IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,344,706
Granted Patent B2
US 12,344,706 · App. 18/468,826 · Granted Jul 1, 2025

Curative and method

Inventors: Aaron Kenneth Amstutz (Peoria, IL); Luke Michael Haverhals (Peoria, IL); Isaiah Amstutz (Canton, IL); Skylar Clement (Washington, IL); Peter Francis Walker (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Natural Fiber Welding, Inc.
C08G63/42B32B5/022B32B5/024B32B9/06B32B25/10B32B25/12C08C19/06C08G63/81C08J3/24B32B2305/72B32B2307/50B32B2319/00C08J2315/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,344,706
App. No.
18/468,826
Granted
Jul 1, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A thermoset material containing β-hydroxyesters wherein said thermoset material is subject to a mechano-chemical process to regenerate an epoxide and a carboxylic acid functionality. A curative for epoxidized plant-based oils and epoxidized natural rubber is created from the reaction between a naturally occurring polyfunctional acid and an epoxidized plant-based oil is disclosed. The curative may be used to produce porosity-free castable resins and vulcanize rubber formulations based on epoxidized natural rubber. Materials made from disclosed materials may be advantageously used as leather substitutes.

Claims (28)

1. An article comprising:

a. a backing material:

b. a thermoset material engaged with said backing material, wherein said thermoset material is defined as containing 8-hydroxyesters, wherein when said thermoset material is subject to a mechano-chemical mixing process to regenerate an epoxide and a carboxylic acid functionality, said thermoset material may be uncured through a mechanical force applied to said thermoset material during said mechano-chemical mixing process and subsequently recured.

2. The article according to claim 1 wherein said thermoset material comprises a reaction product between an epoxidized triglyceride and a naturally occurring polyfunctional carboxylic acid.

3. The article according to claim 1 wherein said mechano-chemical process transforms the thermoset material into a millable gum.

4. The article according to claim 1 wherein said regenerated epoxide and carboxylic acid functionality is sufficient to affect a re-crosslinking of said thermoset material after said mechano-chemical process.

5. The article according to claim 1 wherein:

a. said thermoset material is added to an epoxidized natural rubber, and

b. said thermoset material acts as a curative for the epoxidized natural rubber.

6. The article according to claim 1 wherein said thermoset material is added to an epoxidized natural rubber as a sole curative.

7. The article according to claim 6 wherein said thermoset material constitutes over 20% by weight of an elastomeric content of a rubber compound.

8. The article according to claim 6 wherein said epoxidized natural rubber constitutes over 20% by weight of an elastomeric content of said thermoset material.

9. The article according to claim 1 wherein a power-per-unit-volume of said thermoset material required to regenerate said epoxide and carboxylic acid functionality is at least 1.9×10 5 W/l.

10. The article according to claim 1 wherein a power-per-unit-volume of said thermoset material required to regenerate said epoxide and carboxylic acid functionality is between 1.9×10 5 W/l and 6.67×10 5 W/l.

11. An article comprising:

a. a backing material:

b. a thermoset material engaged with said backing material, said thermoset material comprising covalent β-hydroxyesters linkages produced from a reaction between an epoxidized plant-sourced triglyceride and a polyfunctional carboxylic acid.

12. The article material according to claim 11 wherein a reaction between the epoxidized plant-sourced triglyceride and the polyfunctional carboxylic acid is reversible to regenerate an epoxide and a carboxylic acid functionality.

13. The article material according to claim 11 wherein a reaction between the epoxidized plant-sourced triglyceride and the polyfunctional carboxylic acid is reversible upon application of a mechano-chemical process to regenerate an epoxide and a carboxylic acid.

14. The article material according to claim 13 wherein the mechano-chemical process is a mechanical shear force.

15. The article material according to claim 13 wherein said mechano-chemical process transforms the thermoset material into a millable gum.

16. The article material according to claim 13 wherein said regenerated epoxide and carboxylic acid functionality is sufficient to affect a re-crosslinking of said thermoset material after said mechano-chemical process.

17. The article material according to claim 11 wherein:

a. said thermoset material is added to an epoxidized natural rubber, and

b. said thermoset material acts as a curative for the epoxidized natural rubber.

18. The article material according to claim 11 wherein said thermoset material is added to an epoxidized natural rubber as a sole curative.

19. The article material according to claim 17 wherein said thermoset material constitutes over 20% by weight of an elastomeric content of said article.

20. The article material according to claim 17 wherein said epoxidized natural rubber constitutes over 20% by weight of an elastomeric content of said article.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 2, 2023
From: AMSTUTZ, AARON KENNETH; HAVERHALS, LUKE MICHAEL; AMSTUTZ, ISAIAH; CLEMENT, SKYLAR; WALKER, PETER FRANCIS
To: NATURAL FIBER WELDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 065090/0659 →
Continuity (14)
Continuation 17141900 · Jan 5, 2021
Continuation 16918646 · Jul 1, 2020
Continuation In Part 16457352 · Jun 28, 2019
Continuation 16388693 · Apr 18, 2019
Provisional Application 62989275 · Mar 13, 2020
Provisional Application 62869393 · Jul 1, 2019
Provisional Application 62806480 · Feb 15, 2019
Provisional Application 62772744 · Nov 29, 2018
Provisional Application 62772715 · Nov 29, 2018
Provisional Application 62756062 · Nov 5, 2018
Provisional Application 62669483 · May 10, 2018
Provisional Application 62669502 · May 10, 2018
Provisional Application 62660943 · Apr 21, 2018
Related Publication 20240174796A1 · May 30, 2024
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