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AssigneeE. Khashoggi Industries
InventorsPer Just Andersen, Simon K. Hodson
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Compositions, methods, and systems for manufacturing articles, particularly containers and packaging materials, having a starch-bound cellular matrix reinforced with substantially uniformly dispersed fibers. High strength articles that have adequate flexibility and toughness immediately or very shortly after being demolded without the need for subsequent conditioning are molded from compositions having a starch-based binder and fibers that are uniformly dispersed by means of a high yield stress fluid fraction within the starch-based composition. In a two-step mixing process, a preblended mixture is formed by gelating a portion of the starch-based binder or other thickening agent in water to form a liquid phase having high yield stress into which the fibers are substantially uniformly dispersed. The fibers preferably have an average length of at least about 2 mm and an aspect ratio of at least about 25:1. The remaining starch-based binder, water, and other desired admixtures, such as mold-release agents, inorganic fillers, rheology-modifying agents, plasticizers, integral coating or sealing materials, and dispersants, are added to the preblended mixture to form a moldable starch-based composition, which is molded between heated molds to produce form-stable articles having a desired shape and a selectively controlled foamed structural matrix. Such articles can replace articles presently made from conventional materials like paper, paperboard, polystyrene, plastic, or other organic-based materials and have especial utility in the mass-production of containers, particularly food and beverage containers.
A fiber-filled, starch-based composition for molding into a shaped article of manufacture having a cellular matrix, the composition comprising a starch-based binder, water, a thickening agent, and fibers having an average aspect ratio greater than about 25:1, wherein the starch-based binder comprises unmodified starch and remains substantially ungelatinized prior to molding, wherein the water and thickening agent comprise a fluid fraction having a yield stress in a range from about 10 Pa to about 5000 Pa such that the fibers are substantially uniformly dispersed throughout the starch-based composition, wherein the starch-based composition forms the cellular matrix during molding upon substantial gelation of the starch-based binder and subsequent removal of at least a portion of the water from the starch-based composition by evaporation.
A fiber-filled, starch-based composition for molding a shaped article of manufacture having a cellular matrix, the composition comprising a first starch-based binder component in a substantially gelatinized state, a second starch-based binder component including unmodified starch in a substantially ungelatinized state, water, and fibers having an average aspect ratio of at least about 25:1 and a concentration in a range from about 2% to about 80% by weight of the starch-based composition, the water and first starch-based binder component comprising a fluid fraction having a yield stress in a range from about 10 Pa to about 5000 Pa such that the fibers are substantially uniformly dispersed throughout the starch-based composition, wherein the starch-based composition forms the cellular matrix during molding upon substantial gelation of the second starch-based binder component and subsequent removal of at least a portion of the water from the starch-based composition by evaporation.
A fiber-filled, starch-based composition for molding a shaped article of manufacture having a cellular matrix, the composition comprising a starch-based binder including unmodified starch that is substantially ungelatinized prior to molding, water, a thickening agent, an inorganic filler having a concentration in a range from about 20% to about 80% by weight of solids within the starch-based composition, and fibers having an average aspect ratio of at least about 25:1 and a concentration in a range from 2% to about 80% by weight of solids within the starch-based composition, the water and thickening agent comprising a fluid fraction having a yield stress such that the fibers are substantially uniformly dispersed throughout the starch-based composition, the composition forming the cellular matrix during molding upon substantial gelation of the starch-based binder and subsequent removal of at least a portion of the water from the starch-based composition by evaporation.
A fiber-filled, starch-based composition for molding a shaped article of manufacture having a cellular matrix, the composition comprising a fluid fraction prior to molding and solids dispersed therein, the fluid fraction comprising water, a mold releasing agent, and a substantially gelatinized starch-based binder in a concentration such that the fluid fraction has a yield stress greater than about 100 Pa, the solids comprising a substantially ungelatinized starch-based binder including unmodified starch, an inorganic aggregate filler having a concentration in a range from about 5% to about 50% by weight of the starch-based composition, and fibers having an average aspect ratio of at least 25:1, an average length of at least about 2 mm, and a concentration in a range from about 2% to about 40% by weight of the starch-based composition, the substantially gelatinized starch-based binder and the substantially ungelatinized starch-based binder together having a combined concentration in a range from about 5% to about 50% by weight of the starch-based composition, the fluid fraction having a yield stress such that the fibers are substantially uniformly dispersed throughout the starch-based composition, the composition forming the cellular matrix during molding upon substantial gelation of the ungelatinized starch-based binder and subsequent removal of at least a portion of the water from the starch-based composition by evaporation.
A fiber-filled, starch-based composition for molding into a shaped article of manufacturing having a cellular matrix, the composition comprising a starch-based binder including unmodified starch that is substantially ungelated prior to molding, water having a concentration greater than about 30% by weight of the starch-based composition, a thickening agent, and fibers having an average length greater than 1.5 mm and an average aspect ratio greater than about 25:1, the water and thickening agent comprising a fluid fraction having a yield stress such that the fibers are substantially uniformly dispersed throughout the starch-based composition, the composition forming the cellular matrix during molding upon substantial gelation of the starch-based binder and subsequent removal of at least a portion or the water from the starch-based composition by evaporation.
A fiber-filled, starch-based composition for molding into a shaped article of manufacture having a cellular matrix, the composition comprising a starch-based binder including unmodified starch having an amylose content less than about 45% and that is substantially ungelated prior to molding, water, a thickening agent, and fibers having an average length greater than 1.5 mm and an average aspect ratio greater than about 25:1, the water and thickening agent comprising a fluid fraction having a yield stress such that the fibers are substantially uniformly dispersed throughout the starch-based composition, the composition forming the cellular matrix during molding upon substantial gelation of the starch-based binder and subsequent removal of at least a portion of the water from the starch-based composition by evaporation.
A fiber-filled, starch-based composition for molding into a shaped article of manufacture having a cellular matrix, the composition comprising a starch-based binder including unmodified starch having an amylose content less than about 2.5% and that is substantially ungelated prior to molding, water, a thickening agent, and fibers having an average aspect ratio of at least about 25:1, the water and thickening agent comprising a fluid fraction having a yield stress greater than about 100 Pa such that the fibers are substantially uniformly dispersed throughout the starch-based composition, the composition forming the cellular matrix during molding upon substantial gelation of the starch-based binder and subsequent removal of at least a portion of the water from the starch-based composition by evaporation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.