Structural composites with enhanced moduli of elasticity
AssigneeBattelle Memorial Institute
InventorsBhima R. Vijayendran, Wesley R. Childers, Thomas J. Chelwick
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Abstract
The invention provides for structural composites made from biomaterials such as wood products, plant fibers and the like; and/or a non-biomaterial having free —OH groups; a thermoplastic resin such as a polyolefin; coupling agents such as a thermosetting resin or a second thermoplastic resin; a blocked catalyst, a crosslinker and other functional additives may be used.
Claims20
A structural composite formed by the process comprising:
- 1) providing a mixture of:
- a. a biomaterial having polar functionality, wherein the biomaterial has residual or added moisture that may unblock a blocked catalyst under thermoprocessing conditions;
- b. a polyolefin mixed with said biomaterial;
- c. a an epoxy resin in an amount of between about 15% and about 21%, that binds the biomaterial with the polyolefin;
- and
- d. a blocked catalyst, wherein the blocked catalyst unblocks under thermoprocessing conditions;
- 2) exposing the mixture to thermoprocessing conditions;
- wherein the structural composite has a tensile modulus of not less than 656,931 PSI, and a flexural modulus of not less than 935,303 PSI.
A structural composite comprising a biomaterial having polar functional groups, a polyolefin, and an epoxy resin in an amount of between about 15% and about 21%;
- wherein the epoxy resin is bonded to the biomaterial and the first thermoplastic resin and the epoxy resin is a latent crosslinker of agrifber/wood combined with blocked curing agents that are activated immediately before, during, or after the extrusion process;
- wherein the structural composite has a tensile modulus of not less than 656,931 PSI, and a flexural modulus of not less than 935,303 PSI.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.