Polyurethane foams recycling methods and systems
AssigneeEdge Global Innovation Inc.
InventorsVahid Serajian, Sahand Serajian
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Abstract
A polyurethane foam product is formed into a plurality of polyurethane masses. The plurality of polyurethane masses are fed into an extruder with a thermoplastic polymer urethane thermoplastic elastomer. The plurality of polyurethane masses are blended with the thermoplastic polymer urethane thermoplastic elastomer at an elevated temperature to produce a recycled polyurethane product. The weight ratio of the plurality of polyurethane masses to the thermoplastic polymer urethane thermoplastic elastomer exceeds about 50:50.
Claims20
A method for recycling a polyurethane foam product comprising:
- heating the polyurethane foam product under compression at a temperature of at least about 180° C. and a pressure of at least about 200 psi for a sufficient time without solvent to densify the polyurethane foam product and form a polyurethane layer structure selected from a sheet or a film;
- converting the densified polyurethane layer structure into a plurality of polyurethane masses;
- feeding the plurality of polyurethane masses into an extruder with a thermoplastic polymer urethane thermoplastic elastomer;
- and
- blending the plurality of polyurethane masses with the thermoplastic polymer urethane thermoplastic elastomer at an elevated temperature without solvent to produce a recycled polyurethane product;
- wherein the weight ratio of the plurality of polyurethane masses to the thermoplastic polymer urethane thermoplastic elastomer exceeds about 25:75.
A method for preparing a polyurethane foam product for transport, the method comprising:
- heating the polyurethane foam product with a heat press to an elevated temperature of at least about 180° C. without solvent;
- applying an elevated pressure of at least about 200 psi to the polyurethane foam product within the heat press while the polyurethane foam product is at the elevated temperature without solvent;
- holding the polyurethane foam product in the heat press at the elevated pressure and elevated temperature and sufficient time without solvent to form a vitrimerized and densified polyurethane layer structure selected from the group consisting of a sheet and a film.
A method for recycling a polyurethane foam product comprising:
- heating the polyurethane foam product under compression at a temperature of at least about 180° C. and a pressure of at least about 200 psi for a sufficient time without solvent to densify the polyurethane foam product and form a polyurethane layer structure selected from a sheet or a film;
- converting the densified polyurethane layer structure into a plurality of polyurethane masses;
- feeding the plurality of polyurethane masses into a melt processing tool with a thermoplastic polymer urethane thermoplastic elastomer;
- and
- blending the plurality of polyurethane masses with the thermoplastic polymer urethane thermoplastic elastomer at an elevated temperature without solvent to produce a recycled polyurethane product;
- wherein the weight ratio of the plurality of polyurethane masses to the thermoplastic polymer urethane thermoplastic elastomer exceeds about 50:50.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.