Composite articles compression molded from recycled plastic
AssigneeRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
InventorsThomas Nosker, Jennifer Lynch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Compression molded articles containing a polymer component and optionally distributed therein between about 1% and about 45% by weight of a glass bead or fiber reinforcing component based on the weight of the finished composite article, wherein the polymer component contains between about 80% and about 100% by weight of HDPE based on the weight of the polymer component, in which at least about 20% or more by weight of said HDPE is post-consumer HDPE. Plastic panels, uses thereof and methods of manufacturing are also disclosed.
Claims22
A compression molded article comprising:
- a polymer component and optionally distributed therein between about 1% and about 45% by weight of a glass bead or fiber reinforcing component based on the weight of the finished article, wherein said polymer component contains between about 80% and about 100% by weight of HDPE based on the weight of said polymer component, in which at least about 20% or more by weight of said HDPE is post-consumer HDPE.
A method of making a plastic article comprising the steps of:
- (a) making a mixed melt comprising a polymer component and optionally between about 1% and about 45% by weight of a glass bead or fiber reinforcing component based on the weight of said mixed melt, wherein said polymer component contains between about 80% and about 100% by weight of HDPE based on the weight of said polymer component, in which at least about 20% or more by weight of said HDPE is post-consumer HDPE;
- (b) transferring the mixed melt to a machine press with a forming die comprising a square or rectangular cavity dimensioned to produce said plastic article, wherein said mixed melt is delivered to said cavity in a quantity sufficient to form a plastic article;
- (c) compressing said mixed melt in said forming die with said machine press to form said plastic article;
- and
- (d) cooling said plastic article.
A method of recycling post-consumer plastics waste comprising the steps of:
- (a) recovering from said waste a fraction comprising between about 80% and about 100% by weight HDPE;
- (b) making a mixed melt comprising said HDPE fraction and optionally between about 1% and about 45% by weight of a glass bead or fiber reinforcing component based on the weight of said mixed melt;
- (c) transferring the mixed melt to a machine press with a forming die comprising a cavity dimensioned to produce a plastic article, wherein said mixed melt is delivered to said cavity is a quantity sufficient to form a plastic composite article;
- (d) compressing said mixed melt in said forming die with said machine press to form said plastic article;
- and
- (e) cooling said plastic article.
A method of increasing the modulus of a recycled plastic article formed from a mixed melt comprising a post-consumer HDPE polymer component and an amount of one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of PE, PP and LDPE that is sufficient to reduce the modulus of said article below 150,000 psi, said method comprising adding to said HDPE polymer component, prior to the formation of said mixed melt, an amount of a radical initiator effective to provide an article with a modulus greater than 150,000 psi.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.