Method for forming articles of reinforced composite material

A method of forming an article of composite material using a preformed mold, comprising the steps of:

• (a) comminuting a cellulosic structure into flakes of cellulosic fibers of essentially a first size;
• (b) comminuting plastic into granules of essentially a second size;
• (c) blending said flakes and said granules with a coupling agent to produce a first composite mixture;
• (d) depositing a predetermined quantity of said first composite mixture onto said mold and orienting said flakes in a selected direction to form a first mat comprising said first composite mixture onto said mold;
• and
• (e) applying heat and pressure on said first mat sufficient to remelt said plastic granules and to cause said first mat substantially to assume the form of said preformed mold;
• wherein said plastic comprises a thermoplastic material.

A method for producing a load bearing product, comprising the steps of:

• (a) blending cellulosic flakes of a first size with plastic granules of a first type to form a mixture having a first ratio of cellulosic flakes to plastic granules;
• (b) aligning said flakes in essentially a first direction;
• (c) depositing said first mixture onto a preformed mold to form a first layer of said load bearing product;
• (d) blending cellulosic flakes of a second size with plastic granules of a second type to form a second mixture having a second ratio of cellulosic flakes to plastic granules, said second type of plastic granules being different than said first type;
• (e) aligning said flakes in essentially a second direction which is transverse to said first direction;
• (f) depositing said second mixture onto said first layer to form a second layer of said load bearing product;
• (g) aligning said flakes in said first mixture to be essentially along said first direction;
• and
• (h) depositing said first mixture onto said second layer of said load bearing product to form a third layer of said load bearing product;
• (i) applying heat and pressure to the first, second, and third layers of said load bearing product sufficient to remelt said plastic granules of the first and second types and to cause the first, second, and third layers to assume a shape of said preformed mold;
• wherein said plastic granules of said first type and said second type both comprise a thermoplastic material.

A method of forming an article of composite material using a preformed mold, comprising the steps of:

• (a) comminuting a pre-processed cellulosic structure into flakes of essentially a first size;
• (b) comminuting a thermo-plastic into granules of essentially a second size;
• (c) blending said flakes and said granules with a coupling agent to produce a composite mixture;
• (d) depositing said composite mixture onto said mold;
• and
• (e) applying heat and pressure sufficient to remelt said granules and to cause said composite mixture to assume the form of said preformed mold to thereby form said article of composite material.