Highly environmentally sustainable composite material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11059957-B2
Application number	US-201615739322-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2016
Priority date	Jun 26, 2015
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

The present invention related to a thermoplastic composition, suitable to be submitted to common methods of heat forming, or thermoforming, of thermoplastic materials, as well as the thermoformed composite material which is obtained/can be obtained from said thermoplastic composition, said thermoplastic composition and said thermoformed composite material derived therefrom comprising the combination of cellulose with a thermoplastic material comprising a hydrolysable or hydrosoluble polyhydroxylated polymer, such as starch or a polymer based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), wherein cellulose is available in an amount ranging from 30 to 60% by Weight, preferably from 40 to 60% by weight, said percentages being calculated on 100 parts by weight of the combination of cellulose with the thermoplastic material comprising a hydrolysable or hydrosoluble polyhydroxylated polymer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A thermoplastic composition, suitable to be submitted to common methods of heat forming, or thermoforming, of thermoplastic materials, consisting of a substantially anhydrous mixture consisting of:
cellulose particles, in combination with
particles of a thermoplastic material consisting of a hydrolysable or hydrosoluble polyhydroxylated polymer,
wherein cellulose is provided in an amount ranging from 30 to 60% by weight, said percentage being calculated on 100 parts by weight of the combination of cellulose with the thermoplastic material consisting of a hydrolysable or hydrosoluble polyhydroxylated polymer.

2. A thermoplastic composition according to claim 1 ,
wherein the thermoplastic material consisting of a hydrolysable or hydrosoluble polyhydroxylated polymer is selected from: a thermoplastic material consisting of starch, a thermoplastic material consisting of polyvinyl alcohol.

3. A thermoplastic composition, suitable to be submitted to common methods of heat forming, or thermoforming, of thermoplastic materials, consisting of:
cellulose particles, in combination with
particles of a thermoplastic material consisting of a hydrolysable or hydrosoluble polyhydroxylated polymer,
wherein cellulose is provided in an amount ranging from 30 to 60% by weight, said percentage being calculated on 100 parts by weight of the combination of cellulose with the thermoplastic material consisting of a hydrolysable or hydrosoluble polyhydroxylated polymer, and
an additive consisting of ketone-aldehyde resins, in order to modulate the water degradability and moisture sensitivity of the thermoplastic composition, wherein
the additive is provided in an amount equal to or less than 10% by weight, cellulose is provided in an amount ranging from 30 to 60% by weight, said percentages being calculated on 100 parts by weight of the sum of the three components: cellulose, thermoplastic material and additive.

4. A thermoplastic composition according to claim 3 , wherein the thermoplastic material consisting of a hydrolysable or hydrosoluble polyhydroxylated polymer is selected from: a thermoplastic material consisting of starch, a thermoplastic material consisting of polyvinyl alcohol.

5. A thermoplastic composition according to claim 1 in the form of dry-blend.

6. A thermoformed composite material consisting of:
cellulose, in combination with
a thermoplastic material consisting of a hydrolysable or hydrosoluble polyhydroxylated polymer,
wherein cellulose is provided in an amount ranging from 30 to 60% by weight, said percentage being calculated on 100 parts by weight of the combination of cellulose with the thermoplastic material consisting of a hydrolysable or hydrosoluble polyhydroxylated polymer.

7. A thermoformed composite material according to claim 6 , wherein the thermoplastic material consisting of a hydrolysable or hydrosoluble polyhydroxylated polymer is selected from: a thermoplastic material consisting of starch, a thermoplastic material consisting of polyvinyl alcohol.

8. A manufactured article, selected from the group consisting of receptacles, tubs for foodstuff, display units, packagings, or objects, with each article achieved by extrusion, injection, drawing, moulding and 3D printing consisting of the thermoformed composite material according to claim 6 .

9. A semi-finished product, selected from the group consisting of pellets, granules, powders, threads/yarns, filaments for use in 3D printing, reinforcement profiles, films, monofilaments, pipes, plates, and blown extruded pieces consisting of the thermoformed composite material according to claim 6 .

10. A thermoformed composite material
consisting of:
cellulose, in combination with
a thermoplastic material consisting of a hydrolysable or hydrosoluble polyhydroxylated polymer,
wherein cellulose is provided in an amount ranging from 30 to 60% by weight, said percentage being calculated on 100 parts by weight of the combination of cellulose with the thermoplastic material consisting of a hydrolysable or hydrosoluble polyhydroxylated polymer; and
an additive consisting of ketone-aldehyde resins, to modulate the water degradability and moisture sensitivity of the thermoformed composite material, wherein the additive is provided in an amount equal to or less than 10% by weight, cellulose is provided in an amount ranging from 30 to 60% by weight, said percentages being calculated on 100 parts by weight of the sum of the three components: cellulose, thermoplastic material and additive.

11. A thermoplastic composition according to claim 1 , wherein cellulose is provided in an amount from 40 to 60% by weight.

12. A thermoplastic composition according to claim 3 , wherein cellulose is provided in an amount from 40 to 60% by weight, said percentages being calculated on 100 parts by weight of the sum of the three components: cellulose, thermoplastic material and additive.

13. A thermoformed composite material according to claim 6 , wherein cellulose is provided in an amount from 40 to 60% by weight.

14. A thermoformed composite material according to claim 10 , wherein cellulose is provided in an amount from 40 to 60% by weight, said percentages being calculated on 100 parts by weight of the sum of the three components: cellulose, thermoplastic material and additive.

15. A thermoformed composite material according to claim 10 , wherein the thermoplastic material consisting of a hydrolysable or hydrosoluble polyhydroxylated polymer is selected from: a thermoplastic material consisting of starch, a thermoplastic material consisting of polyvinyl alcohol.

Assignees

• Nextmaterials S R L
• Milano Politecnico

Inventors

• Cigada Alberto
• Profaizer Mauro
• Del Curto Barbara
• Tanzi Maria Cristina
• Faré Silvia
• Barelli Nadia

Classifications

• C08L3/02

  Starch; Degradation products thereof, e.g. dextrin · CPC title

• B29K2401/00

  Use of cellulose, modified cellulose or cellulose derivatives, e.g. viscose, as filler · CPC title

• C08L97/02

  Lignocellulosic material, e.g. wood, straw or bagasse {(manufacture of articles made from lignocellulosic material by dry processes B27N)} · CPC title

• C08L29/02

  Homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated alcohols (C08L29/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C08L29/04

  Polyvinyl alcohol; Partially hydrolysed homopolymers or copolymers of esters of unsaturated alcohols with saturated carboxylic acids · CPC title