Recycling polyamide airbags

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9718960-B2
Application number	US-201113817605-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2011
Priority date	Aug 26, 2010
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

A method for making a polyamide composition, in particular for molding, prepared by mixing a polyamide material, a powder made from airbag scraps, and optionally reinforcing fillers is described. Also described, is a method for recycling used airbags.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process for producing articles, the process comprising at least one step of mixing in a molten state a polyamide material with a safety airbag residue powder, wherein said residue is based on a polyamide comprising a silicone coating, and wherein said powder is a micrometric powder having a particle size D 50 of between 50 μm and 400 μm, further comprising:
forming granules from the mixture of polyamide material with the safety airbag residue powder; and
forming articles from the granules by at least one of: molding, injection molding, injection blow-molding, extrusion, extrusion blow-molding or spinning.

2. The process as defined by claim 1 , wherein the powder comprises spherical or substantially spherical particles and/or fibrous particles.

3. The process as defined by claim 1 , wherein from 0.5% to 70% by weight of residue is mixed relative to the total weight of the composition.

4. The process as defined by claim 1 , wherein the polyamide material is added to the residue in the form of virgin polyamide granules or in the form of granules of virgin polyamide comprising a reinforcing or bulking filler and another additive.

5. The process as defined by claim 1 , further comprising adding a reinforcing or bulking filler wherein the reinforcing or bulking filler is selected from the group consisting of a fibrous filler and a non-fibrous mineral filler.

6. The process as defined by claim 5 , wherein when the filler is a fibrous filler, the fibrous filler is a glass fiber, a carbon fiber or an aramid fiber.

7. The process as defined by claim 5 , wherein when the filler is a non-fibrous mineral filler, the non-fibrous filler is a clay, a kaolin, a mica, a wollastonite or a silica.

8. The process as defined by claim 3 , wherein from 15% to 50% by weight of the residue is mixed relative to the total weight of the composition.

9. A process for producing articles, the process comprising at least one step of mixing, without heating, a polyamide material with a safety airbag residue powder, wherein said residue is based on a polyamide comprising a silicone coating, and wherein said powder is a micrometric powder having a particle size D 50 of between 50 μm and 400 μm, further comprising:
melting the mixture of polyamide material with the safety airbag residue powder;
forming granules from the melted mixture; and
forming articles from the granules by at least one of: molding, injection molding, injection blow-molding, extrusion, extrusion blow-molding or spinning.

10. The process as defined by claim 9 , wherein the powder comprises spherical or substantially spherical particles and/or fibrous particles.

11. The process as defined by claim 9 , wherein from 0.5% to 70% by weight of residue is mixed relative to the total weight of the composition.

12. The process as defined by claim 9 , wherein the polyamide material is added to the residue in the form of virgin polyamide granules or in the form of granules of virgin polyamide comprising a reinforcing or bulking filler and another additive.

13. The process as defined by claim 9 , further comprising adding a reinforcing or bulking filler wherein the reinforcing or bulking filler is selected from the group consisting of a fibrous filler and a non-fibrous mineral filler.

14. The process as defined by claim 13 , wherein when the filler is a fibrous filler, the fibrous filler is a glass fiber, a carbon fiber or an aramid fiber.

15. The process as defined by claim 13 , wherein when the filler is a non-fibrous mineral filler, the non-fibrous filler is a clay, a kaolin, a mica, a wollastonite or a silica.

16. The process as defined by claim 11 , wherein from 15% to 50% by weight of the residue is mixed relative to the total weight of the composition.

Assignees

• Basire Charlotte
• Rhodia Operations

Inventors

• Basire Charlotte

Classifications

• B29C45/0001

  characterised by the choice of material · CPC title

• B29K2077/00

  Use of {PA, i.e.} polyamides, e.g. polyesteramides {or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material · CPC title

• C08K11/005

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

• C08J3/005 Primary

  Processes for mixing polymers · CPC title

• B29L2022/027

  Air bags · CPC title