Composite fiber reinforced polyolefin
OwnerDaniel W. Evansinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A composite cellulose fiber reinforced polyolefin is enclosed. The polyolefin is manufactured by a process that includes preparing and mixing a blend of molten polyolefin, a coloring concentrate and a coupling agent in a kneading extruder, preheating cellulose fibers in an enclosed cram feed and mixing the blend of polyolefin, preheated cellulose fibers and ozone gas in a ozone chamber to form a polyolefin and fiber matrix. The polyolefin and fiber matrix is then fed to a twin screw extruder where it is further heated, mixed and then conveyed to a die to extrude the mixer to a desired shape.
Claims21
A composite cellulose fiber reinforced polyolefin derived from a polyolefin treated in a molten state with ozone.
A composite fiber reinforced polyolefin produced by a process having the steps of:
- (a) blending a polyolefin in a mixer;
- (b) forming a molten, combined material from step (a);
- (c) feeding the molten, combined material to a low shear kneading extruder;
- (d) mixing the molten combined material in the extruder;
- (e) conveying the molten, combined material through an open port of the extruder;
- (f) conveying fibers through an enclosed screw cram feed;
- (g) pumping ozone into a ozone chamber through a first input of the ozone chamber;
- (h) conveying the molten, combined material into the ozone chamber through a second input of the ozone chamber;
- (i) conveying the fibers through a third input into the ozone chamber;
- (j) mixing the ozone, the molten, combined material and the fibers to form a polyolefin and fiber matrix in the ozone chamber;
- (k) conveying the polyolefin and fiber matrix from the ozone chamber to a feed throat of a twin screw extruder;
- (l) mixing the polyolefin and fiber matrix in the twin screw extruder;
- and,
- (m) extruding the polyolefin and fiber matrix through the twin screw extruder into a die having a desired shape.
A composite cellulose fiber reinforced polyolefin, comprising:
- a molten state ozone-modified polyolefin resin selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene and thermoplastic rubber;
- natural fibers selected from the group consisting of wood pulp, cotton, jute, kenaf and sisal, the natural fibers having a diameter between one and six millimeters and a length between seven and thirteen millimeters;
- a coloring concentrate;
- and,
- a coupling/mix additive selected from the group consisting of grafted, low melt polyethylene copolymer maleic anhydride, EDPM rubber, ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer, chromium complexes, silanes, titanates and zirconium aluminates and in concentrations from zero to twenty percent by weight.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.