Composite material and method of preparing the same from substantially unsorted waste

• US 9,914,256 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2015
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UBQ Materials Ltd.
• Original Assignee: UBQ Materials Ltd.
• Inventors: Tamir, Yuval
• Primary Examiner(s): KARST, DAVID THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US14/951,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20160075072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 2641761, 523129
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 3/20 Agglomeration, binding or encapsulation of solid waste
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 17/0026 by agglomeration or compacting
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/02 Heating or curing, e.g. crosslinking or vulcanizing during moulding, e.g. in a mouldcold vulcanisation B29C35/18 ; vulcanising tyres, presses therefor B29D30/0601
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/16 Articles comprising two or more components, e.g. co-extruded layers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/277 of materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/40 using two or more parallel screws or at least two parallel non-intermeshing screws, e.g. twin screw extruders
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/405 Intermeshing co-rotating screws
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/41 Intermeshing counter-rotating screws
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/06 PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/00 Use of polyesters or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7722 Block-shaped building bricks B29L2031/102
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 11/00 Use of ingredients of unknown constitution, e.g. undefined reaction products
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 1/00 Compositions of cellulose, modified cellulose or cellulose derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/00 Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/10 Greenhouse gas [GHG] capture, material saving, heat recovery or other energy efficient measures, e.g. motor control, characterised by manufacturing processes, e.g. for rolling metal or metal working
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/62 Plastics recycling; Rubber recycling

Abstract

A composite material having thermoplastic properties and comprising organic matter and optionally one or both of inorganic matter and plastic with unique characteristics is provided. Such a composite material may be prepared from waste such as domestic waste. For preparation of the composite material, waste is dried, optionally particulated. The dried and optionally particulated waste material is then heated, while mixing under shear forces. The composite material is processed to obtain useful articles.

Claims

1. A method of processing waste material, comprising:

providing dried particulates comprising substantially unsorted dried municipal waste material,

wherein the substantially unsorted dried municipal waste material consists essentially of 1 to 50 wt % inorganic matter based on a total weight of the dried unsorted municipal waste material, 10 to 40 wt % plastic matter based on the total weight of the dried unsorted municipal waste material, and a remainder of non-plastic organic matter; and

extruding the dried particulates at a temperature of 150 degrees Celsius to 210 degrees Celsius under sufficient shear forces to thereby obtain a composite material;

wherein the composite material

has a notched izod impact above 12 J/m,

has a surface energy of at least 40 dyne/cm, and

wherein a sample thereof that has been subjected to injection molding, has thermoplastic properties with at least two of the following;

tensile strength of above about 2.7 MPa,

tensile modulus of above about 600 MPa,

flexural modulus above about 690 MPa,

flexural strength above about 5.6 MPa, and

Charpy Impact above about 1.5 KJ/m².

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature is 150°

C. to 180°

C.

3. A method of processing municipal waste material, comprising:

providing dried particulates comprising substantially unsorted dried municipal waste material,

wherein the substantially unsorted dried municipal waste material consists essentially of 1 to 50 wt % inorganic matter based on a total weight of the dried unsorted municipal waste material, 10 to 40 wt % plastic matter based on the total weight of the dried unsorted municipal waste material, and a remainder of non-plastic organic matter consisting essentially of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and combinations thereof; and

extruding the dried particulates at a temperature of 150 degrees Celsius to 210 degrees Celsius under sufficient shear forces to thereby obtain a composite material;

wherein the composite material

has a notched izod impact above 12 J/m,

has a surface energy of at least 40 dyne/cm, and

wherein a sample thereof that has been subjected to injection molding, has thermoplastic properties with at least two of the following;

tensile strength of above about 2.7 MPa,

tensile modulus of above about 600 MPa,

flexural modulus above about 690 MPa,

flexural strength above about 5.6 MPa, and

Charpy Impact above about 1.5 KJ/m².

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the temperature is 150°

C. to 180°

C.

5. A method of processing waste material, comprising:

extruding particulate dried material consisting essentially of substantially unsorted dried municipal waste material at a temperature of 150 degrees Celsius to 210 degrees Celsius under shear forces to thereby obtain a composite material;

said dried material consisting essentially of 1 to 50 wt % inorganic matter based on a total weight of said dried material, 10 to 40 wt % plastic matter based on a total weight of said dried material, and a remainder of non-plastic organic matter;

wherein the composite material

has a notched izod impact above 12 J/m,

has a surface energy of at least 40 dyne/cm, and

wherein a sample thereof that has been subjected to injection molding, has thermoplastic properties with at least two of the following;

tensile strength of above about 2.7 MPa,

tensile modulus of above about 600 MPa,

flexural modulus above about 690 MPa,

flexural strength above about 5.6 MPa, and

Charpy Impact above about 1.5 KJ/m².

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the temperature is 150°

C. to 180°

C.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the non-plastic organic matter consists essentially of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and combinations thereof.