Engineered composite material and products produced therefrom
A composite material includes a polymer matrix material and filler material that includes vitreous china. The composite material has a water absorption of less than about one percent. Such a composite material may be used in the production of articles such as sinks, bathtubs, shower receptors, and other articles that may benefit from low water absorption properties.
1. A composite material comprising:
a polymer matrix material; and
a filler material comprising vitreous china;
wherein the composite material has a water absorption of less than about one percent.
2. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the filler material comprises particles with a size in the range of between approximately 1 and 2000 micrometers.
3. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the composite material comprises between about 10% and 70% by weight polymer matrix material and between about 30% and 90% by weight filler material.
4. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the filler material further comprises sand.
5. The composite material of claim 4 , wherein the sand is recycled core sand.
6. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the polymer matrix material comprises a polymer resin material or a mixture of polymer resin materials.
7. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the vitreous china comprises:
between about 50% and 80% by weight SiO 2 ,
between about 10% and 30% by weight Al 2 O 3 ,
between about 0% and 4% by weight Na 2 O 3 ,
between about 0% and 4% by weight K 2 O,
between about 0% and 3% by weight TiO 2 , and
between about 0% and 5% by weight MgO.
8. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the composite material has a hardness of between about 4 and 9 on the Moh's hardness scale.
9. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the filler material has a water absorption of less than about 1%.
10. An article comprising a composition, the composition comprising:
a polymer matrix material; and
a filler material comprising vitreous china;
wherein the article has a water absorption of less than approximately one percent.
11. The article of claim 10 , wherein the article is a sink.
12. The article of claim 10 , wherein the article is a shower receptor, bathtub, countertop, or integrated top and bowl single structure.
13. The article of claim 10 , wherein the filler material comprises particles with a size in the range of about 1 to about 2000 micrometers.
14. The article of claim 10 , wherein the composition comprises between about 10% and 70% by weight polymer matrix material and between about 30% and 90% by weight filler material.
15. The article of claim 10 , wherein the filler material comprises sand.
16. The article of claim 15 , wherein the sand is recycled core sand.
17. The article of claim 10 , wherein the polymer matrix material comprises a polymer resin material or a mixture of polymer resin materials.
18. The article of claim 10 , wherein the vitreous china comprises:
between about 50% and 80% by weight SiO 2 ,
between about 10% and 30% by weight Al 2 O 3 ,
between about 0% and 4% by weight Na 2 O 3 ,
between about 0% and 4% by weight K 2 O,
between about 0% and 3% by weight TiO 2 , and
between about 0% and 5% by weight MgO.
19. The article of claim 10 , wherein the article has a hardness of between about 4 and 9 on the Moh's hardness scale.
20. The article of claim 10 , wherein the filler material has a water absorption of less than 1%.