MOLDABLE COMPOSITE MATERIAL

Abstract

A moldable composite material for use in the production of models and objects across numerous industries, the cured state of the composite material having various other applications, and a method of manufacture thereof. The composite material is self-adhering, substantially self-curing, and easily recyclable for reclamation of reuse. Certain embodiments may also be applied for use in 3D printing.

Claims

1. A moldable composite material comprising: an adhesive agent; a molding agent; and a solvent wherein said adhesive agent, said molding agent, and said solvent are combined to form a substantially homogeneous mixture.

2. The composite material of claim 1 wherein said adhesive agent comprises a polymer binding element to facilitate adhesion to polymers.

3. The composite material of claim 1 wherein said adhesive agent is a wood filler.

4. The composite material of claim 3 wherein said molding agent is an air-dry clay.

5. The composite material of claim 4 wherein said solvent is water.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram depicting stages of creating, using, and reclaiming composite material of one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0016] This description, with references to the figures, presents non-limiting examples of embodiments of the present invention.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, a moldable composite building material comprises an adhesive agent, a molding agent, and a solvent. The adhesive agent, molding agent, and solvent are combined until the three constituents form a homogeneous mixture. These three constituents may be combined manually, mechanically, or through any other means devised that will result in a homogeneous mixture. During the combination process, it may initially appear that the constituents are not becoming sufficiently integrated, however, continued mixing will ultimately lead to the desired homogeneous mixture.

[0018] Although a homogeneous mixture can be achieved through direct manual mixing, use of some mechanical apparatus (such as an auger, blender, grinder, or any device capable of effecting a blending or kneading action) is recommended for production of larger quantities. To expedite the mixing process, the constituent components can be alternated over time as they are fed into the mixture. When all quantities of constituents are present in the mixture, the mixture itself can be fed through a mechanical apparatus as many times as needed or be otherwise left to continue processing in the mechanical apparatus until homogeneity is reached.

[0019] In certain embodiments, the adhesive agent comprises a polymer element and at least one bonding element. Such an adhesive agent may be a commercially available wood filler (for example, those produced by Elmer's or Zar) and that contains wood-based cellulose fibers as a polymer element. The at least one bonding element can be any binders or adhesion promoters known in the art for use in such wood fillers to facilitate bonding of said wood fillers to wood. In these embodiments, the molding agent (alternatively referred to as a filler or filling agent) comprises an inorganic element. Such molding elements may be a commercially available air-dry clay (for example, those produced by Crayola, and Padico) having an inorganic mineral element. This inorganic mineral element is preferably of a similar composition to inorganic elements present in the adhesive agent. This molding/filling agent serves, in part, to provide additional texture and body to the composite material for more comfortable use. In this embodiment, the solvent may be water.

[0020] The combination of a wood filler (or a dough or putty) with an air-dry clay and water is effective in ensuring the adherence of the resulting composite material to polymers including cellulose-based polymers. By utilizing a clay having a composition of inorganic materials similar to those of the selected wood filler, the wood filler's capacity to facilitate polymer adhesion is not interfered with while the overall texture and usability of the composite material is improved. Furthermore, the resulting composite material benefits from minimized shrinking when cured.

[0021] The composite material is ready to use once mixed and can be stored in a closed container for later use without a need for mixing immediately prior to use. The composite material further displays an ability to self-cure over time (as discussed previously and similar to traditional plasters and concrete) without reliance any additional external processing. As some moisture begins to leave the composite material, the chemical bonds between the adhesive and molding agents become stronger and more stable as a matrix of crystalline-like structures form. In a cured state, the composite material proves to be smooth and durable to an extent which exceeds that of the individual constituents. Additionally, the cured composite material is capable of having additional composite material adhered to it. Furthermore, the cured composite material can be destroyed or ground down (either manually or mechanically) and, through inclusion of additional solvent, caused to enter a state substantially similar to that when first created through homogeneous combination of the constituents thereby allowing for subsequent reconstitution and curing. This process of reclaiming the composite material will generally require introduction of, and prolonged contact with, additional solvent (oftentimes soaking the target composite material in water) until the composite material is again soft and malleable at which point further mixing and/or kneading may also be required. The various stages of the composite material, and transitions therebetween, can be seen in FIG. 1.

[0022] These self-adhering and self-curing capabilities improve drastically over the prior art which has traditionally relied on tedious pre-modeling preparation of numerous materials and external processes to achieve the same. The ability to reuse or otherwise recycle the subject composite material also affords tremendous savings to energy, materials, and time. In terms of the curing process and the effectiveness thereof, it is likely that some interaction between polyvinyl alcohols and borate catalysts is, in part, the cause along with interactions with elements of the adhesive agent.

[0023] In certain embodiments, the composite material is composed (by volume) of 24% adhesive agent, 70% molding agent, and 6% solvent. While additional additives or processing may be incorporating during production or after cure to modify various properties of the composite material, these are entirely optional and may be implemented on as needed basis per the specific requirements of a particular application as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. In a wet, or raw, state, the composite material is the homogeneous mixture as described above with respect to a more general embodiment. The composite material is ready for use in this state as it is wet-stable. The composite material is non-toxic, non-hazardous, gluten-free, and does not require application or use in any specific orientation as it is stable enough to withstand the effects of gravity or possible lack thereof. The composite material of this embodiment is suitable for general modeling purposes having an exceptional malleability which allows for the capture or maintaining of intricate detail in modeled objects and a pleasant texture during handling.

[0024] This composite material may be used to modify, coat, or repair articles or objects composed of any substance to which the composite material adheres (including the composite material itself in its cured state).

[0025] As indicated previously, to reach a cured state, composite material in a wet, or raw, state should be exposed to ambient air, or components of air, for a period of time that depends, in part, on the thickness of the application of the composite material, the moisture content of the composite material, and the conditions of the ambient air or atmosphere (such as relative humidity and temperature). In cases where the thickness of the application is less than inch, and the ambient conditions are sufficient to allow for the natural evaporation of water or liquid from the composite material, a cured state will typically be reached within 1 to 24 hours.

[0026] In its cured state, the composite material is durable, sturdy, and capable of various uses as previously described. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, the resultant cured material is porous. Improving over the prior art, the cured material of the present invention may be combined with a wider array of simpler finishing materials and techniques relative to many plastics presently used in modelling.

[0027] In yet other embodiments, the composite material is composed (by volume) of 23% adhesive agent, 76% molding agent, and 1% solvent. The composite material of this embodiment presents as a more elastic substance when in a wet, or raw, state as compared to previously described embodiments. In one particular embodiment, an alternative method of measurement was used wherein an 8.1-ounce amount of composite material was comprised of 4.0 oz. of adhesive agent, 4.0 oz. of molding agent, and 0.1 oz. of solvent. For production of this embodiment, and when dealing with amounts of this size, manual mixing is sufficient. Techniques similar to taffy-pulling in which portions of adhesive agent and molding agent are repeatedly combined, folded, twisted a few times, and pulled to a length between hands (with solvent periodically added) is effective.

[0028] Although the invention has been explained in relation to various embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.