BE1026529B1 - METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A PLASTIC INSULATION MATERIAL - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention in a first aspect describes a method of manufacturing a plastic insulating material comprising the steps of: (a) providing a woven or nonwoven structure; (b) uniformly spreading one or more granular components over the surface of the structure resulting in a layered structure, said granular components comprising one or more thermoplastic polymer components having a glass transition temperature and a melting temperature, and one or more thermosetting polymer components; (c) optionally providing a second structure over the granular components; (d) optionally repeating steps b and c; and (e) heating the layered structure; wherein the layered structure is heated to a temperature higher than the average glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic components, thereby obtaining a bond between the granular components and the structure.

Description

METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A PLASTIC INSULATION MATERIAL

TECHNICAL DOMAIN

The present invention generally relates to methods of manufacturing a plastic insulating material. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods of manufacturing a plastic insulating material comprising a structure bonded in a thermoplastic matrix.

STATE OF THE ART

Insulation materials for the acoustic and / or thermal insulation of, for example, floors and walls are generally known in the prior art. However, the current use of insulating materials requires a significant thickness of the insulating material to achieve the desired level of acoustic and / or thermal insulation. For less demanding applications, materials such as glass wool, rock wool, polyurethane foam and / or expanded polystyrene may suffice.

For demanding insulation situations, on the other hand, the use of specialized composite mats or panels is recommended. However, such insulating mats and sheets are usually very complex and expensive to manufacture, partly because of the purchase of specialist raw materials. Moreover, these materials mainly focus on their insulating properties, as a result of which other aspects such as impact strength, dimensional stability and wear resistance of the insulating material are often insufficient.

Insulation materials known from the current state of the art have one common drawback: they are hardly or not reusable or recyclable, which undeniably contributes to the increased burden of solid waste and drastically increases the production and processing costs of these insulation materials.

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Accordingly, there is a need for a time and cost efficient method of forming insulating materials which have a thermal and / or acoustic insulating capacity comparable and even better than that of insulating materials known in the art. Said cost efficiency in this respect is closely related to current waste problems, while there is also a need for a method that enables recycling of insulation materials. These insulation materials must also be able to be manufactured in an acceptable thickness, without sacrificing other structural features, such as impact strength, dimensional and wear resistance, so that they can be used in a wide range of applications.

The present invention aims at least to solve some of the above-mentioned problems or disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To this end, a first aspect of the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a plastic insulating material according to claim 1. The method comprises the steps of (a) providing a woven or nonwoven structure; (b) uniformly spreading one or more granular components over the surface of the structure resulting in a layered structure, said granular components comprising one or more thermoplastic polymer components having a glass transition temperature and a melting temperature, and one or more thermosetting polymer components; (c) optionally providing a second structure over the granular components; (d) optionally repeating steps b and c; and (e) heating the layered structure. The layered structure is heated to a temperature higher than the average glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic components, thereby obtaining a bond between the granular components and the structure.

A particular advantage of this method is that it provides a very efficient process that allows the manufacture of insulating materials, whereby specific insulating properties are obtained by varying the ratio between the different components. As a result, a wide variety of insulating materials can be manufactured on the same production line, which insulating materials score above average on thermal and / or acoustic insulation capacity. In addition, they can be made thinner than current

BE2018 / 5568 used insulation materials. The method also makes it possible that normally difficult to non-recyclable materials are still reusable and / or recyclable. These materials include increasingly complex packaging material, in particular multilayer bags (e.g. shrink bags) and hybrid bags and foils, as well as existing, whether or not insulating, composite plates and mattresses. This aspect greatly contributes to the cost efficiency of the present method.

Preferred forms of the method are set out in claims 2 to 27.

A specific preferred form concerns the method according to claim 4, wherein the thermosetting components are present in a concentration comprised between 30.0 and 50.0 m%. An insulating material with excellent acoustic insulating properties is formed.

Another preferred form concerns the method according to claim 5, wherein the thermosetting components are present in a concentration comprised between 50.0 and 80.0 m%. The insulating material formed has excellent thermal insulating properties.

A second aspect of the present invention relates to an insulating material according to claim 28, said insulating material comprising a nonwoven or woven structure, one or more thermosetting components and a thermoplastic matrix. The insulating material has a layered structure, wherein the thermosetting components are homogeneously distributed over the nonwoven or woven structure, and the thermoplastic matrix binds the layered structure.

Preferred forms of the insulating material are set out in claims 29 to 37.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a plastic insulating material comprising the steps of (a) providing a woven or nonwoven structure; (b) evenly distributing one or more granular components over the surface of the structure resulting in a layered structure, said granular components one or more

BE2018 / 5568 comprise a plurality of thermoplastic polymer components having a glass transition temperature and a melting temperature, and one or more thermosetting polymer components; (c) optionally providing a second structure over the granular components; (d) optionally repeating steps b and c; and (e) heating the layered structure.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms used in the description of the invention, including technical and scientific terms, have the meaning generally understood by those skilled in the art of the invention. For a better assessment of the description of the invention, the following terms are explicitly explained.

One, de and in this document refer to both the singular and the plural unless the context clearly assumes otherwise. For example, a segment means one or more than a segment.

When around or around this document is used with a measurable quantity, a parameter, a duration or moment, and the like, variations of +/- 20% or less, preferably +/- 10% or less, more at preferably +/- 5% or less, even more preferably +/- 1% or less, and even more preferably +/- 0.1% or less than and of the quoted value, insofar as such variations apply in the described invention. However, this should be understood to mean that the value of the quantity by which the term is used approximately or round is itself specifically disclosed.

The terms include, comprising, consisting of, comprising, containing, containing, containing, contents, containing are synonyms and are inclusive or open terms which indicate the presence of what follows, and which do not exclude or prevent the presence of other components, features, elements, members, steps, known from or described in the prior art.

Quoting numerical intervals through the endpoints includes all integers, fractions, and / or real numbers between the endpoints, including these endpoints.

The term granular components covers a wide range of products occurring as a group of loose pieces or particles. Different terms are used depending on the size of these particles and / or the shape in which they occur. Grinding material refers to particles obtained after, for example, a grinding process. According to a more or less decreasing particle size

BE2018 / 5568 used the terms flakes or flakes, granulate, powder and micronisate. Flakes or flakes have a rather irregular shape and can be obtained, inter alia, after a breaking or tearing process, while a granulate mainly consists of particles of a substantially spherical shape. Once the dimensions of the granulate or powder are in the micrometer range, this granulate is also referred to as micronizate. By extension, multiple adhered or bonded particles are referred to by the term agglomerate. Agglomerates are therefore more irregular in shape.

The term melting temperature refers to the minimum temperature required to melt a substance, or to switch from a solid to a liquid form. With some materials, especially polymers and especially thermoplastic polymers, the boundary between solid and liquid form is a gradual transition. The term glass transition temperature in such cases denotes the temperature at which this substance softens or, alternatively, the substance softens. Between the glass transition temperature and the melting temperature, a polymer is still solid, not liquid, or soft and tacky.

The term natural fiber as used herein refers to any continuous filament derived from natural, renewable resources such as plants or animals. The words "fiber" and "fiber" are used interchangeably. Natural fibers can include, but are not limited to, seed fibers such as cotton and kapok; leaf fibers such as sisal and agave; bast or skin fibers such as flax, jute, kenaf, hemp, ramie, rattan, soy fiber, vine fiber, and banana fiber; fruit fibers such as coconut fibers; stem fibers such as wheat straw, rice, barley, bamboo, grass, and tree wood; animal hair fibers such as sheep's wool, goat hair (cashmere, mohair), alpaca hair, horse hair; silk fiber; bird fibers such as feathers.

A first aspect of the present invention involves a method of manufacturing a plastic insulating material comprising the steps of: (a) providing a woven or nonwoven structure; (b) uniformly spreading one or more granular components over the surface of the structure resulting in a layered structure, said granular components comprising one or more thermoplastic polymer components having a glass transition temperature and a melting temperature, and one or more thermosetting polymer components; (c) optionally providing a second

BE2018 / 5568 structure over the granular components; (d) optionally repeating steps b and c; and (e) heating the layered structure. The layered structure is heated to a temperature higher than the average glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic components, thereby obtaining a bond between the granular components and the structure. The bonded granular components are also referred to as a thermoplastic matrix ”.

The method makes it possible to produce an insulating material in a simple, cost-efficient and time-saving manner, whereby a high-quality insulating material is obtained. The insulation material can be adjusted to the intended area of application. Namely, the thermosetting polymer components exert an acoustical and / or thermally insulating function in the resulting material, while the thermoplastic polymer components contained therein ensure binding in the material. The presence of the woven or non-woven structure provides strength and stability of the insulating material. By varying the mutual ratio of these components, a wide variety of insulating materials with different properties can be produced on the same production line. The resulting insulating material also has acoustically and thermally insulating capacities that are particularly high compared to insulating materials as known in the prior art.

An insulating material produced by this method includes thermosetting polymer components which are additionally homogeneously spread. This homogeneous spread of thermosetting components also implies a homogeneous insulation capacity over the entire material.

An additional advantage of the present method concerns the reuse of generally unused lightweight plastic waste such as, inter alia, plastic films, plastic bags, gloves, or the like, and / or combinations thereof. Usually, the use of such lightweight plastic materials requires an additional step of melting and molding in granules or pellets before they can be used to make thermoplastic composites. However, by using the method in accordance with the present invention, the recycling process can be considerably and considerably shortened. While recycling by melting plastics gives rise to a recycled product of inferior quality and reduced strength, the method of the present invention produces a high quality product. Moreover

BE2018 / 5568, the product can be recycled several times, making the product stronger and stronger. The thermosetting polymer components used in the present process can also originate from polymer materials that are difficult to recycle, for example PU (R) foams from construction waste or foam fillings from mattresses and pillows, among other things. By applying the method, these components are also given new life.

A preferred form of the present invention includes the presence of thermosetting components in the insulating material comprised between 30.0 and 80.0 m%. A homogeneous distribution of thermosetting components within this concentration range provides excellent insulating properties to the material. In the low range, mainly thermal insulating properties are expressed, while in the high range, mainly acoustic insulating properties prevail. Thermal insulation mainly requires a more open and / or airier structure, as it is the air layers in the insulation material that make thermal conduction more difficult. A more closed, denser structure mainly gives rise to good acoustic insulation.

According to a further or different embodiment, the thermoplastic components and the structure are each present in a concentration comprised between 10.0 and 40.0 m%. Thermoplastic components are necessary to ensure good bonding of the insulating material. Lower concentrations are used to obtain a more flexible material, while higher concentrations give rise to a more solid and rigid material. Depending on the intended strength of the insulating material, the concentration of structure can be varied.

A distinction is made between an embodiment in which the thermosetting components are present in a concentration between 30.0 and 50.0 m% on the one hand, and an embodiment with 50.0 to 80.0 m% in thermosetting components on the other. In the first case, an insulating material is obtained with excellent thermal insulating properties, an airy and open structure. Preferably, the concentration of thermosetting components in this embodiment is comprised between 30.0 and 40.0 m%, most preferably between 30.0 and 35.0 m%. The second case aims at a firmer, dense and / or rigid structure with mainly acoustically insulating properties. The concentration of thermosetting

The BE2018 / 5568 component is preferably between 60.0 and 80.0 m%, more preferably between 70.0 and 80.0 m%, and most preferably between 75.0 and 80.0 m%.

According to an embodiment of the present method, the thermosetting components originate from materials selected from the group of insulating and / or non-insulating construction, wall or ceiling composite plates, mattresses, polymer foams from construction waste, or combinations thereof. These materials are normally difficult to reuse and / or recycle, although they are very abundant. The present method is therefore an excellent destination for these otherwise unused waste materials.

Furthermore, the above embodiments of the present process are only undemanding to the thermosetting polymer components employed. On the contrary, the use of a wide variety of materials often gives better results towards the thermally and acoustically insulating properties of the resulting insulating material.

The variety of materials that can be used in the present method manifests itself in a specific embodiment, in which mattresses and / or pillows can be used integrally for processing in insulating materials. The mattress filling, which includes, for example, memory foam (visco-elastic polyurethane foam), serves as a thermosetting component, while the mattress cover, or the ticking, provides raw materials for the manufacture of a structure. This may concern both synthetic and natural fibers, such as cotton. A method capable of integrally recycling mattresses according to the present invention offers a solution for a normally difficult to non-recyclable product.

In one embodiment, the layered structure is heated to a maximum of ° C above the average melting temperature of the thermoplastic components. More preferably, a maximum of 5 ° C above the average melting temperature is heated.

In a preferred embodiment, steps b and c can be repeated up to 7, 10 or times before the structure is reinforced by heat.

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The granular components further include lightweight thermoplastic (generally of a lower specific gravity or bulk density than water) such as plastic films, plastic bags, plastic gloves, films, other polymer materials including polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyamide (PA ), polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or the like. Preferably, its melting temperature is less than 200 ° C, or more preferably less than 190 ° C.

According to a further or other embodiment, the layered structure is heated to a temperature lower than the average melting temperature of the thermoplastic components. Where in the conventional recycling process of thermoplastic materials, a heating temperature higher than the average melting temperature is always intended to form pellets, the temperatures used in the present process are considerably lower. After all, according to this method, it is not the melting of the thermoplastic components that is intended, but the adhesion thereof. This provides a flexible insulation material. Such a flexible insulating material is easily foldable, rollable and transportable, and is a valuable semi-finished product that can be divided for subsequent thermoforming. Not only allows the handling of this temperature to process a variety of thermoplastic components simultaneously, the process is also extremely cost efficient. In contrast to higher temperature recycling processes, where polymer melting is contemplated, the process of the present invention maintains the structure and quality of the plastic material, and in addition, the quality of the final product is even improved upon multiple recycling. In addition, potential hazards, such as the release of chlorine from PVC processing, are minimized at these low temperatures.

In one embodiment, the melting temperature of the thermoplastic components is at least 10 ° C higher than its glass transition temperature. A temperature difference of at least 10 ° C allows the method to be carried out efficiently. The larger this temperature difference, the less stringent the requirements imposed on heating temperature are, and the greater the possibilities for the diversity of the thermoplastic components used. Preferably, the melting temperature of the thermoplastic components is at least 20 ° C higher than

BE2018 / 5568 its glass transition temperature, more preferably at least 30 ° C higher, even more preferably at least 40 ° C, most preferably at least 50 ° C higher.

According to a further or other embodiment, the layered structure is heated to a temperature comprised between 90 and 140 ° C for 1 to 15 minutes. Preferably, the temperature is comprised between 100 and 130 ° C.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a plastic panel can be constructed from a thermoplastic composite in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. The thermoplastic composite is constructed, at least in part, from used, recyclable, thermoplastic material. The thermoplastic material generally includes granular components that include one or more lightweight (i.e., having a specific gravity and / or bulk density less than water), thermoplastic materials in the form of regrind, pellets, agglomerate and / or granulate. The diameter of the granular components is, according to an embodiment, included between 3 mm and 25 mm, which range gives optimum properties to the insulating material. The adhesion of the thermoplastic components is optimal within this diameter range and the use of a wide variety of thermoplastic components is possible. The distribution of the granular components over the structure is very uniform. Within this range, properties such as impact strength, swelling, heat resistance, heat retardation, dimensional stability and wear resistance of the resulting insulation material are obtained, which are at least comparable to commonly used insulation materials. Preferably, the diameter is comprised between 3 mm and 15 mm, most preferably between 5 mm and 10 mm.

The granular components, according to an embodiment of the method, comprise micronisate with a diameter comprised between 0.1 and 300 µm. The use of a micronisate makes it possible to apply the method at lower temperatures and shorter heating times, so that the thermoplastic matrix optimally retains its structure and loses minimum strength. For this purpose, the diameter of the micronisate is preferably included between 30 and 300 μm. Granular components with a smaller diameter usually give rise to a final insulating material with a higher strength. Alternatively, especially for forming very thin and strong insulating materials, the micronizate diameter is preferably comprised between 0.1 and 1.5 µm.

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An embodiment of the method comprises granular components with a particle size spread over a wide range, preferably between 0.1 µm and 25 mm. Implementation of such a wide particle size distribution ensures optimal acoustic and thermal insulation capacity of the resulting insulation material.

An embodiment includes the method wherein the granular components are present in the layered structure in a density comprised between 100 and 500 g / m ² per layer. Higher density gives rise to an insulation material that contains more recycled material. This insulation material is usually somewhat heavier and stiffer and has better sound insulation properties. Lower density provides an insulating material that is lighter and more open in texture, resulting in better heat insulation. This material is often a lot more flexible than material in which a high density of granular components is incorporated. Preferably, the density of the granular components in the layered structure is comprised between 200 and 400 g / m2 per layer, most preferably between 250 and 350 g / m2 per layer. With a density within this range, an optimal balance is achieved between the amount of recycled material and the desired properties of the flexible insulating material.

Another or further embodiment describes the spreading of the granular components over the surface of the structure by means of a sprinkler and / or vibrating table, which ensures a homogeneous distribution of granular components and can be applied in a continuous production process. The homogeneous distribution of granular components, and in particular the homogeneous distribution of thermosetting components over the surface of the structure, ensures consistent insulating characteristics of the insulating material.

According to one embodiment, the structure comprises natural fibers and / or synthetic fibers with a glass transition temperature and a melting temperature. Preferably, the glass transition temperature of the fibers is higher than the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic components and the melting temperature of the fibers is higher than its glass transition temperature. This makes it possible to produce a hard insulating material by melting the thermoplastic components, whereby the fibers are only adhered without melting. This considerably increases the strength of the insulating material.

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According to one embodiment, the structure can be manufactured by providing carded, natural fibers and / or synthetic fibers which are oriented randomly. This orientation is achieved by a fabric process, preferably a carding or needle punching process to form a homogeneously mixed fabric structure. Weaving or related textile production processes, or ultrasonic welding can also be used. A structure can also be provided just as well by purchasing a woven or non-woven cloth.

The carding process can be performed, for example, on a Rando machine or Laroche machine, or any other machine as already known in the art. Alternatively, the fabric is performed using any known mechanism such as a carding process, or the like. Carding is a mechanical process that detangles and mixes fibers to form a continuous fabric that is suitable for later processing. By using a carding process, a structure can be produced to a very thin predetermined thickness (up to 16 g / m ² ).

Ultrasonic welding is a technique for fabric manufacturing that does not require a weaving process. This technique may have an advantage in that the spacing between fibers can be variably selected such that flakes on either side of the fabric structure can contact each other, resulting in improved characteristics of the recycled plastic composite.

Once the structure has been formed, the process proceeds to a next step in which the lightweight thermoplastic matrix is uniformly spread, i.e., evenly distributed by uniformly spreading, on the structure. After spreading the thermoplastic matrix, a second structure can be positioned on the thermoplastic matrix, as such, with the lightweight thermoplastic matrix between two fabrics. The last two steps can be repeated a number of times, resulting in layers of spread lightweight thermoplastic matrix between fiber structures, resulting in very high volumes of thermoplastic matrix enclosed in the resulting plastic composite. Then, the layered structure is heated using known mechanisms such as a thermoforming process. The thermoforming process used preferably includes a thermobonding process wherein the structure obtained from the previous step

BE2018 / 5568 is heated by passing it through heated calendar rolls, or by other pressing techniques.

In one embodiment, the structure has a density comprised between 20 and 150 g / m ² per layer. A density of the structure within this range provides improved characteristics to the insulation material, mainly with regard to strength. More preferably, the density is comprised between 50 and 100 g / m2 per layer, even more preferably between 60 and 80 g / m2 per layer. Most preferably, the structure has a density of 70 g / m2 per layer.

In one embodiment, the granular components are obtained by providing one or more polymer materials, and shredding, grinding, comminuting, micronizing, and / or crushing them. This has the advantage that the structural or formal requirements of the polymer material to be recycled are very low. Polymer blends can be used, the form in which they exist is insignificant. The average glass transition and melting temperature of these materials are important. A method according to the present invention may comprise a number of steps for obtaining granular components of thermoplastic and / or thermosetting material to be recycled, however, the sequence of the method steps disclosed below is exemplary for the understanding of the invention to those skilled in the art.

Generally, the collection of thermoplastic and / or thermosetting, granular components to be mixed to form the thermoplastic matrix can be obtained in a ready-to-use configuration from various sources (e.g., external suppliers) that provide the recycled thermoplastic granular components. However, in some embodiments of the present invention, the collection of the thermoplastic granular components is obtained from a collection of thermoplastic material to be recycled.

The thermoplastic material collection generally comprises a low specific gravity and / or low bulk density thermoplastic material which is mixed with high specific gravity and / or high bulk density thermoplastic materials. The collection of received thermoplastic material is sorted based on various factors such as type of material, color of material, or the like, and is then crushed to form regrind including flakes and granules. Standard reduction of plastics to regrind is usually carried out by shredders and pellet machines. This one

BE2018 / 5568 machines have industrial blades that perform rotational cutting to chop the plastic, which is passed through a sieve and then discharged to the next stage in the process. In embodiments of the present invention, the grain machine screen may have a hole diameter that preferably ranges between 3mm and 25mm, or more preferably between 3mm and 15mm, and most preferably between 5mm and 10mm. Reduction of plastics is alternatively done by micronization to a particle diameter between 0.1 and 300 μm.

Thereafter, regrind with higher specific weight and / or higher bulk density is separated from regrind with lower specific weight and / or lower bulk density; preferably by a centrifugal process, or by a flotation technique such as separation in water, whereby the thermoplastic flakes with a density and / or bulk density lower than water are separated from the flakes with a density and / or bulk density higher than water.

In a next step, the regrind with a lower specific weight and / or lower bulk density is processed to separate flakes from grains, for example by wind shifting.

According to an embodiment, the regrind comes from, inter alia, plastic foils, plastic bags, plastic gloves, and all kinds of plastic foil or multilayer plate material with a specific weight and / or bulk density lower than water. The size of these particles is determined by passing through the screen of a pellet machine with a hole diameter that preferably varies between 3 mm and 25 mm, or more preferably between 3 mm and 15 mm, and most preferably between 5 mm and 10 mm. Alternatively, a micronized product with a particle diameter between 0.1 and 300 μm is contemplated. The thermoplastic composite further comprises a core of fibers, generally entangled and bonded in a three-dimensional structure with the thermoplastic matrix.

The thermoplastic materials suitable for use in this invention generally consist of various types of lightweight plastic components derived from the recycled objects such as flexible films and / or plates obtained from commercial labels, and / or bags, and / or containers, and / or casings, preferably for use in the food and / or agricultural sector, preferably made of at least one polyethylene material

BE2018 / 5568 (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), which normally cannot be recycled and are usually landfilled or incinerated for cost, melting / gluing, or contamination problems.

Some other non-limiting examples of suitable thermoplastic materials include a product selected from the following group of resins: acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylic, high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), polyethylene terephthalate ( PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS). Current most readily available recycled plastics are products made from PET and HDPE and include plastic bottles, containers and packaging, plastic lumber, etc., all of which are identified with one of the acceptable recycling symbols including: 'high density white plastic' means holders and packages made of white or translucent plastics such as holders for white detergents, holders for wiper fluid, etc.

Other examples of thermoplastic materials include, the commercial plastic labels applied to containers, boxes, cans, bottles containing foodstuffs, etc .; transparent, semi-transparent and opaque bags containing fresh food and / or long-life food; bags for agricultural products, such as fertilizers, manure, seeds, etc .; transparent, semi-transparent and opaque impermeable tarpaulins; bags for waste, food, products and goods, etc .; thermoplastic packaging of mono and multi-product packaging, etc. and / or any suitable combination thereof.

Optionally, the regrind of plastic materials with higher density and / or higher bulk density than water (e.g. acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC)) is additionally evenly distributed over the structure (s) or can be part of the thermoplastic matrix to be distributed. This can result in a plastic composite with lower brittleness. This type of regrind can represent between 5 and 20 percent by weight, or between 10 and 20 percent by weight, of the total amount of regrind including granular components in the plastic composite.

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The granular components also include thermosetting polymer components, preferably selected from the group of polyurethanes (PU / PUR), polyesters, polyvinyl esters, urea formaldehydes, melamines, or combinations thereof.

An embodiment of the present method comprises a structure comprising fibers selected from the group of glass fibers, polyester fibers, acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene fibers (ABS), polystyrene fibers (PS), nylon fibers, polyamide fibers (PA), natural fibers, metal fibers, or combinations thereof.

Preferably, the natural fibers used in this invention have at least moderate strength and stiffness and good ductility. Fibers with larger diameters are also preferred because they offer greater fiber stiffness. Furthermore, optional glass fibers or natural fibers can also be evenly distributed over the structure. This can result in higher stiffness and / or lower thermal expansion.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the natural fibers include natural raw fibers such as jute, hemp, coconut, flax, sisal, etc. In a more preferred embodiment of the present invention, jute fibers are used as natural fibers. The jute fibers inherit properties such as low density, low abrasive properties, high strength and therefore good dimensional stability.

The fibers with a melting temperature higher than the melting point of the thermoplastic matrix for use in the manufacture of the plastic composite may include thermoplastic fibers having a melting point higher than the melting point of the thermoplastic matrix, and / or glass fibers, and / or metal fibers, and / or a matrix of natural fibers, preferably unraveled, obtained by working entangled natural raw fibers using conventionally available tools such as a bast fiber opening machine, or a ripping machine, or the like.

One embodiment includes the method wherein the structure and granular components are present in a ratio of less than 50:50 by weight. Smaller proportions provide structurally better insulation materials. Preferably

BE2018 / 5568 this ratio is less than 40:60 by weight, and most preferably the ratio is 30:70.

In one embodiment, fibers have a length which is comprised between 50 and 400 mm. Within this range, the method can be carried out efficiently and the addition of the fibers means an added value for the strength and other structural properties of the insulation material. Their length is preferably included between 150 and 350 mm.

An embodiment of the present method includes heating the layered structure by steam heating, steam injection heating, microwave heating, vacuum heating, or combinations thereof.

A further or other embodiment comprises thermoforming one or more insulating materials by pressing, vacuum forming, gluing and / or welding, or combinations thereof. Two or more thermoplastic composites are joined together in this way in a layered structure to form a multilayer thermoplastic composite. Furthermore, each layer of the multilayer thermoplastic composite can be formed from a similar or different thermoplastic material according to the desired application and properties of the thermoplastic composite to be manufactured.

The one or more insulating materials are, according to an embodiment, thermoformed at a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the thermoplastic components. A hard insulation board material is obtained.

The temperature of thermoforming may lie between the glass transition temperature of the fibers and their melting temperature, such that the thermoplastic matrix melts at least partially, and preferably substantially completely, and such that the fibers with a second melting temperature do not melt. The insulating material obtained is hard and moreover reinforced by the presence of the fiber structure, which is still intact, but still adhered.

Alternatively, reinforcement can be performed in a two-step thermoforming process. In a first step, thermoforming is performed at a temperature lower than the melting temperature of the thermoplastic components

BE2018 / 5568 (e.g. between 90 and 120 ° C) but higher than its glass transition temperature, such that the thermoplastic matrix absorbs enough heat energy for softening and adheres or sticks sufficiently for bonding the fibers and thermoplastic matrix, which is partly results in a flexible semi-finished product, eg a flexible mat. In the second step, thermoforming is performed at a temperature between the melting temperature of the thermoplastic components and the glass transition temperature of the fibers to further solidify and form the finished plastic composite. Optionally, a number of flexible mats can be joined to be exposed to the second thermoforming step, resulting in a rigid composite panel, a rigid insulation board, or a higher thickness rigid insulation board.

The melting temperature of the fibers may be at least 10 ° C higher than the melting temperature of the thermoplastic components, or preferably at least 20 ° C higher, more preferably at least 30 ° C higher, and most preferably at least 50 ° C higher. In some embodiments, the melting temperature of the fibers may be at least 210 ° C, preferably at least 220 ° C, more preferably at least 240 ° C, and most preferably at least 260 ° C.

In some embodiments, the thermoforming processing temperature may be between 190 ° C and 250 ° C, preferably between 190 ° C and 230 ° C, more preferably between 190 ° C and 210 ° C, most preferably around 200 ° C. The resulting plastic composite is a rigid composite panel, a rigid insulation board or a rigid insulation board.

The thermoforming processing temperature here lies between the melting temperature of the thermoplastic components and the melting temperature of the fibers, such that the thermoplastic matrix melts at least partially, and preferably substantially completely, and such that the fibers do not melt. In some embodiments, the thermoforming processing temperature may be between 190 ° C and 250 ° C, preferably between 190 ° C and 230 ° C, more preferably between 190 ° C and 210 ° C, most preferably around 200 ° C.

According to a further or other embodiment, the method comprises treating the plastic composite with a finishing material and / or post-treatment to impart selected properties to the composite. For example, one or more surfaces of the thermoplastic composite can be treated with an antimicrobial agent, an antifungal agent, or the like. As an alternative

BE2018 / 5568 and / or additionally, the thermoplastic composite can be treated with finishing materials such as wax, paint or the like.

An embodiment comprises the method in which the resulting plastic insulating material is reused as raw material for a subsequent implementation of the method. The recycling process hereby forms, as it were, an endless loop in which the insulating material does not lose quality when it is repeated several times, but it just gains strength. In this way, the present method makes it possible to recycle and reuse polymeric materials a large number of times. Any residual materials when going through the process can also be reused in a subsequent cycle, so that the process generates virtually no waste.

A second aspect of the present invention relates to an insulating material, which insulating material comprises a woven or non-woven structure, one or more thermosetting components and a thermoplastic matrix. The insulating material has a layered structure, wherein the thermosetting components are homogeneously distributed over the nonwoven or woven structure, and the thermoplastic matrix binds the layered structure. The thermoplastic matrix ensures a good adhesion in the insulating material, while the structure contained therein improves the structural properties. In addition to good thermal and acoustic insulation, the desired properties are good impact strength, low brittleness, low swelling, heat resistance, heat retardation, dimensional stability, wear resistance, at least comparable to products made with new materials. The presence of the thermosetting components in the thermoplastic matrix contributes to an excellent insulating capacity of the material.

Preferably, the insulating material comprises between 10.0 and 40.0 m% of nonwoven or woven structure, between 30.0 and 80.0 m% of thermosetting components, and between 10.0 and 40.0 m% of thermoplastic matrix. Within these ranges a good bond is obtained between the different components, whereby good acoustic and thermal insulation values are obtained.

A distinction is made between an embodiment in which the thermosetting components are present in a concentration between 30.0 and 50.0 m% on the one hand, and an embodiment with 50.0 to 80.0 m% in thermosetting components.

BE2018 / 5568 on the other hand. In the first case, an insulating material is obtained with excellent thermal insulating properties, an airy and open structure. Preferably, the concentration of thermosetting components in this embodiment is comprised between 30.0 and 40.0 m%, most preferably between 30.0 and 35.0 m%. The second case aims at a firmer, dense and / or rigid structure with mainly acoustically insulating properties. The concentration of thermosetting component is preferably between 60.0 and 80.0 m%, more preferably between 70.0 and 80.0 m% and most preferably between 75.0 and 80.0 m%.

A further or other embodiment includes the insulating material, wherein the thermosetting components comprise polymers selected from the group of polyurethanes (PU / PUR), polyesters, polyvinyl esters, urea formaldehydes, melamines, or combinations thereof. These materials are readily available as residual waste from, among others, the construction sector and are extremely suitable for use in insulation materials. The distribution of a variety of components, preferably in a sufficiently wide range of particle size, provides the best results for acoustic and thermal insulation.

A further or other embodiment describes the insulating material wherein the structure comprises fibers selected from the group of glass fibers, polyester fibers, acrylonictrile-butadiene-styrene fibers (ABS), polystyrene fibers (PS), nylon fibers, polyamide fibers (PA), natural fibers, metal fibers, or combinations of them. Fibers contribute to the strength of the insulation material. The thermoplastic matrix, in one embodiment, includes polymers selected from the group of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylic, high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene ( PP) and polystyrene (PS), or combinations thereof. The thermoplastic matrix adheres the various components in the insulation material into a solid, cohesive whole.

An embodiment comprises the insulating material with a thickness comprised between 2 and 15 mm. The insulation material can be used in this range in a wide range of applications. Moreover, thicknesses up to 15 mm remain deformable through a thermoforming process. Preferably, the thickness of the insulating material is comprised between 3 and 12 mm, most preferably between 4 and 10 mm.

BE2018 / 5568

An embodiment comprises an insulating material deformable by means of a thermoforming process and / or a vacuum process. Deformability is an important aspect as forming a non-planar structure broadens the scope of this insulating material.

In an embodiment of the present invention, an insulating sheet can be formed from a multilayer thermoplastic composite. The multilayer composite comprises a first layer of thermoplastic composite attached and / or adhered to an adjacent second layer of thermoplastic composite. In some examples, the layers may be of equal thickness. In some other embodiments, the layers can be of different thickness. In some examples, the first layer and the second layer are both formed from the same thermoplastic materials in the same composition. In some other examples, the first layer and the second layer can be formed using different types of thermoplastic materials, thereby providing different properties to each. Accordingly, by enclosing alternating layers of different materials, the multilayer composite can exhibit desirable properties, such as high chemical, thermal, and mechanical resistance, high strength, or the like.

The thermoplastic composite may further comprise one or more layers of finishing materials applied to an upper and / or lower surface of one or more separate layers of the thermoplastic composite. In an embodiment of the present invention, the finishing material comprises one or more antimicrobial coatings of material such as antibacterial, antifungal, or the like. In another embodiment, the finishing material may include washing solutions, paint, or the like.

The present invention is mainly useful for various applications such as thermal and / or acoustic insulation of floors, walls, roofs, ceilings, etc., or for applications where properties such as impact strength, limited swelling, heat resistance, heat retardation, dimensional stability, wear resistance, etc. are important. to be. According to the present invention, said properties are at least comparable to conventional plastic insulating plates, mats or panels. In addition, by spreading recycled thermoplastic and thermosetting matrices over thin fiber fabrics, very large volumes of recycled

BE2018 / 5568 thermoplastic and thermosetting matrices are enclosed in the resulting plastic composite.

Previous embodiments of the insulating material are preferably manufactured by a method according to the first aspect of the present invention.

In what follows, the invention is described by means of non-limiting examples or figures illustrating the invention, which are not intended or should be interpreted to limit the scope of the invention.

BE2018 / 5568

EXAMPLES

Example: Insulation material suitable for acoustic damping of floors

The example concerns an insulating plate according to the present invention with excellent acoustic insulating properties. Among other things, they are suitable for acoustic insulation under floating floors.

Various tests regarding the dynamic stiffness of the board, as well as resonance frequency and acoustic damping, show that the board performs above average compared to insulation boards available on the market today. In this way a damping value is obtained which is between 38 and 44 dB. Attenuation of existing, commonly used, insulation boards is currently limited to 20 to 25 dB. Insulation boards according to the present invention are therefore a very big step forward in the prior art.

The tests performed also show an inverse proportional correlation between the dynamic stiffness of the insulation board and the damping value. For instance, plates with a higher dynamic stiffness (up to 11 MN / m ^3), the lowest dynamic damping, namely 38 dB, whereas lower dynamic stiffness (up to 5 MN / m 3) corresponds to a higher attenuation value, viz. 44 dB. The resonant frequency appears to be more or less directly proportional to the dynamic stiffness. For example, a resonance frequency of 26 Hz corresponds to a dynamic stiffness of 5 MN / m3, while a resonance frequency of 37 Hz corresponds to a dynamic stiffness of 11 MN / m3.

Claims (37)

A method of manufacturing a plastic insulating material comprising the steps of: a. Providing a woven or non-woven structure; b. uniformly distributing one or more granular components across the surface of the structure resulting in a layered structure, said granular components comprising one or more thermoplastic polymer components having a glass transition temperature and a melting temperature, and one or more thermosetting polymer components; c. optionally providing a second structure over the granular components; d. optionally repeating steps b and c; and e. heating the layered structure; characterized in that the layered structure is heated to a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic components, the layered structure being bound in a thermoplastic matrix. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the thermosetting components are present in a concentration comprised between 30.0 and 80.0 m%. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the structure and the thermoplastic components are each present in concentrations which are comprised between 10.0 and 40.0 m%. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 1-3, characterized in that the thermosetting components are present in a concentration comprised between 30.0 and 50.0 m%, with the formation of a thermal insulation material. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 1-3, characterized in that the thermosetting components are present in a concentration comprised between 50.0 and 80.0 m%, with the formation of an acoustic insulation material. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 1-5, characterized in that the thermosetting components are derived from materials selected from the group of insulating and / or non-insulating construction, wall and / or ceiling composite plates, mattresses, polymer foams, or combinations thereof. 25 BE2018 / 5568 A method according to any one of the preceding claims 1-6, characterized in that the layered structure is heated to a temperature which is lower than the average melting temperature of the thermoplastic components. A method according to any one of the preceding claims 1-7, characterized in that the melting temperature of the thermoplastic components is at least 10 ° C higher than their glass transition temperature. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 1-8, characterized in that the layered structure is heated to a temperature which is comprised between 90 and 140 ° C for 1 to 15 minutes. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 1-9, characterized in that the granular components comprise regrind, flakes, granulate and / or agglomerate with a diameter between 3 and 25 mm. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 1-10, characterized in that the granular components comprise micronizate with a diameter included between 0.1 and 300 µm. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 1-11, characterized in that the granular components are present in the layered structure in a density which is comprised between 100 and 500 g / m ² per layer. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 1-12, characterized in that the granular components are spread evenly over the surface of the structure by means of a sprinkler and / or vibrating table. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 1-13, characterized in that the structure comprises natural fibers and / or synthetic fibers with a glass transition temperature and a melting temperature. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 1-14, characterized in that the structure is manufactured by providing carded, natural fibers and / or synthetic fibers which are oriented randomly. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 1-15, characterized in that the structure has a density which is comprised between 20 and 150 g / m2 per layer. A method according to any one of the preceding claims 1-16, characterized in that the granular components are obtained by providing one or more polymer materials and shredding, grinding, comminuting, micronizing and / or crushing them. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 1-17, characterized in that the thermoplastic components originate from materials selected 26 BE2018 / 5568 from the group of plastic films, plastic bags, single or multilayer plastic sheet materials, or combinations thereof. A method according to any one of the preceding claims 1-18, characterized in that the structure comprises fibers selected from the group of glass fibers, polyester fibers, ABS fibers, polystyrene fibers, nylon fibers, PA fibers, natural fibers, metal fibers, or combinations thereof . A method according to any one of the preceding claims 1-19, characterized in that the structure and the granular components are present in a ratio of less than 50:50 by weight. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 9-20, characterized in that the fibers have a length which is comprised between 50 and 400 mm. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 1-21, characterized in that the heating of the layered structure takes place by steam heating, steam injection heating, microwave heating, vacuum heating, or combinations thereof. A method according to any one of the preceding claims 1-22, characterized in that one or more insulating materials are subsequently thermally formed by pressing, vacuum forming, gluing and / or welding, to form an insulating plate. A method according to any one of the preceding claims 3-23, characterized in that the insulating materials are thermally formed at a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the thermoplastic components. A method according to any one of the preceding claims 3-24, characterized in that the insulating materials are thermally formed at a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature of the fibers and lower than their melting temperature. A method according to any one of the preceding claims 23-25, characterized in that the insulating plate is subsequently provided with one or more finishing layers. 27. A method according to any one of the preceding claims 1-26, characterized in that the resulting plastic insulating material is reused as raw material for a subsequent implementation of the method. An insulating material, comprising a non-woven or woven structure, one or more thermosetting components and a thermoplastic matrix, characterized in that the insulating material has a layered structure, the thermosetting components being homogeneously distributed over BE2018 / 5568 the nonwoven or woven structure, and wherein the thermoplastic matrix binds the layered structure. Insulation material according to claim 28, characterized in that the insulation material is between 10.0 and 40.0 m% of non-woven or woven structure, between 30.0 and 80.0 m% of thermosetting components, and between 10, 0 and 40.0 m% of thermoplastic matrix. Insulation material according to claim 28 or 29, characterized in that the insulation material comprises between 30.0 and 50.0 m% of thermosetting components. Insulation material according to claim 28 or 29, characterized in that the insulation material comprises between 50.0 and 80.0 of thermosetting components. Insulation material according to any one of claims 28 to 31, characterized in that the thermosetting components comprise polymers selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes (PU / PUR), polyesters, polyvinyl esters, urea formaldehydes, melamines, or combinations thereof. Insulation material according to any one of the preceding claims 28-32, characterized in that the structure comprises fibers selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, polyester fibers, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene fibers (ABS), polystyrene fibers (PS), nylon fibers, polyamide fibers (PA) , natural fibers, metal fibers, or combinations thereof. Insulation material according to any one of claims 28 to 33, characterized in that the thermoplastic matrix comprises polymers selected from the group consisting of ABS, acrylic, high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET ), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS), or combinations thereof. Insulating material according to any one of the preceding claims 28-34, characterized in that the insulating material has a thickness which is comprised between 2 and 15 mm. Insulation material according to any one of the preceding claims 28-35, characterized in that the insulation material is deformable by means of a thermoforming process and / or a vacuum process. Insulation material according to claims 28-36, manufactured by a method according to any one of claims 1-27.