Extrusion grade perlite reinforced polypropylene polymer

1. A method of forming an acoustic panel, the method comprising:

providing an expanded perlite treated with one or more silane compounds;

providing a polymer, wherein the polymer comprises a chemical foaming agent at a concentration of about 6.0% by weight of the acoustic panel to about 20% by weight of the acoustic panel;

combining the polymer and the expanded perlite to form a porous sound-absorption material;

pressing the porous sound-absorption material using a double belt press to form a perlite composite sheet; and

thermoforming the perlite composite sheet using at least one of a vacuum and mechanical mold to form the acoustic panel.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

contacting a coupling agent to the expanded perlite treated with the one or more silane compounds.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is selected from polyethylene-co-propylene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polyamide, PVC, nylons, polystyrene, polyphenylene sulfide, polyoxymethylene and polycarbonate, and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the expanded perlite has a density from about 0.25 g/cm 3 to about 0.40 g/cm 3 and the expanded perlite has a diameter of less than about 0.1 mm.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more silane compounds is selected from polydimethyl siloxane, polymethylphenyl siloxane, di-hydroxy terminated polydimethyl siloxanes, dialkoxy terminated polydimethyl siloxanes, N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, 3-chloropropyltrimethoxysilane, trimethoxysilyl ethyl amine, triethoxysilyl ethyl amine, tripropoxysilyl ethyl amine, tributoxysilyl ethyl amine, trimethoxysilyl propyl amine, triethoxysilyl propyl amine, tripropoxysilyl propyl amine, triisopropoxysilyl propyl amine, tributoxysilyl propyl amine, trimethoxysilyl butyl amine, triethoxysilyl butyl amine, tripropoxysilyl butyl amine, tributoxysilyl butyl amine, trimethoxysilyl pentyl amine, triethoxysilyl pentyl amine, tripropoxysilyl pentyl amine, tributoxysilyl pentyl amine, trimethoxysilyl hexyl amine, triethoxysilyl hexyl amine, tripropoxysilyl hexyl amine, tributoxysilyl hexyl amine, trimethoxysilyl heptyl amine, triethoxysilyl heptyl amine, tripropoxysilyl heptyl amine, tributoxysilyl heptyl amine, trimethoxysilyl octyl amine, triethoxysilyl octyl amine, tripropoxysilyl octyl amine, tributoxysilyl octyl amine, and mixtures thereof.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the coupling agent is present at a concentration of about 1.0% to about 5.0% by weight of the acoustic panel.

7. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:

providing a coloring agent, a flame retardant, a UV light stabilizer, or combinations thereof to the porous sound-absorption material.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the chemical foaming agent is present at a concentration of about 6.0% to about 8.0% by weight of the acoustic panel.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the chemical foaming agent is selected from sodium carbonate; sodium hydrogen carbonate, magnesium carbonate, magnesium hydrogen carbonate, calcium carbonate, calcium hydrogen carbonate, aluminum carbonate, aluminum hydrogen carbonate, iron carbonate, iron hydrogen carbonate, ammonium carbonate, ammonium hydrogen carbonate, ammonium carbamate, and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is a base polymer and comprises at least 80% by weight of the acoustic panel.

11. A method of forming an automotive acoustic panel, the method comprising:

providing an expanded perlite treated with one or more silane compounds and a coupling agent, wherein the coupling agent is present at a concentration of about 1.0% to about 5.0% by weight of the acoustic panel;

providing a polymer, wherein the polymer comprises a chemical foaming agent at a concentration of about 6.0% by weight of the acoustic panel to about 20% by weight of the acoustic panel;

combining the polymer and the expanded perlite to form a porous sound-absorption material;

pressing the porous sound-absorption material using a double belt press to form a perlite composite sheet; and

thermoforming the perlite composite sheet to form the automotive acoustic panel.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the thermoforming includes using a vacuum mold.

13. The method of claim 11 ; wherein the thermoforming includes using a mechanical mold.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the coupling agent comprises maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the polymer comprises a chemical foaming agent.

16. A method of forming an automotive acoustic panel, the method comprising:

providing an expanded perlite treated with one or more silane compounds and a coupling agent; wherein the coupling agent is about 1.0% to about 5.0% by weight of the automotive acoustic panel;

providing a base polymer comprising at least 80% by weight of the automotive acoustic panel;

combining the base polymer and the expanded perlite to form a porous sound-absorption material;

pressing the porous sound-absorption material using a double belt press to form a perlite composite sheet; and

thermoforming the perlite composite sheet to form the automotive acoustic panel using at least one of a vacuum and mechanical mold.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the base polymer is selected from polyethylene-co-propylene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polyamide, PVC, nylons, polystyrene, polyphenylene sulfide, polyoxymethylene and polycarbonate, and combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 16 ; wherein the expanded perlite has a density from about 0.25 g/cm 3 to about 0.40 g/cm 3 and the expanded perlite has a diameter of less than about 0.1 mm.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the coupling agent comprises maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the base polymer further comprises a chemical foaming agent at a concentration of about 6.0% by weight of the acoustic panel to about 20% by weight of the acoustic panel.