BIO-DERIVED POLYESTER FOR USE IN COMPOSITE PANELS, COMPOSITE ARTICLES AND METHODS OF PRODUCING SUCH ARTICLES
A synthetic article comprising at least one polyester resin adhesive and at least one lignin-based material and a method of preparing a synthetic article comprising mixing at least one polyester resin adhesive and at least one lignin-based material to obtain a blended material and forming a synthetic article from the blended material.
1 . A composite material comprising at least one polyester resin adhesive and at least one lignin-based material, wherein the polyester resin adhesive comprises a polyester polymer having at least one repeating unit formed from a diol component and a dicarboxylic acid component and wherein the diol component is 1,3 propanediol.
2 . The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the dicarboxylic acid component is succinic acid.
3 . The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the dicarboxylic acid component is terephthalic acid.
4 . The composite material of claim 1 , wherein at least one repeating unit of the polyester polymer is formed from a diol component selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol and 1,4-butanediol.
5 . The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the polyester polymer is a copolymer comprising at least one repeating unit comprising succinic acid as the dicarboxylic acid component and at least one repeating unit comprising terephthalic acid as the dicarboxylic acid component.
6 . The composite material of claim 1 , wherein at least one repeating unit of the polyester polymer comprises a component produced from a biomass-resource.
7 . The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the polyester polymer consists essentially of components produced from a biomass-resource.
8 . The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the lignin-based material comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a natural fiber, a powdered lignin, and a combination of natural fiber and powdered lignin.
9 . The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the polyester resin adhesive comprises less than about 25 wt % of the composite material.
10 . The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the lignin-based material comprises more than about 75 wt % of the composite material.
11 . The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the polyester resin adhesive is in fiber or powder form.
12 . The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the polyester resin adhesive comprises at least one additive.
13 . The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the polyester resin adhesive comprises a blend of the polyester polymer and at least one different polymer.
14 . The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the polyester resin adhesive comprises a blend of the polyester polymer and at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polybutylene succinate and polybutylene succinate terephthalate.
15 . A synthetic article comprising at least one polyester resin adhesive and at least one lignin-based material, wherein the polyester resin adhesive comprises a polyester polymer having repeating units according to the following formulas:
wherein n is an integer greater than 0;
wherein m is an integer greater than 0;
Y is a C 1 to C 36 linear aliphatic group, a C 1 to C 3-6 alkoxy group, a C 3 to C 36 branched aliphatic or cycloaliphatic group, a C 6 to C 36 aryl group or a C 7 to C 36 alkylaryl group;
Z is a C 1 to C 36 linear aliphatic group, a C 1 to C 3-6 alkoxy group, a C 3 to C 36 branched aliphatic or cycloaliphatic group, a C 6 to C 36 aryl group or a C 7 to C 36 alkylaryl group;
x=2, 3 or 4, but if x=4, then at least one of Y or Z is not a C 2 linear aliphatic.
16 . The synthetic article of claim 15 , wherein the polyester resin adhesive comprises a polyester polymer having at least one repeating unit having the following formula:
wherein n is an integer greater than 1.
17 . The synthetic article of claim 15 , wherein the polyester polymer comprises at least one repeating unit having the following formula:
wherein m is an integer greater than 1, Ph is phenylene and x=2, 3 or 4.
18 . The synthetic article of claim 15 , wherein Y is a C 2 linear aliphatic.
19 . The synthetic article of claim 15 , wherein x=3.
20 . The synthetic article of claim 15 , wherein Z is phenylene.
21 . A composite panel formed from the composite material of claim 1 , where at least one of a modulus of rupture, modulus of elongation, internal bond strength, or density satisfies at least one of the following grading standards: M-3 for particle board, M-2 for particle board, M-1 for particle board, H-1 for particle board, Grade 155 for MDF, Grade 130 for MDF, or Grade 115 for MDF.
22 . A method of preparing a synthetic article from the composite material of claim 1 , comprising placing the composite material in a mold, applying heat and pressure to the blended material in the mold to bind the composite material, and removing the synthetic article from the mold.