Pelletized plastic compounds and method of manufacture
A pellet is formed by a method includes, in one embodiment, dispersing up to about 95% by weight of thermoset rubber particles into a carrier resin to form the plastic compound. The carrier resin includes an olefin block copolymer. The method also includes the steps of extruding the plastic compound through a die having at least one die hole to form at least one extrudate filament, cutting the at least one extrudate filament to a predetermined length to form a plurality of pellets, conveying the pellets to a separator/centrifugal dryer in water having a temperature of about 170° F. or greater, and separating the pellets from the water in the separator/centrifugal dryer so that the pellets are substantially dry upon removal from the separator/centrifugal dryer. The resultant pelletized plastic compound has a flex modulus of less than about 20,000 pounds per square inch (psi).
1. A pellet formed by a method comprising the steps of:
dispersing from about 30% to about 95% by weight of thermoset rubber particles into a carrier resin to form a plastic compound, weight percent based on the total weight of the plastic compound, the carrier resin comprising an olefin block copolymer, wherein the olefin block copolymer comprises an ethylene-1-octene block copolymer and is present in the plastic compound in an amount of from about 5% to about 70% by weight based on the total weight of the plastic compound;
extruding the plastic compound through a die having at least one die hole to form at least one extrudate filament;
cutting the at least one extrudate filament to a predetermined length to form at least one pellet;
conveying the at least one pellet in water to a separator/centrifugal dryer, the water having a temperature of about 170° F. or greater; and
separating the at least one pellet from the water in the separator/centrifugal dryer, the at least one pellet substantially dry upon removal from the separator/centrifugal dryer, the pelletized plastic compound having a flex modulus of less than about 20,000 pounds per square inch (psi).
2. The pellet in accordance with claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of conveying the substantially dry at least one pellet to a storage container.
3. The pellet in accordance with claim 1 wherein the step of conveying the at least one pellet in water to a separator comprises conveying the at least one pellet to a separator in water having a temperature of about 170° F. to about 200° F.
4. The pellet in accordance with claim 1 wherein the thermoset rubber particles comprise at least one of neoprene rubber particles and ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) rubber particles.
5. The pellet in accordance with claim 1 wherein the pelletized plastic compound has a flex modulus of less than about 12,000 psi.
6. A method of pelletizing a plastic compound, said method comprising:
dispersing from about 30% to about 95% by weight of thermoset rubber particles into a carrier resin to form the plastic compound, the carrier resin comprising an olefin block copolymer, wherein the olefin block copolymer comprises an ethylene-1-octene block copolymer and is present in the plastic compound in an amount of from about 5% to about 70% by weight based on the total weight of the plastic compound;
extruding the plastic compound through a die having at least one die hole to form at least one extrudate filament;
cutting the at least one extrudate filament to a predetermined length to form a plurality of pellets;
conveying the pellets to a separator/centrifugal dryer in water having a temperature of about 170° F. or greater; and
separating the pellets from the water in the separator/centrifugal dryer so that the pellets are substantially dry upon removal from the separator/centrifugal dryer, the pelletized plastic compound having a flex modulus of less than about 20,000 pounds per square inch (psi).
7. The method in accordance with claim 6 further comprising conveying the substantially dry pellets to a storage container.
8. The method in accordance with claim 6 wherein the water temperature is about 170° F. to about 200° F.
9. The method in accordance with claim 6 wherein the thermoset rubber particles comprise at least one of neoprene rubber particles and ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) rubber particles.
10. The method in accordance with claim 6 wherein the pelletized plastic compound having a flex modulus of less than about 12,000 psi.
11. A pellet formed by a method comprising the steps of:
mixing from about 30% to about 95% by weight of thermoset rubber particles and a carrier resin together to form a plastic compound, weight percent based on the total weight of the plastic compound, the carrier resin comprising an olefin block copolymer, wherein the olefin block copolymer comprises an ethylene-1-octene block copolymer and is present in the plastic compound in an amount of from about 5% to about 70% by weight based on the total weight of the plastic compound;
directing the plastic compound into a pelletizer apparatus comprising a die and a knife blade;
extruding the plastic compound through the die to form an extrudate;
cutting the extrudate with the knife blade to form pellets of the plastic compound;
conveying the pellets to a separator/centrifugal dryer by a stream of water having a temperature of about 170° F. or greater; and
separating the pellets from the water in the separator/centrifugal dryer, the pellets substantially dry upon removal from the separator/centrifugal dryer, the pelletized plastic compound having a flex modulus of less than about 20,000 pounds per square inch (psi).
12. The pellet in accordance with claim 11 wherein the method further comprises the step of conveying the substantially dry pellets to a storage container.
13. The pellet in accordance with claim 11 wherein the step of conveying the pellets to a separator comprises conveying the pellets to a separator by a stream of water having a temperature of about 170° F. to about 200° F.
14. The pellet in accordance with claim 11 wherein the thermoset rubber particles comprise at least one of neoprene rubber particles and ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) rubber particles.
15. The pellet in accordance with claim 11 wherein the pelletized plastic compound has a flex modulus of less than about 12,000 psi.
16. A method of pelletizing a plastic compound, said method comprising:
mixing from about 30% to about 95% by weight of thermoset rubber particles and a carrier resin together to form a plastic compound, weight percent based on the total weight of the plastic compound, the carrier resin comprising an olefin block copolymer, wherein the olefin block copolymer comprises an ethylene-1-octene block copolymer and is present in the plastic compound in an amount of from about 5% to about 70% by weight based on the total weight of the plastic compound;
directing the plastic compound into a pelletizer apparatus comprising a die and a knife blade;
extruding the plastic compound through the die to form an extrudate;
cutting the extrudate with the knife blade to form pellets of the plastic compound;
conveying the pellets to a separator/centrifugal dryer by a stream of water having a temperature of about 170° F. or greater; and
separating the pellets from the water in the separator/centrifugal dryer, the pellets substantially dry upon removal from the separator/centrifugal dryer, the pelletized plastic compound having a flex modulus of less than about 20,000 pounds per square inch (psi).
17. The method in accordance with claim 16 further comprising conveying the substantially dry pellets to a storage container.
18. The method in accordance with claim 16 wherein the water temperature is about 170° F. to about 200° F.
19. The method in accordance with claim 16 wherein the thermoset rubber particles comprise at least one of neoprene rubber particles and ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) rubber particles.
20. The method in accordance with claim 16 wherein the pelletized plastic compound having a flex modulus of less than about 12,000 psi.
21. A pelletized plastic compound comprising:
a carrier resin; and
from about 30% to about 95% by weight of thermoset rubber particles dispersed into said carrier resin, weight percent based on the total weight of the plastic compound, said carrier resin comprising an olefin block copolymer, wherein said pelletized plastic compound has a flex modulus less than about 20,000 pounds per square inch (psi), and wherein the olefin block copolymer comprises an ethylene-1-octene block copolymer and is present in the plastic compound in an amount of from about 5% to about 70% by weight based on the total weight of the plastic compound.
22. The pelletized plastic compound in accordance with claim 21 wherein said thermoset rubber particles comprise at least one of neoprene rubber particles and ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) rubber particles.
23. The pelletized plastic compound in accordance with claim 21 wherein said pelletized plastic compound has a flex modulus less than about 12,000 psi.