Renewable replacements for carbon black in composites and methods of making and using thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017107334-A1
Application number	US-201515126187-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 13, 2015
Priority date	Mar 14, 2014
Publication date	Apr 20, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Biocarbon is presented as an alternative to synthetic carbon black. Master batches having biocarbon for usage in raw plastics and/or the production of composites. Biocarbon is mainly derived from plant biomass, but other sources can be used. A method of producing the master batch: (a) pyrolyzing processed biomass in an oxygen-starved environment to produced biocarbon; (b) comminuting the biocarbon in a reduced oxygen atmosphere; (c) cooling the comminuted biocarbon; (d) mixing the cooled comminuted biocarbon with a carrier resin, thereby producing the master batch.

First claim

1 . A master batch for the production of composites, the master batch comprising a blend of elemental carbon and a carrier resin, wherein the elemental carbon is derived from pyrolized biomass.

2 . The master batch of claim 1 , wherein the master batch comprises from about 25% wt. to about 75% wt. of elemental carbon and from about 25% wt. to about 75% wt. of the carrier resin.

3 . (canceled)

4 . The master batch of claim 1 , wherein the biomass is selected from: plant fibers, municipal solid waste, agricultural biomass, forest biomass, and animal manure.

5 . The master batch of claim 1 , wherein the carrier resin is a synthetic polymer.

6 . The master batch of claim 4 , wherein the synthetic polymer is selected from polyethylene (PE), crosslinked-polyethylene (PEX), polypropylene (PP), impact polypropylene, and polybutylene (PB); polyvinylchloride (PVC), chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polystyrene (PS), acrylic polymers, nylon, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, thermoplastic polyurethanes, polycarbonates, or combinations thereof.

7 . The master batch of claim 1 , wherein the carrier resin is a bioplastic.

8 . The master batch of claim 7 , wherein the bioplastic is selected from poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polyglycolic acid (PGA), poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid (PLGA), polycaprolactone, polyhydroxyalkanoates or combinations thereof.

9 . The master batch of claim 1 , wherein the blend further comprises an additive.

10 - 11 . (canceled)

12 . A composite comprising a polymer compounded with a master batch of claim 1 .

13 . The composite of claim 12 , wherein the composite comprises between 1% wt. and 6% wt. of the elemental carbon.

14 . A product comprising the composite of claim 12 .

15 . A method of producing a master batch, the method comprising:
(a) pyrolyzing processed biomass in an oxygen-starved environment to produced biocarbon; (b) comminuting the biocarbon; (c) mixing the comminuted biocarbon with a carrier resin, thereby producing the master batch.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the pyrolysis is carried out at a temperature of about 400° C. to about 900° C.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the biocarbon is comminuted while the biocarbon is at about 350° C.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the comminuting of step (b) takes place in a reduced oxygen atmosphere.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises cooling the comminuted biocarbon.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the comminuted biocarbon is cooled to about 200° C.

21 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the biocarbon is comminuted to a particle size ranging from about 100 microns to about 50 nanometers.

22 . The method of claim 15 , wherein from about 25% wt. to about 70% wt of the carrier resin is mixed with from about 30% wt. to about 75% wt. of the biocarbon.

23 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises adding an additive.

Assignees

• Univ Guelph

Inventors

• Mohanty Amar
• Misra Manjursi
• Bali Atul
• Rodriguez-Uribe Arturo

Classifications

• C08L2310/00

  Masterbatches · CPC title

• C08J3/226 Primary

  using a polymer as a carrier · CPC title

• Y02W30/20

  Waste processing or separation · CPC title

• C08J2423/12

  Polypropene · CPC title

• C08L101/00

  Compositions of unspecified macromolecular compounds · CPC title