Composition for construction material and its method of making and using the same

#The present invention generally relates to construction material. Specifically, the present invention relates to a composition and process for converting fabric into construction material. More specifically, the present invention relates to a construction material composition comprised of fabric.

#Documents cited in the following text, and all documents cited or referenced in the documents cited in the following text, are incorporated herein by reference. Documents incorporated by reference into this text or any teachings therein may be used in the practice of this invention. Documents incorporated by reference into this text are not admitted to be prior art. Furthermore, authors or inventors on documents incorporated by reference into this text are not to be considered to be “another” or “others” as to the present inventive entity and vice versa, especially where one or more authors or inventors on documents incorporated by reference into this text are an inventor or inventors named in the present inventive entity.

#Waste carpet poses serious problems for municipalities worldwide. The disposal of waste carpets, for example, carpets used in residences or commercial properties for many years and which are then removed and replaced with new carpeting due to wear or renovation, represents a problem of increasing environmental significance. As carpets are normally not biodegradable, some typical ways of disposing such used carpets include filling and stacking in waste dumps, which takes up large tracts of land and pollutes underground water; and burning, which seriously pollutes the atmosphere.

#In the following detailed description, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a flow chart representing one embodiment of the process of the instant invention.

#The present invention provides, inter alia, a composition for converting fabric into construction material, comprising a) a powder comprising a Group II oxide, a Group III oxide and a transition metal oxide, and b) an aqueous compound, wherein the powder and the aqueous compound are present in an amount sufficient to produce a flowable fabric composition capable of being molded and hardened. The present invention also provides a construction material, comprising a powder comprising a Group II oxide, a Group III oxide and a transition metal oxide, an aqueous compound, and fabric. In a preferred embodiment, the construction material further comprises a Group V oxide

#Fabric is obtained, for example, from clothing, carpets, textiles, linens, furniture, apparel, and bedding. Preferably, the fabric is carpeting. Most preferably, the fabric is used or waste carpeting, such as carpeting used in residences or commercial properties and then removed and replaced with new carpeting due to wear or renovation. Fabric is also obtained from the left-over scraps of fabric during manufacturing of the fabric, such as in the textile industry, or directly from fabric manufacturers or retailers. A skilled artisan would readily understand, however, other sources of fabric. The fabric is most preferably a postconsumer, or used, fabric.

#An advantageous result in connection with the invention, which would not have been expected by one skilled in the art, is that a high proportion of foreign substances in the fabrics is recycled. Thus, in a preferred embodiment and using the method according to the invention, it is possible to process fabrics, such as used carpeting, in the condition in which they were delivered, and to produce construction material according to the invention from them without complicated cleaning and separation processes.