# US 10,246,569 B2 · Recycling of fibrous surface coverings

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- Number: US 10,246,569 B2
- Document ID: US10246569B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/299,040
- Filed: 2016-10-20
- Published: 2017-04-20
- Granted: 2019-04-02
- Earliest claimed: 2015-10-20
- Assignees: Geo-Tech Polymers, LLC
- Applicants: Geo-Tech Polymers, LLC
- Inventors: Sreevalli Bokka; Chad C. Smith; John S. Essman; David M. Bender; Ronald L. Whaley
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246569B2

## CPC

- C08J 11/06: without chemical reactions
- B29B 17/00: Recovery of plastics or other constituents of waste material containing plastics; ({volume reduction of waste plastics, e.g. by mechanical compacting or melting disposal of solid waste B09B;} chemical recovery C08J11/00)
- B29B 17/02: Separating plastics from other materials
- C11D 3/0031: {Carpet, upholstery, fur or leather cleansers}
- B29B 2017/0244: {in liquids}
- B29B 2017/0296: {Dissolving the materials in aqueous alkaline solutions, e.g. NaOH or KOH}
- B29L 2031/7322: {Carpets}
- C08J 2323/12: Polypropene
- C08J 2327/06: Homopolymers or copolymers of vinyl chloride
- C08J 2367/02: Polyesters derived from dicarboxylic acids and dihydroxy compounds; (C08J2367/06 takes precedence)
- C08J 2375/04: Polyurethanes
- C08J 2377/02: Polyamides derived from omega-amino carboxylic acids or from lactams thereof (C08J2377/10 takes precedence)
- C08J 2377/06: Polyamides derived from polyamines and polycarboxylic acids (C08J2377/10 takes precedence)
- C11D 1/66: Non-ionic compounds {(C11D1/002, C11D1/004, C11D1/008 take precedence)}
- C11D 2111/12: Soft surfaces, e.g. textile
- Y02W 30/52: Mechanical processing of waste for the recovery of materials, e.g. crushing, shredding, separation or disassembly
- Y02W 30/62: Plastics recycling; Rubber recycling
- C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29)
- B29B: PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
- C11D: DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
- Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT

## Abstract

Methods, compositions, single phase aqueous solutions, process mixtures, and kits are provided relating to recycling a fibrous surface covering, e.g., carpet, using a single-phase aqueous solution. For example, a method of recycling a fibrous surface covering may include providing the single phase aqueous solution. The single phase aqueous solution may include water and a surfactant composition. The method may include providing the fibrous surface covering. The fibrous surface covering may include: a fibrous surface layer; a first backing coupled to the fibrous surface layer; and a binder coupled to one or more of the first backing and the fibrous surface layer. The method may include contacting the single phase aqueous solution and the fibrous surface covering to form a process mixture under conditions effective to provide a recycled portion of the fibrous surface covering.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process mixture, comprising:
a fibrous surface covering in contact with a single phase aqueous solution;
the fibrous surface covering comprising:
a fibrous surface layer;
a first backing coupled to the fibrous surface layer;
a binder coupled to one or more of the first backing and the fibrous surface layer; and
the single-phase aqueous solution comprising:
water;
a surfactant composition, the surfactant composition consisting essentially of one or more alkyl polyglycosides in a weight percentage (w/w) with respect to the water of about 0.01% to 0.5%;
an inorganic base composition;
a stable peroxygen composition; and
a monosaccharide salt,
the process mixture characterized by a pH value of about 10 to about 14.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process mixture of claim 1, the fibrous surface covering being one or more of: a carpet comprising the fibrous surface layer in the form of a carpet pile; and in the form of a plurality of pieces, the plurality of pieces of the fibrous surface covering being derived by one or more of shredding and cutting the fibrous surface covering in the form of one or more of: a tile, a roll, a remnant, a sample, an installation scrap, a deinstallation scrap, and a manufacturing scrap.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process mixture of claim 1, comprising one or more of:
the fibrous surface covering comprising the fibrous surface layer as one or more of: injected into the first backing and woven into the first backing;
one or more of the fibrous surface layer and the first backing independently comprising fibers of one or more of: wool; cotton; acrylic; cellulose; sisal; jute; hemp; bamboo; an acrylic, a nylon; polyethylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate; an olefin; blends thereof; copolymers thereof; and recycled fibers thereof;
the fibrous surface layer comprising fibers in the form of one or more of: staple fiber and bulk continuous filament;
the fibrous surface layer being characterized by an arrangement of fibers in the form of one or more of: a woven textile, a nonwoven textile, a tufted pile, a looped pile, a patterned pile, a frieze pile, a textured pile, a multi-level pile, a cut or tip-sheared pile, a cut and loop pile, a random cut pile, a Saxony pile, a plush pile, a shag pile, and a needle felt;
the first backing comprising the form of one or more of: woven fibers; woven slit films; nonwoven fibers; and bulk continuous fiber;
the fibrous surface covering comprising a second backing coupled to one or more of: the fibrous surface layer; the first backing and the binder; and
the binder comprising one or more of: a latex; a polyurethane; an acrylic; a vinyl, a thermoformed thermoplastic; a copolymer thereof; and a blend thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process mixture of claim 1, comprising:
the water in a weight ratio to the fibrous surface covering of one or more of about: 4:1 to 32:1; 6:1 to 24:1; 8:1 to 20:1; 10:1 to 18:1; 10:1 to 16:1; 11:1 to 14:1; and 12.5:1; and
the water in a weight percent concentration (w/w) of the single-phase aqueous solution of at least about one or more of: 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.25%, 99.3%, and 99.35%.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process mixture of claim 1, the single-phase aqueous solution further comprising,
the inorganic base composition comprising one or more of: an alkali metal hydroxide, an alkaline earth metal oxide, or an alkaline earth metal hydroxide, and
the inorganic base composition being present in an amount effective to establish a hydroxide concentration in moles/liter (M) of about one or more of: 0.0125 M to 0.625 M; 0.025 M to 0.5 M; 0.025 M to 0.375 M; 0.025 M to 0.25 M; 0.025 M to 0.125 M; and 0.0625 M.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process mixture of claim 1, the single-phase aqueous solution further comprising,
the stable peroxygen composition comprising an alkali metal salt of one or more of: peroxide, percarbonate, persulfate, and perborate; and
the stable peroxygen composition being present in an amount effective to provide a peroxide concentration having a molarity of from about 9.55 mM to about 478 mM.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process mixture of claim 1, the single-phase aqueous solution further comprising
monosaccharide salt in a weight percentage (w/w) with respect to the water of about: 0.01% to 5%.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process mixture of claim 1, characterized by one or more of:
the surfactant composition being present in a weight percentage (w/w) with respect to the water of one or more of about: 0.025% to about 0.4%; 0.05% to 0.3%; 0.075% to 0.25%; 0.1% to about 0.2%; and 0.15%; and
pH value of about one or more of: 10.5 to 14; 11 to 14; 11.5 to 14; 12 to 14; and 12.5 to 13.5.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A method for recycling a fibrous surface covering by forming the process mixture of claim 1, comprising:
providing the single phase aqueous solution;
providing the fibrous surface covering comprising:
a fibrous surface layer;
a first backing coupled to the fibrous surface layer;
a binder coupled to one or more of the first backing and the fibrous surface layer; and
contacting the single phase aqueous solution and the fibrous surface covering to form a process mixture under conditions effective to provide a recycled portion of the fibrous surface covering.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising one or more of:
at least partly uncoupling the recycled portion of the fibrous surface covering from the fibrous surface covering;
suspending the recycled portion in the process mixture;
dissolving the recycled portion in the process mixture;
separating the recycled portion of the fibrous surface covering from the process mixture; and
recovering the recycled portion of the fibrous surface covering from the process mixture.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, the conditions effective to provide the recycled portion of the fibrous surface covering comprising one or more of:
heating the process mixture at a temperature of about one or more of: 50° C. to 100° C.; 60° C. to 100° C.; 60° C. to 95° C.; 60° C. to 90° C.; 60° C. to 85° C.; and 65° C. to 85° C.; 80° C. to 85° C.; and 82° C.; and
agitating the process mixture.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising recovering at least a portion of the single phase aqueous solution after providing the recycled portion of the fibrous surface covering.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, comprising one or more of:
providing the water in a weight ratio to the fibrous surface covering of one or more of about: 44:1 to 32:1; 6:1 to 24:1; 8:1 to 20:1; 10:1 to 18:1; 10:1 to 16:1; 11:1 to 14:1; and 12.5:1; and
providing the surfactant composition in a weight percentage (w/w) with respect to the water of one or more of about: 0.05% to about 0.75%; 0.05% to 0.5%; 0.1% to 25%; 0.1% to about 0.2%; and 0.15%.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, the single phase aqueous solution comprising:
the inorganic base composition comprising one or more of: an alkali metal hydroxide, an alkaline earth metal oxide, or an alkaline earth metal hydroxide; the inorganic base composition being present in a weight percent concentration (w/w) with respect to the water in a range of about one or more of: 0.1% to 5%, 0.1% to 4%, 0.1% to 3%, 0.1% to 2.5%, 0.2% to 2%, 0.5% to 1.6%, 0.5% to 1.2%, 0.6% to 1%, and 0.75%; and
the stable peroxygen composition comprising an alkali metal salt of one or more of: peroxide, percarbonate, persulfate, and perborate; the stable peroxygen composition being present in a weight percentage (w/w) with respect to the water of one or more of about: 0.01% to 3%, 0.01% to 2.5%, 0.01% to 2%, 0.01% to 2%, 0.01% to 1.5%, 0.05% to 1.5%, 0.25% to 1.5%, 0.25% to 1.25%, 0.5% to 1.25%, 0.75% to 1.25%, and 0.75% and
the monosaccharide salt being present in a weight percentage (w/w) with respect to the water of about 0.01% to 5%.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, comprising stirring the process mixture at a rotational speed of at least about one or more of: 250 RPM to 2000 RPM, 500 RPM to 1750 RPM, 750 RPM to 1500 RPM, 1000 RPM to 1400 RPM, 1100 RPM to 1300 RPM, and 1200 RPM.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, the fibrous surface covering being one or more of: a carpet comprising the fibrous surface layer in the form of a carpet pile; in the form of a plurality of pieces.

### Claim 17 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, the fibrous surface covering comprising one or more of:
the first backing, comprising one or more of: wool, cotton, acrylic, cellulose, sisal, jute, hemp, bamboo, an acrylic, a nylon, polyethylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate, a polyolefin, glass, carbon fiber; blends thereof, copolymers thereof, and recycled fibers thereof, and the first backing being in the form of one or more of: woven fibers; woven slit films; films; nonwoven fibers; and bulk continuous fiber;
the binder comprising one or more of: a latex; a polyurethane; an acrylic; a vinyl, a thermoformed thermoplastic; a copolymer thereof; and a blend thereof; and
the fibrous surface layer comprising one or more of:
fibers in the form of one or more of: staple fiber and bulk continuous filament;
fibers of one or more of: wool; cotton; acrylic; cellulose; sisal; jute; hemp; bamboo; an acrylic, a nylon; polyethylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate; an olefin; blends thereof; copolymers thereof; and recycled fibers thereof;
one or more of: injected into the first backing and woven into the first backing;
a second backing coupled to one or more of: the fibrous surface layer; the first backing; and the binder; and
one or more of: a second backing, a natural foam padding, a synthetic foam padding, a flooring adhesive residue, a pigment, a dye, an anti-stain composition, an anti-static composition, an anti-skid composition, and an anti-microbial composition.