A method for producing thermoplastic elastomer is disclosed and comprises the step of: blending a mixture including particles of vulcanized rubber material and a molten thermoplastic material such that the rubber material is subjected to mechanical shearing forces and the surfaces of the rubber particles undergo homolytic bond scission to form chains of free radicals which cross-link with the thermoplastic material. Apparatus for carrying out the method, elastomers produced by the method and articles produced from the elastomers are also disclosed.

A method for obtaining mechanically recoverable recycled material from multilayer PET (polyethylene terephthalate) containers of post-consumer and/or post-industrial origin involves cleaning the containers, crushing them into pieces, mixing the pieces with a compatibilizing mixture and melting the mixed product to obtain a continuous filament. The compatibilising mixture is formed by at least: 10-45% thermoplastic polyolefin matrix; a reagent of plant origin in a percentage of less than 7.5% of the total mixture; and a rosin-based tackifier in a percentage of less than 7.5% of the total mixture.

A matte polyester film and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The method for manufacturing the matte polyester film includes: providing a recycled polyester material; physically regenerating a part of the recycled polyester material to form physically regenerated polyester chips having a first intrinsic viscosity; chemically regenerating another part of the recycled polyester material to form chemically regenerated polyester chips having a second intrinsic viscosity less than the first intrinsic viscosity; mixing matte regenerated polyester chips, the physically regenerated polyester chips, and the chemically regenerated polyester chips according to a predetermined intrinsic viscosity so as to form a polyester masterbatch material; melting and then extruding the polyester masterbatch material to obtain the matte polyester film having the predetermined intrinsic viscosity.

A thermoset composite material and composite railroad crosstie fabricated from the thermoset composite material that comprises a substantially homogeneous blend of an amount of vulcanized rubber particles, polyurea binding agent and urea melamine. The thermoset composite material may also contain a granulated silica material. The thermoset composite material may comprise about 30% to about 50% by weight of the vulcanized rubber particles, and it is subjected to compression molding at a predetermined temperature and pressure for a resident time period forming the composite railroad crosstie. The thermoset composite material and railroad crosstie may further comprise a fibrous glass material in the form of unbundled fibers and/or one more glass mats encapsulated within the thermoset composite material. In addition or alternatively, an elongated core insert may be encapsulated in the thermoset composite material.

A method is disclosed for recycling broad goods material into a flaked feed material. The broad goods material includes reinforcement fibers and thermoplastic material. The recycling method includes applying heat and pressure to impregnate the reinforcement fibers at a filament level with the thermoplastic material to form an impregnated fiber material. The method also includes cooling the impregnated fiber material, and cutting the cooled impregnated fiber material into flakes to produce the flaked feed material.

A method for continuous recycling of scraps of fiber and cloth that are based on thermoplastic materials in which when viewed in an extrusion direction, an extrusion apparatus is first supplied with the scrap composed of fibers and cloth and is then supplied with an additional fraction composed of thermoplastic polymers and additives, the supplied scrap and the additional fraction are mixed with each other in the extrusion apparatus, degassed, and then extruded together out of the extrusion apparatus forming an extrudate in which the scrap is embedded into the thermoplastic polymer of the additional fraction while at least partially retaining its fiber structure, with the mixing, degassing, and extruding of the scrap and the additional fraction being carried out at temperatures that lie below the softening temperature of at least one of the thermoplastic materials of the scrap.

A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament which, in various embodiments, comprises: (A) grinding recycled PET bottles into a group of flakes; (B) washing the flakes; (C) identifying and removing impurities, including impure flakes, from the group of flakes; (D) adding one or more color concentrates to the flakes; (E) passing the group of flakes through an MRS extruder while maintaining the pressure within the MRS portion of the MRS extruder below about 25 millibars; (F) passing the resulting polymer melt through at least one filter having a micron rating of less than about 50 microns; and (G) forming the recycled polymer into bulked continuous carpet filament that consists essentially of recycled PET.

A thermoset composite material that my used in the fabrication of structural components including railroad ties comprise a substantially homogeneous blend of an amount of vulcanized rubber particles including a predetermined ratio of different particles sizes, and a thermoset elastomeric binding agent added to the vulcanized rubber particles. The blend may comprise about 30% to about 97% by weight of the vulcanized rubber particles, and the blend is subjected to compression molding at a predetermined temperature and pressure for a resident time period forming the composite material. The ratio of different rubber particle sizes is selected so that the composite material has a desired density or is within a range of desired densities.

A method is disclosed for recycling broad goods material into a flaked feed material. The broad goods material includes reinforcement fibers and thermoplastic material. The recycling method includes applying heat and pressure to impregnate the reinforcement fibers at a filament level with the thermoplastic material to form an impregnated fiber material. The method also includes cooling the impregnated fiber material, and cutting the cooled impregnated fiber material into flakes to produce the flaked feed material.

A process for devulcanizing EPDM rubber comprising the step of introducing sulfur-cured EPDM to an extruder, introducing from about 0.5 to about 20 wt % scavenging agent, based upon the total weight of the EPDM and scavenging agent, and mixing and masticating the EPDM at a temperature sufficient to at least partially devulcanize the sulfur-cured EPDM.