Method for treating extremely small particles of plastic
AssigneePhoenix Technologies International, LLC
InventorsDonald W. Hayward, Daniel L. Witham
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for treating extremely small particles of plastic comprises providing a quantity of plastic particles having an average mean particle size ranging from about 0.0005 inch to about 0.05 inch in diameter, heating the plastic particles to a temperature sufficient to cause at least a portion of the plastic particles to adhere to one another, and forming the adhered plastic particles into pellets, said pellets having substantially the same average surface-to-volume ratio as the bulk, un-adhered plastic particles.
Claims13
A process for treating extremely small particles of plastic, comprising:
- providing a quantity of plastic particles having an average mean particle size ranging from about 0.0005 inch to about 0.05 inch in diameter;
- heating the plastic particles to a temperature sufficient to cause at least a portion of the plastic particles to adhere to one another;
- and
- forming the adhered plastic particles into pellets, said pellets having substantially the same average surface-to-volume ratio as the bulk, un-adhered plastic particles.
A process for treating extremely small particles of plastic, comprising:
- providing a quantity of plastic particles having an average mean particle size about 0.01 inch in diameter;
- heating the plastic particles, by frictional engagement, electrical resistance heating, flame heating, infrared radiant heating, or hot gas heating, to a temperature greater than or equal to their glass transition temperature, to cause at least a portion of the plastic particles to adhere to one another;
- and
- forming the adhered plastic particles into pellets in the form of cylinders, flakes, spheres, cubes, or misshapen chunks, by passing the heated plastic particles through die passageways, said pellets having substantially the same average surface-to-volume ratio as the bulk, un-adhered plastic particles.
A process for treating extremely small particles of plastic, comprising:
- providing a quantity of plastic particles, comprising polyolefin, polystyrene, polyacrylate, polymethacrylate, polyvinyl chloride, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, polyester, polycarbonate, polyether, polyamide, or a derivative, blend, or copolymer thereof, having an average mean particle size about 0.01 inch in diameter;
- heating the plastic particles, by frictional engagement, electrical resistance heating, flame heating, infrared radiant heating, or hot gas heating, to a temperature greater than about 125 degrees Celsius, to cause at least a portion of the plastic particles to adhere to one another;
- and
- forming the plastic particles into pellets in the form of cylinders, flakes, spheres, cubes, or misshapen chunks, by passing the plastic particles through die passageways, said pellets having substantially the same average surface-to-volume ratio as the bulk, un-adhered plastic particles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.