Process for producing concentrates of natural and/or synthetic and/or man-made fibres in polymer matrices in the form of granules
AssigneeDe Martini S.P.A.
InventorsDaniele BONACCHI, Emiliano FERRONI
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a process for producing granules comprising discontinuous fibres. Said granules have characteristics of a residual moisture ≤6% and final apparent density ≥0.10 g/cm3, making them suitable for use as additives in traditional thermoplastic production processes. The present invention further relates to a fibre-reinforced composite plastic material obtainable by adding said granules during the plastic production process.
Claims18
A process for producing granules comprising discontinuous fibres in a polymer matrix, said process comprising the steps of:
- (i) Providing a mixture of discontinuous fibres and polymeric fibres:
- (ii) Subjecting said discontinuous fibres and said polymeric fibres to a carding process until a non-woven fabric or a sliver is obtained:
- (iii) Subjecting said non-woven fabric or said sliver to heat treatment:
- (iv) Subjecting said non-woven fabric or said sliver obtained after step (iii) to a condensation process wherein said non-woven fabric or said sliver is conveyed inside a temperature controlled funnel at the exit of which it is pressed inside a template, to form a cord or passing the non-woven fabric or the sliver through a twisting process, to obtain a cord:
- (v) Cutting said cord obtained after step (iv) into granules.
A process for producing granules comprising discontinuous fibres in at least one binder selected from the group consisting of:
- vegetable waxes, animal waxes, mineral waxes, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), cellulose acetate, vinyl acetate, ethyl cellulose, ethylvinyl alcohol, starch, casein, animal gelatine, egg white, egg yolk, bitumen, solid terpenes, and a combination thereof, said process comprising the steps of:
- (i′) Providing discontinuous fibres:
- (ii′) Subjecting said discontinuous fibres to a carding process until a non-woven fabric or a sliver is obtained;
- (iii′) Treating said non-woven fabric or said sliver with said at least one binder by spray coating, dip coating and/or moulding techniques:
- (iv′) Subjecting said non-woven fabric or said sliver to heat treatment:
- (v′) Subjecting said non-woven fabric or said sliver obtained after step (iv′) to a condensation process wherein said non-woven fabric or said sliver is conveyed inside a temperature controlled funnel at the exit of which it is pressed inside a template, to form a cord or passing the non-woven fabric or the sliver through a twisting process, to obtain a cord;
- (vi) Cutting said cord obtained after step (v″) into granules.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.