Composition for use in biodegradable articles and method of use

• US 20050089606A1
• Filed: 08/26/2004
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Availa Bank (Carroll County Bancshares, Inc. (Iowa))
• Original Assignee: Calla Investments LLC
• Inventors: Helou, Elie Jr., Dellinger, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,553,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/106
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 1/02 Cellulose; Modified cellulose
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/26 Natural polymers, natural resins or derivatives thereof according to C08L1/00 - C08L5/00, C08L89/00, C08L93/00, C08L97/00 or C08L99/00
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 3/02 Starch; Degradation products thereof, e.g. dextrin
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 89/00 Compositions of proteins; Compositions of derivatives thereof foodstuff preparations A23J3/00
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 89/005 Casein

Abstract

The present invention relates to a composition for use in making a starch-based food or beverage container, the formulation allowing the container to be water resistant for a usable amount of time without the need for coatings or similar. An embodiment of the formulation comprising water, native and pregelatinized starch, an insolubilizing compound, proteins or natural polymeric compounds, fibers, a wax emulsion, and a fiber-sizing agent.

Claims

1. A composition for use in making biodegradable food service containers comprising:

water;

starch;

fibers;

a wax emulsion; and

a fiber sizing agent.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the starch comprises preglatinized and native starch.

3. The composition of claim 2 wherein the pregelatinized starch is in a range from more than 0% to less than 30% by weight of the total starch in the composition.

4. The composition of claim 2 wherein the pregelatinized starch is in a range from more than 5% to less than 20% by weight of the total starch in the composition.

5. The composition of claim 2 wherein the pregelatinized starch is in a range from more than 7% to less than 15% by weight of the total starch in the composition.

6. The composition of claim 1 further comprising an insolubilizing compound.

7. The composition of claim 6 wherein the insolubilizing compound comprises an aqueous solution containing modified ethandial, glyoxal-based reagents, ammonium zirconium carbonate, potassium zirconium carbonate or polyamide-epichlorohydrine compounds.

8. The composition of claim 7 wherein the insolubilizing compound is in a concentration less than 20% by weight of total starch in the composition.

9. The composition of claim 7 wherein the insolubilizing compound is in a concentration in a range from about 0.1% to about 20% by weight of the total starch in the composition.

10. The composition of claim 1 further comprising a protein or natural polymeric compound.

11. The composition of claim 10 wherein the protein or natural polymeric compound comprises casein and latex.

12. The composition of claim 11 wherein the latex is natural uncured latex.

13. The composition of claim 11 wherein the ratio of latex solids to casein solids is in a range between about 1 to 1 and about 2 to 1.

14. The composition of claim 11 wherein the ratio of latex solids to casein solids is in a range between about 1.2 to 1 and about 1.8 to 1.

15. The composition of claim 11 wherein the ratio of latex solids to casein solids is about 1.45 to 1.

16. The composition of claim 1 further comprising a protein to improve the water resistant properties of the composition.

17. The composition of claim 16 wherein said protein to improve the water resistant properties of the composition further comprises albumen, agar, or gelatin.

18. The composition of claim 1 wherein the fibers comprise long, medium, and short fibers.

19. The composition of claim 18 wherein the fibers comprise natural fibrous materials.

20. The composition of claim 19 wherein the fibers have an average fiber length less than about 2 mm.

21. The composition of claim 20 wherein the fibers have an average aspect ratio in the range of 5:

1 to 25;

1.

22. The composition of claim 1 comprising filler material.

23. The composition of claim 22 wherein the filler material is organic.

24. The composition of claim 22 wherein the filler material comprises calcium carbonate, silica, calcium sulfate hydrate, magnesium silicate, micaceuous minerals, clay minerals, titanium dioxide or talc.

25. The composition of claim 22 wherein the filler material and/or short fibers having a combined concentration less than 25% by dry weight of the composition.

26. The composition of claim 22 wherein the filler material and/or short fibers have a combined concentration less than 20% and greater than 5% by dry weight of the composition.

27. The composition of claim 22 wherein the filler material and/or short fibers have a combined concentration less than 20% and greater than 10% by dry weight of the composition.

28. The composition of claim 1 wherein the fibers comprise fibers from fast growing plants.

29. The composition of claim 1 wherein the composition comprises fibers available as the by product of agricultural production.

30. The composition of claim 1 wherein the wax emulsion comprises paraffin or microcrystalline wax.

31. The composition of claim 30 wherein the wax emulsion comprises rosin.

32. The composition of claim 1 wherein the wax emulsion comprises natural wax.

33. The composition of claim 1 wherein the wax emulsion comprises hydrocarbon wax.

34. The composition of claim 1 wherein the fiber sizing agent forms a coating on at least a portion of the surface of at least a portion of the fibers to serve as an adhesion promoter, to protect the surface of the fibers from damage, as an aid in handling, to add strength or stiffness to the fiber, or to reduce absorbency.

35. The composition of claim 34 wherein the fiber sizing agent comprises alkylketene dimer emulsion, alkenyl succinic anhydride, styrene acrylate copolymer or alkylated melamine.

36. The composition of claim 1 further comprising a mold release agent.

37. The composition of claim 36 wherein the mold release agent comprises magnesium strearate, talc, fats or oils.

38. The composition of claim 1 further comprising a coating.

39. The composition of claim 38 wherein the coating partially permeates the matrix of the composition.

40. A composition for use in making biodegradable containers comprising:

water;

starch;

an insolubilizing compound;

a protein or natural polymeric compound;

fibers;

a wax emulsion;

a fiber sizing agent; and

a mold release agent.

41. The composition of claim 40 wherein the starch comprises preglatinized and native starch.

42. The composition of claim 41 wherein the pregelatinized starch is in a range from more than 0% to less than 30% by weight of the total starch in the composition.

43. The composition of claim 41 wherein the pregelatinized starch is in a range from more than 5% to less than 20% by weight of the total starch in the composition.

44. The composition of claim 41 wherein the pregelatinized starch is in a range from more than 7% to less than 15% by weight of the total starch in the composition.

45. The composition of claim 40 wherein the insolubilizing compound comprises an aqueous solution containing modified ethandial, glyoxal-based reagents, ammonium zirconium carbonate, potassium zirconium carbonate or polyamide-epichlorohydrine compounds.

46. The composition of claim 45 wherein the insolubilizing compound is in a concentration less than 20% by weight of total starch in the composition.

47. The composition of claim 45 wherein the insolubilizing compound is in a concentration in a range from about 0.1% to about 20% by weight of the total starch in the composition.

48. The composition of claim 40 wherein the protein or natural polymeric compound comprises casein and latex.

49. The composition of claim 48 wherein the latex is natural uncured latex.

50. The composition of claim 48 wherein the ratio of latex solids to casein solids is in a range between about 1 to 1 and about 2 to 1.

51. The composition of claim 48 wherein the ratio of latex solids to casein solids is in a range between about 1.2 to 1 and about 1.8 to 1.

52. The composition of claim 48 wherein the ratio of latex solids to casein solids is about 1.45 to 1.

53. The composition of claim 40 further comprising a protein to improve the water resistant properties of the composition

54. The composition of claim 53 wherein said protein to improve the water resistant properties of the composition comprises albumen, agar, or gelatin.

55. The composition of claim 40 wherein the fibers comprise long, medium, and short fibers.

56. The composition of claim 55 wherein the fibers comprise natural fibrous materials.

57. The composition of claim 56 wherein the fibers have an average fiber length less than about 2 mm.

58. The composition of claim 57 wherein the fibers have an average aspect ratio in the range of 5:

1 to 25;

1.

59. The composition of claim 40 comprising filler material.

60. The composition of claim 59 wherein the filler material is organic.

61. The composition of claim 59 wherein the filler material comprises calcium carbonate, silica, calcium sulfate hydrate, magnesium silicate, micaceuous minerals, clay minerals, titanium dioxide or talc.

62. The composition of claim 59 wherein the filler material and/or short fibers have a combined concentration less than 25% by dry weight of the composition.

63. The composition of claim 59 wherein the filler material and/or short fibers have a combined concentration less than 20% and greater than 5% by dry weight of the composition.

64. The composition of claim 59 wherein the filler material and/or short fibers have a combined concentration less than 20% and greater than 10% by dry weight of the composition.

65. The composition of claim 40 wherein the fibers comprise fibers from fast growing plants.

66. The composition of claim 40 wherein the composition comprises fibers available as the by product of agricultural production.

67. The composition of claim 40 wherein the wax emulsion comprises paraffin or microcrystalline wax.

68. The composition of claim 67 wherein the wax emulsion comprises rosin.

69. The composition of claim 40 wherein the wax emulsion comprises natural wax.

70. The composition of claim 40 wherein the wax emulsion comprises hydrocarbon wax.

71. The composition of claim 40 wherein the fiber sizing agent forms a coating on at least a portion of the surface of at least a portion of the fibers to serve as an adhesion promoter, to protect the surface of the fibers from damage, as an aid in handling, to add strength or stiffness to the fiber, or to reduce absorbency.

72. The composition of claim 40 wherein the fiber sizing agent comprises alkylketene dimer emulsion, alkenyl succinic anhydride, styrene acrylate copolymer or alkylated melamine.

73. The composition of claim 40 wherein the mold release agent comprises magnesium strearate, talc, fats or oils.

74. A composition for use in making biodegradable containers comprising:

water;

starch comprising preglatinized and native starch wherein the pregelatinized starch is in a range from more than 0% to less than 30% by weight of the total starch in the composition;

an insolubilizing compound comprising an aqueous solution containing modified ethandial, glyoxal-based reagents, ammonium zirconium carbonate, potassium zirconium carbonate or polyamide-epichlorohydrine compounds;

natural fibers; and

a fiber sizing agent forming a coating on the surface of at least a portion of the fibers.

75. The composition of claim 74 wherein the pregelatinized starch is in a range from more than 5% to less than 20% by weight of the total starch in the composition.

76. The composition of claim 74 wherein the pregelatinized starch is in a range from more than 7% to less than 15% by weight of the total starch in the composition.

77. The composition of claim 74 wherein the insolubilizing compound is in a concentration less than 20% by weight of starch in the composition.

78. The composition of claim 74 wherein the insolubilizing compound is in a concentration in a range from about 0.1% to about 20% by weight of the total starch in the composition.

79. The composition of claim 74 further comprising a protein or natural polymeric compound wherein the protein or natural polymeric compound comprises casein and latex.

80. The composition of claim 79 wherein the latex is natural uncured latex.

81. The composition of claim 80 wherein the ratio of latex solids to casein solids is in a range between about 1 to 1 and about 2 to 1.

82. The composition of claim 80 wherein the ratio of latex solids to casein solids is in a range between about 1.2 to 1 and about 1.8 to 1.

83. The composition of claim 80 wherein the ratio of latex solids to casein solids is about 1.45 to 1.

84. The composition of claim 74 further comprising a wax emulsion.

85. The composition of claim 84 wherein the wax emulsion comprises paraffin or microcrystalline wax.

86. The composition of claim 84 wherein the wax emulsion comprises rosin.

87. The composition of claim 84 wherein the wax emulsion comprises natural wax.

88. The composition of claim 84 wherein the wax emulsion comprises hydrocarbon wax.

89. The composition of claim 74 wherein the fibers comprise long, medium, and short fibers.

90. The composition of claim 74 wherein the fibers have an average fiber length less than about 2 mm.

91. The composition of claim 90 wherein the fibers have an average aspect ratio in the range of 5:

1 to 25;

1.

92. The composition of claim 74 further comprising a mold release agent comprising magnesium strearate, talc, fats or oils.

93. The composition of claim 74 wherein the fiber sizing agent comprises alkylketene dimer emulsion, alkenyl succinic anhydride, styrene acrylate copolymer or alkylated melamine.

94. The composition of claim 74 further comprising filler material.

95. The composition of claim 94 wherein the filler material is organic.

96. The composition of claim 94 wherein the filler material comprises calcium carbonate, silica, calcium sulfate hydrate, magnesium silicate, micaceuous minerals, clay minerals, titanium dioxide or talc.

97. The composition of claim 94 wherein filler material and/or short fibers have a combined concentration less than 25% by dry weight of the composition.

98. The composition of claim 94 wherein the filler material and/or short fibers have a combined concentration less than 20% and greater than 5% by dry weight of the composition.

99. The composition of claim 94 wherein filler material and/or short fibers have a combined concentration less than 20% and greater than 10% by dry weight of the composition.