# US 8,465,684 B1 · Self-reinforced composite made of recycled materials and process of making the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,465,684 B1 - Document ID: US8465684B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 12/983,373 - Filed: 2011-01-03 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2007-11-26 - Assignees: Novana, Inc. - Applicants: Fu-Jya Daniel Tsai - Inventors: Fu-Jya Daniel Tsai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465684B1 ## CPC - C08L 77/00: Compositions of polyamides obtained by reactions forming a carboxylic amide link in the main chain (of polyhydrazides C08L79/06; of polyamideimides or polyamide acids C08L79/08); Compositions of derivatives of such polymers - C08J 5/046: {with synthetic macromolecular fibrous material} - C08J 11/06: without chemical reactions - C08L 23/12: Polypropene - D01D 4/02: Spinnerettes (alloys therefor C22C) - D01D 5/30: Conjugate filaments; Spinnerette packs therefor - D01F 8/04: from synthetic polymers - Y02W 30/62: Plastics recycling; Rubber recycling - C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06) - C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29) - D01D: MECHANICAL METHODS OR APPARATUS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS - D01F: CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract The invention is directed to a “Self-Reinforced Composite” (SRC) made of recycled thermoplastic polymers, methods and an apparatus for their manufacture. In one embodiment of the invention, the SRC is a self-reinforced composite comprising (a) a fiber comprising a first recycled thermoplastic polymer and having a Young's modulus at least about 500 MPa and (b) a matrix comprising a second recycled thermoplastic polymer. In one aspect of the invention, the source mixture is recycled immiscible thermoplastic polymers, obtained from the waste stream in the carpet and automotive industries. In another embodiment of the invention, the method for making the self-reinforced composites, comprising the steps of (a) melt-blending recycled immiscible polymers, (b) phase-migration fiber spinning the recycled immiscible polymers to form a fiber having a first recycled thermoplastic polymer substantially surrounded by a second recycled thermoplastic polymer, and (c) drawing the fiber to form a high modulus fiber. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A self-reinforced composite, comprising: (a) a high modulus fiber comprising a first recycled thermoplastic polymer and a second recycled thermoplastic polymer, wherein the first recycled thermoplastic polymer is surrounded by the second recycled thermoplastic polymer using the phase-migration fiber spinning process, and wherein the high modulus fiber resulted from the phase-migration fiber spinning process having a Young's modulus greater than 500 MPa, and (b) a matrix, wherein the matrix results substantially from melting the second recycled thermoplastic polymer, wherein the weight ratio between the high modulus fiber and said matrix is between about 80/20 to about 20/80. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The self-reinforced composite of claim 1 wherein the first recycled thermoplastic polymer and the second recycled thermoplastic polymer are obtained from a carpet waste stream. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The self-reinforced composite of claim 1 wherein the first recycled thermoplastic polymer and the second recycled thermoplastic polymer are obtained from an automotive waste stream. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The self-reinforced composite of claim 1 wherein the first recycled thermoplastic polymer has a melting temperature at least 20° C. higher than that of the second recycled thermoplastic polymer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The self-reinforced composite of claim 1 wherein the first recycled thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of nylon 6, nylon 6,6, nylon 6,10, PET, polycarbonates, polyurethane, and derivatives thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The self-reinforced composite of claim 1 wherein the second recycled thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyolefin, and derivates thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The self-reinforced composite of claim 1 wherein the high modulus fiber has a tensile strength at break greater than 150 MPa. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The self-reinforced composite of claim 1 wherein the first recycled thermoplastic polymer has a higher viscosity than that of the second recycled thermoplastic polymer at a processing temperature above the melting temperature of the first recycled thermoplastic polymer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The self-reinforced composite of claim 1 wherein the first recycled thermoplastic polymer has an apparent shear viscosity greater than 1.5 times of that of the second recycled thermoplastic polymer, at a processing temperature above the melting temperature of said first recycled thermoplastic polymer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The self-reinforced composite of claim 1 wherein the first recycled thermoplastic polymer has an apparent shear viscosity greater than 3 times of that of the second recycled thermoplastic polymer, at a processing temperature above the melting temperature of the first recycled thermoplastic polymer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The self-reinforced composite of claim 1 wherein the matrix results substantially from melting the second recycled thermoplastic polymer of the high modulus fiber at a temperature below the melting temperature of the first recycled thermoplastic polymer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The self-reinforced composite of claim 1 wherein the high modulus fiber results substantially from drawing the fiber using a draw-down ratio not less than 3 and a draw ratio not less than 1.2 after the phase-migration fiber spinning process. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The self-reinforced composite of claim 1 wherein the high modulus fiber is surrounded by the matrix. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The self-reinforced composite of claim 1 wherein the high modulus fiber is continuous fiber randomly orientated in the matrix. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The self-reinforced composite of claim 1 wherein the high modulus fiber is short cut fiber oriented in the matrix. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The self-reinforced composite of claim 1 wherein the high modulus fiber is woven in a regular pattern in the matrix. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The self-reinforced composite of claim 1 wherein the first recycled thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of nylon 6, nylon 6,6, nylon 6,10, PET, polycarbonates, polyurethane, polystyrene, and derivatives thereof.