Cork composites for articles of footwear and methods for making thereof

1 . A method of fabricating a cork composite material, comprising:

providing a plurality of cork particles;

adding a binder material to the plurality of cork particles to form a mixture of the plurality of cork particles and the binder material;

transferring the mixture to a mold;

applying energy to the mixture, wherein the energy includes electromagnetic radiation that fuses the plurality of cork particles with the binder material, wherein the energy comprises microwave radiation being supplied at a power between about 6 kW and about 18 kW;

cooling the mixture, wherein cooling the mixture solidifies the mixture, forming a cork composite material; and

removing the cork composite material from the mold.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy heats the mixture to a fusion temperature, wherein the fusion temperature is between about 130° C. and about 160° C.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation is applied using a microwave.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy is applied for less than 30 seconds.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein cooling the mixture comprises contacting the mold with a liquid.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the mold comprises channels, wherein the channels are configured to direct a flow of the liquid.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein after transferring the mixture to the mold, and before removing the cork composite material from the mold, no external pressure is applied to at least one of the mixture, the mold, or the cork composite material.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein after transferring the mixture to the mold, and before removing the cork composite material from the mold, no external pressure is applied to the mixture, the mold, and the cork composite material.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein after transferring the mixture to the mold no external pressure is applied to the mold.

10 . A component of an article of footwear prepared by the method of claim 1 .

11 . A method of fabricating a midsole of an article of footwear containing cork composite material, comprising:

providing a plurality of cork particles;

adding a binder material to the plurality of cork particles to form a mixture of the plurality of cork particles and the binder material;

transferring the mixture to a mold configured with a cavity in the shape of a midsole of an article of footwear;

applying energy to the mixture, wherein the energy is applied using microwave radiation and fuses the plurality of cork particles with the binder material to form a cork composite material;

cooling the mixture, wherein cooling the mixture solidifies the cork composite material in the shape of the midsole; and

removing the midsole from the mold.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the energy comprises microwave radiation being supplied at a power between about 6 kW and about 18 kW.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the energy is applied for less than 30 seconds.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein cooling the mixture comprises contacting the mold with a liquid.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the mold comprises channels, wherein the channels are configured to direct a flow of the liquid.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein after transferring the mixture to the mold, and before removing the midsole from the mold, no external pressure is applied to the mixture, the mold, and the midsole.

17 . A method of fabricating a midsole of an article of footwear containing cork composite material, comprising:

providing a mixture having cork particles and a binder material;

transferring the mixture to a mold; and

applying energy to the mixture, wherein the energy applied to the mixture includes electromagnetic waves.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the electromagnetic waves are applied to the mixture using a microwave.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the energy is applied for less than 30 seconds.