COMPOSITE PANEL HAVING BONDED NONWOVEN AND BIODEGRADABLE RESINOUS-FIBER LAYERS AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION THEREOF
A composite panel having bonded nonwoven and biodegradable resinous-fiber layers and method of construction thereof is provided. The panel includes a nonwoven mat including cardboard and heat bondable textile fibers thermally bonded together to a desired thickness. The panel further includes a biodegradable polymeric composition comprising a protein and a first strengthening agent bonded to the mat.
1 . A composite member, comprising:
at least one nonwoven mat including cardboard and heat bondable textile fibers; and
at least one sheet of biodegradable polymeric composition bonded to said at least one nonwoven mat.
2 . The composite member of claim 1 wherein said at least nonwoven mat is bonded to said at least one sheet of biodegradable polymeric composition without an intermediate adhesive.
3 . The composite member of claim 1 wherein said at least one sheet of biodegradable polymeric composition includes a plurality of sheets of said biodegradable polymeric composition.
4 . The composite member of claim 1 wherein at least one of said at least one nonwoven mat and said at least one sheet of biodegradable polymeric composition has a varying density.
5 . The composite member of claim 4 wherein said at least one nonwoven mat has a varying density.
6 . The composite member of claim 5 wherein said at least one nonwoven mat has an outer periphery region and a central region, said outer periphery region having an increased density relative to said central region.
7 . The composite member of claim 4 wherein said at least one nonwoven mat and said at least one sheet of biodegradable polymeric composition has a varying density.
8 . The composite member of claim 4 wherein said at least one nonwoven mat has a varying density and said at least one sheet of biodegradable polymeric composition has a substantially uniform density.
9 . The composite member of claim 4 wherein at least one of said at least one nonwoven mat and said at least one sheet of biodegradable polymeric composition has a varying thickness.
10 . The composite member of claim 1 wherein said at least one nonwoven mat has opposite sides wherein said at least one sheet of biodegradable polymeric composition is attached to one of said sides and further comprising a scrim layer attached to the side opposite said biodegradable polymeric composition.
11 . The composite member of claim 1 wherein said at least one nonwoven mat has opposite sides wherein said at least one sheet of biodegradable polymeric composition is attached to one of said sides and further comprising a carpet layer attached to the side opposite said biodegradable polymeric composition.
12 . The composite member of claim 1 wherein said at least one sheet of biodegradable polymeric composition includes a protein and a first strengthening agent.
13 . The composite member of claim 12 wherein said protein is other than a soy protein.
14 . The composite member of claim 12 wherein the protein is a plant-based protein.
15 . The composite member of claim 12 wherein the protein is an animal-based protein.
16 . The composite member of claim 12 wherein the protein is a soy-based protein.
17 . The composite member of claim 1 wherein said cardboard is Asian cardboard.
18 . The composite member of claim 1 wherein the composite member is net shape “as molded”.
19 . The composite member of claim 1 wherein a chemical mixture, including a flame retardant, a biocide and a binder, are applied, dried and cured to at least one surface of said at least one nonwoven mat.
20 . A method of constructing a composite panel, comprising:
comminuting cardboard into reduced size pieces of a predetermined size and combining the reduced sized pieces of cardboard with heat bondable textile fibers;
thermally bonding the pieces of cardboard with the heat bondable textile fibers to produce at least one nonwoven mat of a desired thickness;
preparing at least one biodegradable polymeric composition comprising a protein and a first strengthening agent; and
bonding the biodegradable polymeric composition to the nonwoven mat.
21 . The method of claim 20 further including bonding the at least one nonwoven mat to the at least one biodegradable polymeric composition without using a separate intermediate adhesive.
22 . The method of claim 20 further including providing the cardboard as Asian cardboard.
23 . The method of claim 20 further including laminating a scrim layer to a side of the nonwoven mat opposite the biodegradable polymeric composition without using nip rolls and maintaining the thickness of the mat as initially produced.
24 . The method of claim 20 further including providing the protein as other than a soy protein.
25 . The method of claim 20 further including providing the protein as a plant-based protein.
26 . The method of claim 20 further including providing the protein as an animal-based protein.
27 . The method of claim 20 further including providing the protein as a soy-based protein from a soy protein source.
28 . The method of claim 20 further including molding the composite panel to net shape.
29 . The method of claim 20 further including forming the composite panel having areas of varying density during the bonding step.
30 . The method of claim 29 further including forming the composite panel having areas of varying thickness during the bonding step.
31 . The method of claim 20 further including forming the composite panel having a substantially uniform thickness and density.
32 . The method of claim 20 further including bonding the nonwoven mat to the biodegradable polymeric composition using a single stage press under substantially constant pressure.
33 . The method of claim 20 further including bonding the nonwoven mat to the biodegradable polymeric composition using a single stage press under varying pressure.
34 . The method of claim 20 further including bonding the nonwoven mat to the biodegradable polymeric composition using a two stage press under varying pressure.
35 . The method of claim 20 further including bonding a carpet layer to the nonwoven mat opposite the biodegradable polymeric composition.
36 . The method of claim 20 further including mixing staple fibers with the cardboard pieces and heat bondable textile fibers to form a substantially homogenous mixture and then forming the nonwoven mat from the mixture.
37 . The method of claim 20 further including applying a chemical mixture, including a flame retardant, a biocide and a binder, to at least one surface of the nonwoven mat and maintaining the thickness of the nonwoven mat as initially produced and then drying and curing the nonwoven mat.