Composite Products and Manufacturing Method

Abstract

A composite product and a method of manufacturing the composite product are disclosed. The composite product includes (a) a polymeric material binder and a metal-bearing material or (b) the polymeric material binder and a carbon-bearing material. The 5 method includes heating and mixing the components of the composite product and thereafter forming the heated mixture into a final product shape, with the heating step being sufficient to melt at least a part of the polymeric material binder to facilitate forming the product.

1 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A method of manufacturing a composite product for use in methods carried out in metallurgical furnaces at high temperatures of at least 400° C., the composite product substantially consisting of (a) a recycled polymeric material that acts as a binder selected from recycled low density polyethylene, recycled high density polyethylene, and recycled polypropylene, and (b) a carbon-bearing material selected from any one or more than one of rubber, coke fines, char fines, and coal fines, with the amount of the polymeric material comprising greater than 10 wt. % of the product, the method of manufacturing the composite product comprising mixing and heating the components of the composite product and thereafter forming the heated mixture into a final product shape in the form of pellets, granules, blocks, pigs, patties, plugs, or pucks, with the heating step being sufficient to melt at least a part of the recycled polymeric material binder to facilitate forming the product, the product being a non-porous product that is at least substantially waterproof that comprises a continuous network of the polymeric material and a uniform dispersion of the carbon-bearing material, with the product being formed to have sufficient strength and toughness to be able to be handled within high temperature processing plants and to be charged into metallurgical furnaces in the plants without significant breakdown of the product into smaller sized products, and with the product being formed to be sufficiently large and have required properties to withstand high temperatures and reactive conditions in metallurgical furnaces to facilitate controlled dissolution of the product in the furnaces over required time periods. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the method comprises heating and mixing the components of the composite product and thereafter forming the heated mixture into a final product shape in the form of pellets, granules, blocks, pigs, patties, plugs, or pucks, with the heating step being sufficient to melt at least a part of the polymeric material binder to facilitate forming the product. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the method of comprises heating and mixing the components of the composite product simultaneously and thereafter forming the heated mixture into a final product shape in the form of pellets, granules, blocks, pigs, patties, plugs, or pucks, with the heating step being sufficient to melt at least a part of the polymeric material binder to facilitate forming the product. 
     
     
         33 . The method defined in any one of  claim 30 ,  31  or  32  comprises mixing the carbon-bearing material and the polymeric material binder so that there is a uniform dispersion of the carbon-bearing material through the product. 
     
     
         34 . The method defined in any one of  claim 30 ,  31  or  32  comprises heating the mixture of the components of the product at a temperature that is sufficiently high to completely melt the polymeric material binder. 
     
     
         35 . The method defined in any one of  claim 30 ,  31  or  32  includes forming the heated mixture into the composite product by extruding the heated mixture. 
     
     
         36 . The method defined in any one of  claim 30 ,  31  or  32  comprises controlling the method and the selection of the carbon-bearing material and the polymeric material binder to control the porosity of the product. 
     
     
         37 . The method defined in any one of  claim 30 ,  31  or  32  comprises selecting the carbon-bearing material so that these materials remain as solids during the heating step. 
     
     
         38 . The method defined in any one of  claim 30 ,  31  or  32  wherein the recycled polymeric material is a recycled low density polyethylene or a recycled high density polypropylene or a recycled polypropylene.