Granted Patent B2

US 9,868,841 · App. 15/099,863 · Granted Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

Claims (21)

1. A method of making a melt-processable material comprising:

processing a polymeric material comprising a thermoplastic material and a cross-linked polymeric foam to form a processed polymeric material comprising a processed thermoplastic material and a processed cross-linked polymeric foam wherein the processed polymeric material has an average particle size suitable for feeding to a melt processor and the processed cross-linked polymeric foam has an average particle size less than or equal to the average cell size of the cross-linked polymeric foam;

feeding the processed polymeric material to the melt processor; and

melt mixing a composition comprising the processed polymeric material in the melt processor at a temperature sufficient to melt the processed thermoplastic material wherein the processed cross-linked foam has a domain size, under melt mixing conditions, less than or equal to the processing spaces of the melt processor.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material comprises the thermoplastic material bonded to the cross-linked polymeric foam.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material is industrial waste, post-consumer waste, or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the melt mixing composition further comprises an additional thermoplastic, a compatibilizer or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the melt mixing composition further comprises a rheology modifier.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein processed cross-linked polymeric foam is present in an amount of 1 to 99 weight percent, based on the total weight of the melt mixing composition.

7. A method of making a melt-proces sable material comprising:

processing a cross-linked polymeric foam to form a processed cross-linked polymeric foam material wherein the processed cross-linked polymeric foam material has an average particle size suitable for feeding to a melt processor and an average particle size less than or equal to the average cell size of the cross-linked polymeric foam;

feeding the processed cross-linked polymeric foam to the melt processor; and

melt mixing a composition comprising a thermoplastic material and the processed cross-linked polymeric foam material in the melt processor wherein the processed cross-linked foam material has a domain size, under melt mixing conditions, less than or equal to the processing spaces of the melt processor.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the polymeric material is industrial waste, post-consumer waste, or a combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the melt mixing composition further comprises an additional thermoplastic, a compatibilizer or a combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the cross-linked polymeric foam is an open cell foam.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the cross-linked polymeric foam is a closed cell foam.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the melt mixing composition further comprises a rheology modifier.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein processed cross-linked polymeric foam is present in an amount of 1 to 99 weight percent, based on the total weight of the melt mixing composition.

14. The method of claim 7 , wherein the melt processor comprises an extruder.

15. A melt-processable polymeric material comprising a thermoplastic matrix and dispersed cross-linked particles wherein the cross-linked particles are compressible.

Assignments (6)