Methods for Making Composites Having Thermoplastic Properties from Recycled Crosslinked Polymer

• Main Authors: Kosto, Kimberly B, Schall, Donald C, Heulings IV, Harry R, Lau, Willie, Rokowski, Joseph M
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 20.02.2019
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F,C08G; CHEMISTRY; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATERTREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON; COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVINGCARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS; METALLURGY; ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; TREATMENT OR CHEMICAL MODIFICATION OF RUBBERS; WORKING-UP

The present invention provides methods of making shapeable composites in the form of finely divided materials or articles and the materials and articles produced by the methods, the methods comprising forming mixtures by (i) treating an aqueous thermoplastic acrylic or vinyl polymer to increase the particle size thereof to a weight average particle size of 1 µm or more, and, optionally, dewatering to form a crumb mixture; and (ii) combining a thermoplastic acrylic or vinyl polymer with one or more waste rubber vulcanizate having a sieve particle size ranging from 10 to 600 µm in the amount of from 15 to 95 wt.%, based on the total weight of polymer and rubber to form a crumb slurry, such that (ii) can take place before, during, after (i) but before any dewatering, or after any dewatering; and (iii) thermoplastic processing the mixture. Thermoplastic processing can directly form articles, like sheets or films. The shapeable composites have excellent adhesion to other materials. In one embodiment, the sheets and films can be formed into laminates.