Foam composites and methods of preparation thereof are discussed. For example, the foam composite may include a polymeric material and a particulate filler, wherein the compressive strength of the foam composite is equal to or greater than 20 psi, the density is 4 pcf to 40 pcf, and wherein the thermal conductivity is equal to or less than 0.050 W/m K. the particulate filler may include fly ash, e.g., in an amount of about of 45% to about 75% by weight with respect to the total weight of the foam composite. The foam composite may be prepared from a mixture of a polyol, an isocyanate, the particulate filler, and a liquid blowing agent having a boiling point equal to or greater than 25° C. or 30° C.

Foam composites and methods of preparation thereof are discussed. For example, the foam composite may include a polymeric material and a particulate filler, wherein the compressive strength of the foam composite is equal to or greater than 20 psi, the density is 4 pcf to 40 pcf, and wherein the thermal conductivity is equal to or less than 0.050 W/m K. the particulate filler may include fly ash, e.g., in an amount of about of 45% to about 75% by weight with respect to the total weight of the foam composite. The foam composite may be prepared from a mixture of a polyol, an isocyanate, the particulate filler, and a liquid blowing agent having a boiling point equal to or greater than 25° C. or 30° C.

The present invention provides methods for preparing the nut waste composites from a nut waste component, one or more binders, and an oil using a compounder/extruder.

The present disclosure provides for articles formed of a filled polymeric resin material. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to polymeric resin materials that include a filler that includes of a mixture of cured rubber granules, foam granules, and/or textile fibers. The filler can be suspended in and/or encapsulated by the polymeric resin material. The polymeric resin material, the filler, or both can include waste or scrap material from manufacturing or from ground post-consumer waste.

A method of valuation of raw fines materials, comprising selectively screening, biotreatment or composting of raw fines materials or selection as fillers in composites. The method comprises screening the raw fines materials to Grade 1 comprising fines materials of a size of at most about 5 mm and Grade 2 comprising fines materials of a size larger than about 5 mm; and at least one of: A) bio-oxydating organic contaminants of the Grade 1; by adding and mixing organic amendment under controlled temperature, nutrients content and water content conditions and monitoring a content of organic contaminants until the content of organic contaminants stops decreasing; and B) composting the Grade 1; by adding and mixing organic amendment under controlled temperature, nutrients content and water content conditions, and monitoring pathogens content and respiration rate; and stopping the addition of organic amendment upon detection of absence of pathogens at a predetermined respiration rate.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for processing waste egg shells into (i) a first product including calcified egg shell particles having diameters of 3μ or less, and (ii) a second product including calcified egg shell particles having diameters in a range from about 3μ to about 7μ. The first product may be used as a CaCO.sub.3 substitute for paint compositions and plastics compositions. The second product may be used as a CaCO.sub.3 blasting media substitute for use with abrasive blasting equipment.

A process for producing hydrophobic and reactive, inorganic and/or organic fillers, including the steps of: (a) providing a filler having a defined surface area, (b) mixing the filler with the solution of at least one hydrophobizing and activating, biologically based reactive compound in a mixing assembly in an amount of 0.15×10-2 to 5.0×10-2 g per m2 filler surface area at a speed of 20 rpm to 200 rpm for 12 minutes to 120 minutes, (c) evacuating the hydrophobized and activated, inorganic and/or organic filler in a storage bag, a box or a drum, or directly in the casting compound.

A process for producing hydrophobic and reactive, inorganic and/or organic fillers, including the steps of: (a) providing a filler having a defined surface area, (b) mixing the filler with the solution of at least one hydrophobizing and activating, biologically based reactive compound in a mixing assembly in an amount of 0.15×10-2 to 5.0×10-2 g per m2 filler surface area at a speed of 20 rpm to 200 rpm for 12 minutes to 120 minutes, (c) evacuating the hydrophobized and activated, inorganic and/or organic filler in a storage bag, a box or a drum, or directly in the casting compound.

The disclosed embodiments describe a novel approach to the utilization of the fine mineral matter derived from coal and/or coal refuse (a by-product of coal refining) to convert a non-biodegradable plastic into a biodegradable plastic. The fine mineral matter could also be based on volcanic basalt, glacial rock dust deposits, iron potassium silicate and other sea shore mined deposits. The conversion of the non-biodegradable plastic into biodegradable plastic in soil further increases nutrients availability in soil with the transition metals released as a result of biodegradation of the biodegradable plastic.

There is provided a curable resin composition capable of obtaining a resin molded body that is excellent in wear resistance and has a high flexural modulus. The curable resin composition according to the present invention contains a polyol compound, an isocyanate compound, a long reinforcing fiber, and a filler, in which the specific gravity of the filler is less than 4 and the average circularity of the filler is 0.65 or more.