Laminated articles of manufacture fashioned from sheets having a highly inorganically filled organic polymer matrix

An article of manufacture fashioned from at least a portion of a laminated sheet comprising a first sheet having an inorganically filled matrix and a second sheet laminated thereto, the inorganically filled matrix comprising a substantially homogeneous mixture of organic binder and inorganic aggregate, the organic binder being selected from the group consisting of starch-based materials, cellulose-based materials, polysaccharide gums, proteins, and mixtures or derivatives thereof, the inorganic aggregate having a concentration in a range from about 40% to about 95% by weight of total solids in the matrix, the inorganically filled matrix of the sheets further including fibers substantially homogeneously dispersed throughout the matrix, wherein an inorganically filled matrix has a thickness in a range from about 0.01 mm to about 1 cm and degrades after prolonged exposure to water.

An article of manufacture fashioned from at least a portion of a laminated sheet by bending, folding or rolling, the laminated sheet comprising a first sheet having an inorganically filled matrix and a second sheet laminated thereto, the inorganically filled matrix comprising a substantially homogeneous mixture of organic binder and inorganic aggregate, the organic binder being selected from the group consisting of polysaccharides, proteins, and mixtures or derivatives thereof, the inorganic aggregate having a concentration in a range from about 40% to about 95% by weight of total solids in the matrix, the inorganically filled matrix of the sheet further including fibers substantially homogeneously dispersed throughout the matrix, wherein the organic binder and the organic fibers have a combined concentration in a range from about 5% to about 60% by weight of total solids in the inorganically filled matrix, the inorganically filled matrix having a thickness in a range from about 0.01 mm to about 1 cm.

An article of manufacture fashioned from at least a portion of a laminated sheet comprising a first sheet having an inorganically filled matrix and a second sheet laminated to a side of the first sheet, the inorganically filled matrix comprising a substantially homogeneous mixture of organic binder and inorganic aggregate, the organic binder being selected from the group consisting of starch-based materials, cellulose-based materials, polysaccharide gums, proteins, and mixtures or derivatives thereof, the inorganic aggregate having a concentration in a range from about 40% to about 98% by volume of total solids in the matrix, the inorganically filled matrix of the sheet further including an optional fibrous component substantially homogeneously dispersed throughout the matrix, wherein the matrix has a thickness in a range from about 0.01 mm to about 1 cm, degrades after prolonged exposure to water, and is sufficiently flexible such that it may be significantly mechanically deformed without complete rupture of the matrix wherein the second sheet renders the laminated sheet substantially nonporous on the side where the second sheet is laminated to the first sheet.

An article of manufacture fashioned from at least a portion of a laminated sheet comprising a first sheet having an inorganically filled matrix and a second sheet laminated thereto, the inorganically filled matrix comprising a substantially homogenous mixture of organic binder and inorganic aggregate, the organic binder being selected from the group consisting of polysaccharides, proteins, and mixtures or derivatives thereof, the inorganic aggregate having a concentration in a range from about 40% to about 98% by volume of total solids in the matrix, the inorganically filled matrix of the sheet further including fiber substantially homogeneously throughout the matrix, wherein the matrix has a thickness in a range from about 0.01 mm to about 1 cm and degrades after prolonged exposure to water.

An article of manufacture fashioned from at least a portion of a laminated sheet comprising a first sheet having an inorganically filled second sheet laminated to the first sheet, the inorganically filled matrix comprising a substantially homogenous mixture of organic binder and inorganic aggregate, the organic binder being selected from the group consisting of polysaccharide gums, proteins, cellulose-based materials, nonionic starches, and mixtures or derivatives thereof, the inorganic aggregate having a concentration in a range from about 40% to about 95% by weight of total solids in the matrix, the inorganically filled matrix of the sheet further including a fibrous component substantially homogeneously dispersed throughout the matrix, the matrix having a thickness in a range from about 0.01 mm to about 1 cm.