3d-formable sheet material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023130544-A1
Application number	US-202217834086-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 7, 2022
Priority date	Oct 14, 2015
Publication date	Apr 27, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a 3D-formable sheet material, a process for the preparation of a 3D-formed article, the use of a cellulose material and at least one particulate inorganic filler material for the preparation of a 3D-formable sheet material and for increasing the stretchability of a 3D-formable sheet material, the use of a 3D-formable sheet material in 3D-forming processes as well as a 3D-formed article comprising the 3D-formable sheet material according.

First claim

1 - 18 . (canceled)

19 . 3D-formable sheet material, characterized by comprising:
(a) a cellulose material in an amount from 15 to 55 wt.-%, based on the total dry weight of the 3D-formable sheet material, wherein the cellulose material is a cellulose material mixture comprising: (i) microfibrillated cellulose in an amount of ≥55 wt.-%, based on the total dry weight of the cellulose material mixture, and (ii) cellulose fibres in an amount of ≤45 wt.-%, based on the total dry weight of the cellulose material mixture, and the sum of the amount of the microfibrillated cellulose and the cellulose fibres is 100 wt.-%, based on the total dry weight of the cellulose material mixture, and (b) at least one particulate inorganic filler material in an amount of 45 wt.-% to 85 wt.-%, based on the total dry weight of the 3D-formable sheet material, wherein the sum of the amount of the cellulose material and the at least one particulate inorganic filler material is 100.0 wt.-%, based on the total dry weight of the cellulose material and the at least one particulate inorganic filler material; wherein the 3D-formable sheet material has: (x) a normalized stretch increase per level of moisture content in the range from 0.15 to 0.7% per percent moisture, and (y) an elongation at break of at least 6%, and (z) a sheet weight from 50 to 500 g/m 2 .

20 . 3D-formable sheet material, according to claim 19 , characterized in that the microfibrillated cellulose has been obtained by microfibrillating a cellulose fibre suspension in the absence or presence of fillers and/or pigments,
wherein the cellulose fibres of the cellulose fibre suspension are selected from the group consisting of spruce pulp, pine pulp, eucalyptus pulp, birch pulp, beech pulp, maple pulp, acacia pulp, hemp pulp, cotton pulp, bagasse and straw pulp and recycled fiber material, and any mixtures thereof.

21 . 3D-formable sheet material, according to claim 19 , characterized in that the cellulose fibres:
(a) are selected from the group consisting of spruce fibres, pine fibres, eucalyptus fibres, birch fibres, beech fibres, maple fibres, acacia fibres, hemp fibres, cotton fibres, bagasse and straw fibres, recycled fiber material and mixtures thereof, and/or (b) have a length weighted average fibre length from 500 μm to 3000 μm.

22 . 3D-formable sheet material, according to claim 19 , characterized in that the at least one particulate inorganic filler material is at least one particulate calcium carbonate-containing material.

23 . 3D-formable sheet material, according to claim 22 , characterized in that the at least one particulate calcium carbonate-containing material is precipitated calcium carbonate.

24 . 3D-formable sheet material, according to claim 23 , characterized in that the precipitated calcium carbonate is selected from one or more of the group consisting of aragonitic, vateritic and calcitic mineralogical crystal forms.

25 . 3D-formable sheet material, according to claim 22 , characterized in that least one particulate calcium carbonate-containing material is dolomite.

26 . 3D-formable sheet material, according to claim 22 , characterized in that the at least one particulate calcium carbonate-containing material is at least one ground calcium carbonate material.

27 . 3D-formable sheet material, according to claim 26 , characterized in that the at least one ground calcium carbonate-containing material is selected from the group consisting of marble, chalk, limestone and mixtures thereof.

28 . 3D-formable sheet material, according to claim 19 , characterized in that the at least one particulate inorganic particulate inorganic material comprises both precipitated and ground calcium carbonate materials.

29 . 3D-formable sheet material, according to claim 19 , characterized in that the at least one particulate inorganic filler material has:
(a) a weight median particle size d50 from 0.1 to 20.0 μm, and/or (b) a specific surface area of from 0.5 to 200.0 m<2>/g as measured by the BET nitrogen method.

30 . Process for the preparation of a 3D-formed article, characterized in that the process comprising the steps of:
(a) providing the 3D-formable sheet material as defined in any one of claims 1 to 4 , and (b) forming the 3D-formable sheet material into a 3D-formed article, by a method selected from the group consisting of thermoforming, vacuum forming, air-pressure forming, deep-drawing forming, hydroforming, spherical forming, press forming and vacuum/air-pressure forming.

31 . Process, according to claim 30 , characterized in that the 3D-formable sheet material has been obtained by:
(i) providing a cellulose material, as defined in any one of claims 19 to 22 , and (ii) forming a presheet consisting of the cellulose material of step (i), and (iii) drying the presheet of step (ii) into a 3D-formable sheet material.

32 . Process, according to claim 31 , characterized in that the cellulose material of step (i) is combined with at least one particulate inorganic filler material, wherein the at least one particulate inorganic filler material is at least one particulate calcium carbonate-containing material.

33 . Process, according to claim 32 , characterized in that the at least one particulate calcium carbonate-containing material is precipitated calcium carbonate.

34 . Process, according to claim 33 , characterized in that the precipitated calcium carbonate is selected from one or more of the group consisting of aragonitic, vateritic and calcitic mineralogical crystal forms.

35 . Process, according to claim 32 , characterized in that the at least one particulate calcium carbonate-containing material is dolomite.

36 . Process, according to claim 32 , characterized in that the at least one particulate inorganic particulate inorganic material is at least one ground calcium carbonate material.

37 . Process, according to claim 36 , characterized in that the at least one ground calcium carbonate-containing material is selected from the group consisting of marble, chalk, limestone and mixtures thereof.

38 . Process, according to claim 32 , characterized in that the at least one particulate inorganic particulate inorganic material comprises both precipitated and ground calcium carbonate materials.

39 . Process, according to claim 32 , characterized in that the cellulose material of step (i) is combined with at least one particulate inorganic filler material, wherein the at least one particulate inorganic filler material has:
(a) a weight median particle size d50 from 0.1 to 20.0 μm, and/or (b) a specific surface area of from 0.5 to 200.0 m<2>/g, as measured by the BET nitrogen method.

40 . Process, according to claim 32 , characterized in that:
(i) the cellulose material is provided in form of an aqueous suspension comprising the cellulose material in a range from 0.2 to 35 wt.-%, and/or (ii) the at least one particulate inorganic filler material is provided in powder form, or in form of an aqueous suspension comprising the particulate inorganic filler material in an amount from 1 to 80 wt. %, based on the total weight of the aqueous suspension.

41 . Process, according to claim 32 , characterized in that the cellulose material is a cellulose material mixture comprising microfibrillated cellulose that has been obtained by microfibrillating a cellulose fibre suspension in the absence of fillers and/or pigments,
wherein the microfibrillate

Assignees

• Fiberlean Tech Ltd

Inventors

• Kritzinger Johannes
• Schenker Michel
• Gane Patrick
• Hunziker Philipp

Classifications

• C08K2003/265

  Calcium, strontium or barium carbonate · CPC title

• C08K2201/006

  Additives being defined by their surface area · CPC title

• B29C51/002

  characterised by the choice of material · CPC title

• B29C51/10

  Forming by pressure difference, e.g. vacuum · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title