell powder is derived, and wherein the eggshell powder is substantially free of eggshell inner membrane material.

29. The composition of claim 28 , wherein the eggshell powder has a particle size from about 10 μm to about 100 μm.

30. The composition of claim 28 , wherein the eggshell component is hydrophobic.

31. A polymer composite composition, comprising:
an eggshell component having hydrophobic properties and a moisture content from about 0.2% to about 5%, wherein the eggshell component retains the lipid-protein structure of the eggshell from which the eggshell component is derived, and wherein the eggshell component is void of eggshell inner membrane material; and
a polymer component.

32. The composition of claim 31 , wherein said polymer component is a thermoplastic polymer.

33. The composition of claim 31 , wherein said polymer component is a thermoset polymer.

34. The composition of claim 31 , wherein said eggshell component constitutes 50% of the polymer composite composition.

35. The composition of claim 34 , wherein said eggshell component constitutes 25% of the polymer composite composition.

36. The composition of claim 31 , wherein said eggshell component has a particle size from about 10 μm to about 100 μm.

37. The composition of claim 36 , wherein said eggshell component has a particle size from about 20 μm to about 50 μm.

38. The composition of claim 31 , wherein said polymer component is selected from the group of polyolefins, styrenic polymers, polyesters, bio-degradable polymers, polyamides, engineering resins, crosslink polymers, melamine resin, epoxy resin, crosslink polyesters, and polyurethane.

Assignees

• Tyson Foods Inc

Inventors

• Liu Yongcheng
• Wang ke-wei
• Blanchard Michael
• Li Clive
• Metzger Gary

Classifications

• C08L23/04 Primary

  Homopolymers or copolymers of ethene · CPC title

• C08K11/005

  Waste materials, e.g. treated or untreated sewage sludge · CPC title

• C08L23/10

  Homopolymers or copolymers of propene · CPC title

• B02C19/06

  Jet mills · CPC title

• C08L23/06

  Polyethylene · CPC title