Rapidly pressing mixtures of paper and plastic to targeted thickness and density

Abstract

A method may include pressing a mat including a blend of paper and plastic fragments by applying a pressure to the mat using a heated press such that the mat is compressed to a first thickness, where the pressure is greater than a critical pressure threshold such that at least a portion of a moisture content of the mat is in a super-heated liquid state. The method may include maintaining the pressure on the mat above the critical pressure threshold until at least a portion of the plastic fragments of the mat are melted. The method may include decreasing the pressure on the mat below the critical pressure threshold such that the mat expands to a second thickness greater than or equal to a target thickness, and such that the portion of the moisture content of the mat in the super-heated liquid state is converted to steam.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.