Fiber matrix composite material made from recycled carpet

Abstract

The invention relates to a composite structural material comprising a fiber dispersed in a fused matrix, wherein the fiber is derived from carpet, carpet recycle, carpet scrap, or mixtures thereof, and wherein the fused matrix comprises a thermoplastic comprising nylon, polyolefin, or mixtures thereof. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a rigid board composite structural material comprising the steps comminuting carpet to a predetermined particle size, adjusting the carpet feed stock to a form a balanced feed stock, introducing the feed stock into an extruder, and extruding the feed stock to form a structural composite comprising fiber dispersed in a fused matrix.

1 . A composite structural material comprising a fiber dispersed in a fused matrix, the composite comprising: 
 nylon fiber having a length of about 0.9 cm to 8 cm and a diameter of about 0.2 mm to 7 cm, dispersed in a fused matrix, the fused matrix comprising a thermoplastic comprising a nylon and a polyolefin;    wherein said composite structural material has a flexural elastic modulus (ASTM D790) of at least about 2·10 5  psi.    
     
     
         2 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein said matrix comprises about 20 to 30 wt.-% Nylon and about 1 to 40 wt.-% of a polypropylene.  
     
     
         3 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein said matrix comprises about 0.1 to 30 wt.-% Nylon 6 and about 1 to 40 wt.-% of a polypropylene.  
     
     
         4 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein said matrix comprises about 0.1 to 30% Nylon 6,6 and about 1 to 40 wt.-% of a polypropylene.  
     
     
         5 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein said matrix comprises a blend of a virgin thermoplastic and thermoplastic derived from a carpet and the fiber has a diameter of about 0.2 mm to 1 cm.  
     
     
         6 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein said matrix comprises a blend of a virgin thermoplastic and a blend of two or more carpet sources.  
     
     
         7 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein said composite comprises about 25 to 35 wt.-% Nylon and about 1 to 40 wt.-% of a polypropylene.  
     
     
         8 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein said composite comprises about 0.1 to 35 wt.-% Nylon 6 and about 1 to 40 wt.-% of a polypropylene.  
     
     
         9 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein said composite comprises about 0.1 to 35% Nylon 6,6 and about 1 to 40 wt.-% of a polypropylene.  
     
     
         10 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein said carpet comprises about 1 to 35 wt.-% Nylon 6, about 0.1 to 35 wt.-% Nylon 6,6 and about 25 to 35 wt.-% polyolefin.  
     
     
         11 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein said carpet comprises about 20 to 40 wt.-% Nylon 6, about 20 to 40 wt.-% Nylon 6,6 and about 20 to 40 wt.-% polyolefin.  
     
     
         12 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein said composite material has a flexural elastic modulus (ASTM D790) of at least about 2·10 5  psi.  
     
     
         13 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein said composite material has a tensile strength (ASTM D638) of at least about 2·10 3  psi.  
     
     
         14 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein said composite material has a tensile strength (ASTM D638) of at least about 2.5·10 3  psi.  
     
     
         15 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein said composite material has a compressive strength (ASTM D695) of at least about 6·10 3  psi.  
     
     
         16 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein said composite material has a compressive strength (ASTM D695) of at least about 6.5·10 3  psi.  
     
     
         17 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein said composite material has a water absorption of less than about 3% by weight gain of water over a 24 hour period.  
     
     
         18 . The composite material of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one dye.  
     
     
         19 . A sheet formed from the composite material of  claim 1  having a thickness of about 0.1 centimeter to about 2 centimeters.  
     
     
         20 . A sheet formed from the composite material of  claim 1  having a width of about 2 centimeters to about 200 centimeters.  
     
     
         21 . A composite structural material comprising a fiber dispersed in a fused matrix, the composite comprising: 
 fiber having a diameter of about 0.2 mm to 7 cm, derived from carpet, carpet recycle, carpet scrap or mixtures thereof, dispersed in a fused matrix, the fused matrix comprising a thermoplastic comprising nylon, polyolefin or mixtures thereof;    wherein said composite structural material has a flexural elastic modulus (ASTM D790) of at least about 2·10 5  psi.    
     
     
         22 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein said matrix comprises about 20 to 30 wt.-% Nylon.  
     
     
         23 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein said matrix comprises about 0.1 to 30 wt.-% Nylon 6.  
     
     
         24 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein said matrix comprises about 0.1 to 30% Nylon 6,6.  
     
     
         25 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein said matrix comprises thermoplastic derived from carpet and the fiber has a diameter of about about 0.2 mm to 1 cm.  
     
     
         26 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein said matrix comprises a blend of a thermoplastic and thermoplastic derived from a carpet.  
     
     
         27 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein said matrix comprises a blend of a thermoplastic and a blend of two or more carpet sources.  
     
     
         28 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein said composite comprises about 25 to 35 wt.-% Nylon.  
     
     
         29 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein said composite comprises about 0.1 to 35 wt.-% Nylon 6.  
     
     
         30 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein said composite comprises about 0.1 to 35% Nylon 6,6.  
     
     
         31 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein said composite comprises about 25 to 35 wt.-% of a polymer selected from Nylon 6, Nylon 6,6 or mixtures thereof and about 35 wt.-% polyolefin by weight.  
     
     
         32 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein said carpet comprises about 0 to 35 wt.-% Nylon 6, about 0.1 to 35 wt.-% Nylon 6,6 and about 25 to 35 wt.-% polyolefin by weight.  
     
     
         33 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein said carpet comprises about 20 to 40 wt.-% Nylon 6, about 20 to 40 wt.-% Nylon 6,6 and about 20 to 40 wt.-% polypropylene by weight.  
     
     
         34 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein said composite material has a flexural elastic modulus (ASTM D790) of at least about 2·10 5  psi.  
     
     
         35 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein said composite material has a tensile strength (ASTM D638) of at least about 2·10 3  psi.  
     
     
         36 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein said composite material has a tensile strength (ASTM D638) of at least about 2.5·10 3  psi.  
     
     
         37 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein said composite material has a compressive strength (ASTM D695) of at least about 6·10 3  psi.  
     
     
         38 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein said composite material has a compressive strength (ASTM D695) of at least about 6.5·10 3  psi.  
     
     
         39 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein said composite material has a water absorption of less than about 3% by weight gain of water over a 24 hour period.  
     
     
         40 . The composite material of  claim 21 , further comprising at least one dye.  
     
     
         41 . A sheet formed from the composite material of  claim 21  having a thickness of about 0.1 centimeter to about 2 centimeters.  
     
     
         42 . A sheet formed from the composite material of  claim 21  having a width of about 2 centimeters to about 200 centimeters.  
     
     
         43 . A composite structural material of  claim 21  comprising a fiber dispersed in a fused matrix, wherein the material is formed by introducing a carpet feed stock into an extruder, and extruding the carpet feed stock to form a structural composite member.  
     
     
         44 . The composite material of  claim 43 , wherein the fiber is formed from a higher melting point component of the carpet feed stock, and the fused matrix is formed from a lower melting point component of the feed stock.  
     
     
         45 . A method of manufacturing a rigid board composite structural material comprising the steps of: 
 (a) comminuting carpet to a particle size less than about 3 centimeters to form a carpet feed stock comprising fiber of  claim 21 , said fiber having a diameter of about 0.2 mm to 1 cm;    (b) adjusting the carpet feed stock to such that the content of the feed stock is about 25 to 35 wt % nylon forming a balanced carpet feed stock;    (c) introducing the balanced carpet feed stock into an extruder having at least one barrel zone temperature greater than about 250° C.; and    (d) extruding the carpet feed stock to form a structural composite comprising fiber dispersed in a fused matrix, the composite having a thickness of about 0.1 to 2 centimeters, a width of about 2 to 200 centimeters and an indeterminate length.    
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein said carpet comprises carpet ends, carpet recycle, carpet scrap or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein said extruder has at least one barrel zone temperature greater than about 250° C.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein said extruder has at least one barrel zone temperature greater than about 300° C.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein said feed stock is extruded at pressures above about 1.5·10 3  psi.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein said carpet feed stock is extruded at pressures above about 2·10 3  psi.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein said composite material is extruded to a thickness of from about 0.1 to 2 centimeters.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the composite feed stock additionally comprises a pellet or flake thermoplastic resin.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the length of the composite is less than about 10 meters.  
     
     
         54 . A composite structural material comprising a fiber dispersed in a fused matrix, wherein said composite structural material has a flexural elastic modulus (ASTM D790) of at least about 2·10 5  psi.  
     
     
         55 . The composite of  claim 54 , wherein the composite comprises a blend of a polyolefin, a polyamide, and a hot-melted heat adhesive.  
     
     
         56 . The composite material of  claim 54 , wherein said matrix comprises about 20 to 30 wt.-% Nylon.  
     
     
         57 . The composite material of  claim 54 , wherein said matrix comprises about 0.1 to 30 wt.-% Nylon 6.  
     
     
         58 . The composite material of  claim 54 , wherein said matrix comprises about 0.1 to 30 wt % Nylon 6,6.