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

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.

1 . A composite material having thermoplastic properties and comprising organic matter and optionally one or both of inorganic matter and plastic, characterized by one or more of the following: having a phase transition from a solid to a flowable state at a temperature less than about 120 C, having no gaps between different components of the material when viewed at a magnification revealing structures above 0.1 m, having a surface energy above about 35 dyne/cm, having a density above about 1.2 g/cm<3>, having a potassium content above about 1 mg potassium per 1 μm of composite material (mg/g), having tensile strength of above about 4 MPa, having tensile modulus of above about 600 MPa, having flexural modulus above about 800 MPa, having flexural strength above about 7 MPa, having a notched Izod impact above about 12 J/m. having a Charpy impact of above about 1.5 KJ/m<2>, 1.6 KJ/m<2>, 1.7 KJ/m<2>, or 1.8 KJ/m<2>, releasing volatile compounds comprising one or more of butanone, acetic acid, butanoic acid, furfural, and phenol, comprising DNA, comprising chlorophyll. 
     
     
         2 . The composite material of  claim 1 , comprising organic material in the range of about 10% to about 90%. 
     
     
         3 . The composite material of  claim 1 , comprising up to 40% plastic. 
     
     
         4 . The composite material of  claim 1 , comprising plastic material in the range of about 0-30%, organic material in the range of about 10-70%, and inorganic material in the range of about 0-70%. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A composite material according  claim 1 , having thermoplastic properties. 
     
     
         7 . A composite material according to  claim 1 , comprising organic material and at least one of a group consisting of inorganic material and plastic. 
     
     
         8 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method of processing waste material, comprising: drying and optionally particulating substantially unsorted domestic waste that comprises organic matter and optionally plastics to obtain dried and optionally particulate waste material; and heating while mixing the dry particulate domestic waste material to a temperature of at least about 100 C under shear forces to thereby obtain a composite material with thermoplastic properties. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the temperature is in the range of about 140 and about 230° C. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method for manufacturing an article comprising:
 drying and optionally particulating substantially unsorted domestic waste that comprises organic matter and optionally plastics to obtain dried and optionally particulate waste material;   heating while mixing the dried waste material under shear forces to obtain a composite material;   molding the composite material to form the article.   
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the temperature is in the range of about 140 and about 230 C. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the heating under shear forces is carried out in reactor extruder. 
     
     
         27 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A method for preparing a composite material having one or more of the following properties at room temperature: having a phase transition from a solid to a flowable state at a temperature less than about 120 C; having no gaps between different components of the material when viewed at a magnification revealing structures above 0.1 m; having a density above about 1.2 g/cm<3>; having a surface energy above about 35 dynes/cm; having a potassium content above about 1 mg potassium per 1 gm of composite material (mg/g); having tensile strength of above about 4 MPa; having tensile modulus of above about 600 MPa; having flexural modulus above about 800 MPa; having flexural strength above about 7 MPa; having a notched Izod impact above about 12 J/m notch; having a Charpy impact of above about 1.5 KJ/m<2>; 1.6 KJ/m<2>, 1.7 KJ/m<2>, or 1.8 KJ/m<2>; releasing volatile compounds comprising one or more of butanone, acetic acid, butanoic acid, furfural, and phenol; comprising DNA; and comprising chlorophyll; the method comprising: drying and particulating substantially unsorted waste that comprises organic material and plastics to obtain dried waste material and heating while mixing the dried particulate material under shear forces to a temperature of at least about 100 C thereby obtaining a processed composite material. 
     
     
         30 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the temperature is in the range of 18O<0>C to 220<0>C. 
     
     
         34 - 40 . (canceled)