Filled polymer composite and synthetic building material compositions

• US 7,993,552 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2006
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Westlake Royal Building Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Century-Board USA, LLC
• Inventors: Brown, Wade
• Primary Examiner(s): Del Sole; Joseph S
• Assistant Examiner(s): KENNEDY, TIMOTHY J
• Application Number:
  US11/407,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20060186571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,937 Days
• Field of Search: 264/166, 264/45.3, 264/172.19, 264/177.17, 366/144, 366/149, 425/115
• US Class Current: 264/45.3
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/16 between endless belts
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/42 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/06 Combustion residues, e.g. purification products of smoke, fumes or exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/08 Flue dust , i.e. fly ash
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 26/16 Polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/0067 characterised by the density of the end product
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/02 by adding chemical blowing agents
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/0895 Manufacture of polymers by continuous processes C08G18/0838 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/4816 mixtures of two or more polyetherpolyols having at least three hydroxy groups
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 2110/0066 ≥ 150kg/m3
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 2110/0083 prepared using water as the sole blowing agent
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2375/08 from polyethers
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 5/04 Reinforcing macromolecular compounds with loose or coherent fibrous material
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 5/043 with glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/22 of metals
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2203/14 used for foams
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/91 Use of waste materials as fillers for mortars or concrete
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24438 Artificial wood or leather grain surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 including variation in thickness

Abstract

The invention relates to composite compositions having a matrix of polymer networks and dispersed phases of particulate or fibrous materials. The matrix is filled with a particulate phase, which can be selected from one or more of a variety of components, such as fly ash particles, axially oriented fibers, fabrics, chopped random fibers, mineral fibers, ground waste glass, granite dust, or other solid waste materials. A system for providing shape and/or surface features to a moldable material includes, in an exemplary embodiment, at least two first opposed flat endless belts spaced apart a first distance, with each having an inner surface and an outer surface.

Claims

1. A method of continuously forming a highly filled molded composite material comprising:

mixing in a multi-zone extruder the ingredients of the material by adding the ingredients of the highly filled composite material to the various zones of the multi-zone extruder without adding heat to the mixture, wherein the composite mixture comprises;

a monomeric or oligomeric poly or di-isocyanate having a viscosity in the range of about 25 cp to about 200 cP at 25°

C.;

a first polyol having a viscosity in the range of about 480 cP to about 840 cP at 25°

C.;

a second polyol having a viscosity in the range of about 480 cP to about 840 cP at 25°

C.;

a foaming agent;

an inorganic particulate material comprising about 60 wt % to about 85 wt % of the composite mixture, wherein the particulate material provides filler material which adds strength and reinforcement to the molded material and is added to the mixture prior to forming; and

a catalyst;

extruding or spraying the highly filled mixture by expulsion of the mixture through a die onto or into a forming system, the forming system comprising;

at least a first and a second opposed mold belt spaced apart a distance, each having an inner surface and an outer surface;

at least a first and a second opposed endless belt spaced apart a distance, each having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface of the first belt is contactable with the outer surface of the first mold belt to move with and support the first mold belt during molding, and wherein the inner surface of the second belt is contactable with the outer surface of the second mold belt to travel with and support the second mold belt during molding; and

a mold cavity defined at least in part by the inner surfaces of the at least a first and a second opposed mold belt;

supporting the first and second opposed endless belts with a pair of platens, each platen contacting and supporting the outer surface of the endless belts along substantially the entire length of the mold cavity;

transferring the mixture along the mold cavity by longitudinal movement of the opposed mold belts;

exerting substantially equal and continuous pressure on the mixture through the opposed mold belts to mold the mixture; and

removing the molded material from the mold cavity after sufficient time has passed for the mixture to cure or harden into the molded material, wherein the molded material comprises a density of at least about 30 lb/ft³.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing shape, surface features, or both to the molded material.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising embossing or impressing a pattern on the mixture in the forming system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the pattern comprises a simulated wood grain.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising introducing fiber rovings on, in, or beneath the surface of the mixture.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the fiber rovings are axially oriented fiber rovings.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the inorganic particulate material is fly ash, bottom ash, or particulate glass.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the inorganic particulate material has a particle size distribution ranging from about 0.0625 in. to below about 0.0017 in.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the inorganic particulate material contains less than about 0.5 wt % water.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the polyol is mixed with the catalyst prior to being mixed with the isocyanate.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the polyol and the catalyst are mixed prior to being introduced to the extruder.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the polyol, the catalyst, and the inorganic particulate material are mixed prior to being mixed with the isocyanate.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the molded material is a building material.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the building material is lumber.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the building material is roofing.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the building material is siding.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the molded material comprises a relatively porous material and a relatively non-porous toughening layer disposed on and adhered to the porous material.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing an exothermic reaction to proceed without forced cooling except to control a runaway exotherm.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the outer surface of one of the at least two first or second opposed endless belts is supported by a rigid supporting surface.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least two first opposed endless belts are upper and lower-endless belts.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the rigid supporting surface comprises a slider bed or platen.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the first opposed endless belts or the second opposed endless belts, or both, are adjustable such that the mold cavity can be varied.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the mold cavity is at least partly defined by the inner surfaces of two opposed profiled mold belts disposed inside the at least two first opposed endless belts, and having outer surfaces in contact with the inner surfaces of the at least two second opposed endless belts.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the profile mold belts form the mixture into a shape having a cross-section at least approximately corresponding to that of the mold cavity.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the profile mold belts impart a surface pattern to the moldable material.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition mixture has a density in the range of about 20 lb/ft³ to about 90 lb/ft³.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the poly- or di-isocyanate comprises methylene diphenyl diisocyanate.

26. A method of continuously forming a molded material comprising:

adding the ingredients of a highly filled composite mixture, to a multi-zone extruder without adding heat, wherein the composite mixture comprises;

a monomeric or oligomeric poly or di-isocyanate;

a first polyol having a first molecular weight having a viscosity in the range of about 480 cP to about 840 cP at 25°

C.;

a second polyol having a second molecular weight lower than the first molecular weight having a viscosity in the range of about 480 cP to about 840 cP at 25°

C.;

a foaming agent;

inorganic particulate material comprising about 60 wt % to about 85 wt % of the composite mixture, the particulate material comprising a reinforcing filler; and

a catalyst;

adding the particulate material to the mixture prior to forming;

depositing the mixture through an aperture to extrude or spray the material from the container to a forming system, the forming system comprising;

at least two first opposed endless belts spaced apart a first distance, each having an inner surface and an outer surface;

a mold cavity defined at least in part by a gap separating the inner surfaces of the at least two first and second opposed endless belts; and

a drive mechanism for imparting motion to the opposed endless belts;

precisely maintaining the gap in the mold cavity substantially continuously along the length of the mold cavity;

supporting the first and second opposed endless belts with a rigid substantially continuous supporting surface along substantially the entire length of the mold cavity to maintain substantially equal pressure on the moldable material; and

transferring the moldable material along the mold cavity by longitudinal movement of the opposed endless belts;

removing the molded material from the mold cavity after sufficient time has passed for the mixture to cure or harden into the molded material, wherein the molded material comprises a density of at least about 30 lb/ft³.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the first and second polyol are mixed prior to be introduced to the container.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the first and second polyol are mixed with the catalyst prior to being mixed with the isocyanate.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein at least one of the first or second polyols is mixed with the catalyst prior to being introduced to the container.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the first polyol, the second polyol, the catalyst, and the inorganic particulate material are mixed prior to being mixed with the isocyanate.