Fiber-reinforced recycled thermoplastic composite and method
AssigneeGeorgia Composites
InventorsJohn D. Muzzy, David W. Holty, Douglas C. Eckman, John R. Stoll
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Abstract
Fiber-reinforced recycled thermoplastic composites and methods for their manufacture are presented. In a preferred embodiment, the thermoplastic composite incorporates a matrix of recycled thermoplastic and a plurality of high modulus fibers, with the recycled thermoplastic including polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, PET and styrene-butadiene rubber, and the high modulus fibers including glass fibers, natural fibers, carbon fibers, and aramid fibers. Preferably, each of the high modulus fibers have a minimum length of approximately ½ of an inch and a modulus of approximately one million psi.
Claims21
A method of forming a thermoplastic composite web, comprising the steps of:
- providing recycled thermoplastic comprising at least one of the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, PET and styrene-butadiene rubber;
- providing high modulus fibers, each of said high modulus fibers has a minimum length of approximately {fraction (1/2+L )} of an inch;
- combining said recycled thermoplastic with said high modulus fibers such that substantially all of said high modulus fibers have a minimum length of approximately {fraction (1/2+L )} of an inch after combining with said recycled thermoplastic;
- and
- forming said recycled thermoplastic and said high modulus fibers into a consolidated sheet.
A method of forming a thermoplastic composite from carpet, comprising the steps of:
- forming said carpet into particles of recycled thermoplastic material;
- providing high modulus fibers;
- applying said particles to said high modulus fibers;
- forming said particles and said high modulus fibers into a consolidated sheet.
A method of forming a thermoplastic composite from carpet, comprising the steps of:
- forming said carpet into a film of recycled thermoplastic material;
- providing high modulus fibers;
- applying said film to said high modulus fibers;
- forming said film and said high modulus into a consolidated sheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.