IP Library Granted Patent US 11,542,378
Granted Patent B2
US 11,542,378 · App. 16/619,008 · Granted Jan 3, 2023

Hybrid thermoplastic composites with long and short fiber materials and natural nanoparticles

Inventors: Elisa Teipel (Pflugerville, TX); Kevin Holder (Houston, TX); Nirup Nagabandi (Pflugerville, TX); Blake Teipel (Pflugerville, TX)
Assignee: Essentium IPCO, LLC
C08J7/0427C08J5/042C08J5/043C08J5/045C08J5/10C08J2323/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,542,378
App. No.
16/619,008
Granted
Jan 3, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A thermoplastic composite material includes a thermoplastic polymer matrix component, a microparticle component, a nanoparticle component, and a compatibilizing agent component, at least a portion of the microparticle component and/or nanoparticle component is a natural fiber.

Claims (86)

1. A thermoplastic composite material comprising:

a thermoplastic polypropylene polymer matrix component present between about 75% and about 94.9% by weight of the thermoplastic composite material;

a microparticle component comprising glass fibers present between about 5% and about 15% by weight of the thermoplastic composite material;

a nanoparticle component comprising cellulose nanocrystals present between about 0.1% and about 10% by weight of the thermoplastic composite material; and

a compatibilizing agent component optionally present between about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of the thermoplastic composite material compatibilizing the microparticle component, the nanoparticle component and the thermoplastic polymer matrix component,

the compatibilizing agent comprising maleic anhydride modified polypropylene (MAPP) and diethylenetriamine (DETA).

2. The thermoplastic composite material of claim 1 comprising, by weight percentage:

about 80% polypropylene; about 15% glass fiber;

about 5% cellulose nanocrystals; and

0% compatibilizing agent,

wherein the thermoplastic composite material has a tensile strength of about 56 MPa, and a tensile modulus of about 3497 MPa.

3. The thermoplastic composite material of claim 1 comprising by weight percentage:

about 79.3% polypropylene; about 15% glass fiber;

about 5% cellulose nanocrystals; and

about 0.7% compatibilizing agent,

wherein the thermoplastic composite material has a tensile strength of about 56 MPa, and a tensile modulus of about 4014 MPa.

4. The thermoplastic composite material of claim 1 comprising by weight percentage:

about 83.86% polypropylene; about 15% glass fiber;

about 1% cellulose nanocrystals; and

about 0.14% compatibilizing agent,

wherein the thermoplastic composite material has a tensile strength of about 59 MPa, and a tensile modulus of about 3577 MPa.

5. The thermoplastic composite material of claim 1 comprising by weight percentage:

about 78.6% polypropylene; about 10% glass fiber;

about 10% cellulose nanocrystals; and

about 1.4% compatibilizing agent ,

wherein the thermoplastic composite material has a tensile strength of about 37 MPa, and a tensile modulus of about 2612 MPa.

6. The thermoplastic composite material of claim 1 comprising by weight percentage:

about 84.3% polypropylene; about 10% glass fiber;

about 5% cellulose nanocrystals; and

about 0.7% compatibilizing agent,

wherein the thermoplastic composite material has a tensile strength of about 45 MPa, and a tensile modulus of about 2714 MPa.

7. The thermoplastic composite material of claim 1 comprising by weight percentage:

about 83.95% polypropylene; about 7.5% glass fiber;

about 7.5% cellulose nanocrystals; and

about 1.05% compatibilizing agent,

wherein the thermoplastic composite material has a tensile strength of about 37 MPa, and a tensile modulus of about 2230 MPa.

8. The thermoplastic composite material of claim 1 comprising by weight percentage:

about 86.8% polypropylene; about 7.5% glass fiber;

about 5% cellulose nanocrystals; and

about 0.7% compatibilizing agent,

wherein the thermoplastic composite material has a tensile strength of about 41 MPa, and a tensile modulus of about 2374 MPa.

9. The thermoplastic composite material of claim 1 comprising by weight percentage:

about 91.36% polypropylene; about 7.5% glass fiber;

about 1% cellulose nanocrystals; and

about 0.14% compatibilizing agent,

wherein the thermoplastic composite material has a tensile strength of about 40 MPa, and a tensile modulus of about 2010 MPa.

10. The thermoplastic composite material of claim 1 comprising by weight percentage:

about 89.4% polypropylene; about 5% glass fiber;

about 5% cellulose nanocrystals; and

about 0.6% compatibilizing agent,

wherein the thermoplastic composite material has a tensile strength of about 41 MPa, and a tensile modulus of about 2282 MPa.

11. The thermoplastic composite material of claim 1 comprising by weight percentage:

about 93.86% polypropylene; about 5% glass fiber;

about 1% cellulose nanocrystals; and

about 0.14% compatibilizing agent,

wherein the thermoplastic composite material has a tensile strength of about 39 MPa, and a tensile modulus of about 1990 MPa.

12. The thermoplastic composite material of claim 1 comprising by weight percentage:

about 94% polypropylene; about 5% glass fiber;

about 1% cellulose nanocrystals; and

0.0% compatibilizing agent,

wherein the thermoplastic composite material has a tensile strength of about 39 MPa, and a tensile modulus of about 1344 MPa.

13. The thermoplastic composite material of claim 1 comprising by weight percentage:

about 89.3% polypropylene; about 5% glass fiber;

about 5% cellulose nanocrystals; and

about 0.7% compatibilizing agent,

wherein the thermoplastic composite material has a tensile strength of about 37 MPa, and a tensile modulus of about 2164 MPa.

14. The thermoplastic composite material of claim 1 comprising by weight percentage:

about 93.86% polypropylene; about 5% glass fiber;

about 1% cellulose nanocrystals; and about 0.14% compatibilizing agent,

wherein the thermoplastic composite material has a tensile strength of about 38 MPa, and a tensile modulus of about 1909 MPa.

15. The thermoplastic composite material of claim 1 comprising by weight percentage:

about 94.0% polypropylene; about 5% glass fibers;

about 1% cellulose nanocrystals; and 0.0% compatibilizing agent,

wherein the thermoplastic composite material has a tensile strength of about 40 MPa, and a tensile modulus of about 1994 MPa.

16. A thermoplastic composite material comprises:

a polypropylene (PP) matrix present between about 30% and about 94.9% by weight of the thermoplastic composite material;

cellulosic nanocrystals present between about 0.1% and about 10% by weight of the thermoplastic composite material;

bast fibers present between about 5% and about 50% by weight of the thermoplastic composite material; and

maleic anhydride modified polypropylene (MAPP) and diethylenetriamine (DETA) present in the range of between about 0% and about 10% by weight, the MAPP and DETA compatibilizing the cellulosic nanocrystals, bast fibers, and the polypropylene matrix,

wherein the bast fibers and the cellulosic nanocrystals are incorporated into the polypropylene matrix by reactive extrusion.

17. The thermoplastic composite material of claim 16 wherein during reactive extrusion the MAPP and DETA are used in about a 1:1 ratio.

18. The thermoplastic composite material of claim 16 comprising by weight percentage:

about 79.3% polypropylene; about 15% bast fiber;

about 5% cellulose nanocrystals; and

about 0.7% maleic anhydride modified polypropylene (MAPP) and diethylenetriamine (DETA),

wherein the thermoplastic composite material has a tensile strength of about 38 MPa and a tensile modulus of about 2374 MPa.

Assignments (11)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 17, 2025
From: NEXA3D INC.; NXT FACTORY, INC.
To: STRATASYS, INC.
Reel/Frame 071657/0111 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 10, 2025
From: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY
To: NEXA3D INC.; NXT FACTORY INC.; NEXA3D APS
Reel/Frame 071534/0581 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 15, 2024
From: NEXA3D INC.; NXT FACTORY INC.; NEXA3D APS
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 069381/0694 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 17, 2024
From: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: ESSENTIUM, INC.; ESSENTIUM IPHOLDCO, LLC; ESSENTIUM IPCO, LLC
Reel/Frame 066339/0087 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 17, 2024
From: ESSENTIUM IPCO, LLC.
To: NEXA3D INC.
Reel/Frame 066339/0185 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 16, 2022
From: ESSENTIUM, INC.
To: ESSENTIUM IPCO, LLC
Reel/Frame 061950/0803 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 18, 2022
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK
To: ESSENTIUM, INC.
Reel/Frame 060682/0613 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2022
From: ESSENTIUM, INC.; ESSENTIUM IPHOLDCO, LLC; ESSENTIUM IPCO, LLC
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS THE COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 060445/0808 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 20, 2021
From: ESSENTIUM, INC.
To: QSHGP, INC.
Reel/Frame 057545/0005 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2020
From: ESSENTIUM, INC.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 054198/0663 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2020
From: HOLDER, KEVIN; NAGABANDI, NIRUP; TEIPEL, ELISA; TEIPEL, BLAKE
To: ESSENTIUM, INC.
Reel/Frame 053563/0917 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62515372 · Jun 5, 2017
Related Publication 20210079185A1 · Mar 18, 2021