Process for Manufacturing Components from Reclaimed Textile Fabric Products

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for producing particle/polymer composites using a substrate S comprising shredded textile fabric products and a polymeric binder P, therewith providing a new method of recycling/upcycling textile waste. Furthermore, a process for the manufacturing of a molded article obtained from the textile-based particle/polymer composite and the use thereof are disclosed.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16: A process of manufacturing a textile-based particle/polymer composite comprising: (i) introducing a particulate substrate S into a gas stream, (ii) contacting a particulate substrate S with a dispersion, solution or liquid of a polymeric binder P in the gas stream, (iii) drying the particulate substrate S and the polymeric binder P in the gas stream and depositing the same, then (iv) forming a layer, a floor or a molded shape from the binder-contacted substrate, and (v) densifying the binder-contacted substrate at a temperature to form the textile-based particle/polymer composite, wherein (a) the substrate S comprises shredded textile products; and (b1) the polymeric binder P is thermoplastic and has a glass transition temperature [Tg.sup.P]≥−20° C. measured according to DIN EN ISO 11357-2 (2013 September), or (b2) the polymeric binder P is duroplastic.

17: The process of claim 16, wherein additionally at least one of (a) a substrate S.sub.P, comprising shredded polymer-glued or polymer-coated paper products, and/or (b) a substrate S.sub.B, comprising shredded biomaterials, bamboo, miscanthus or wood particles, is introduced into the gas stream of step (i) and contacted with the polymeric binder P in step (ii).

18: The process of claim 16, wherein the substrate S is obtained by shredding, cutting, chopping, milling, or crushing textile products.

19: The process of claim 16, wherein the textile products are natural or synthetic fibers or textile materials selected from the group consisting of cotton, denim, textile waste; or textile scraps from the manufacturing process of clothes; or wool, silk, jute fibers, hemp fibers, kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) fibers, velvet, taffeta; or fibers derived from leather, cellulose staple fibers, polyamides, polyester, polyolefins, polyurethanes, nylon, acrylics, and aramids.

20: The process of claim 17, wherein the substrate S.sub.B comprises wood particles selected from salvage timber, sawdust, wood scraps, wood fibers, wood shavings, wood flour, wood chips, post-industrial wood waste, post-consumer wood waste, bamboo, miscanthus chips, and/or wherein the substrate S.sub.P comprises polymer-coated paper products, selected from the group consisting of take-away cups, dishes, bowls, bags, beverage cartons or packages.

21: The process of claim 16, wherein the polymeric binder P is a thermoplastic polymer having a glass transition temperature [Tg.sup.P]≥20° C.

22: The process of claim 16, wherein the weight ratio of substrate S to polymeric binder P is within the range of at least 2 to no greater than 50.

23: The process of claim 16, wherein the textile-based particle/polymer composite is sheet-like and has a basis weight within the range of at least 500 to no greater than 30,000 g/m.sup.2.

24: The process of claim 16, wherein the densification in step (v) causes the density of the obtained particle/polymer composite to increase by a factor up to 20 compared to the binder-contacted substrate of step (iv).

25: The process of claim 16, wherein the densification in step (v) leads to a particle/polymer composite density within the range of 0.30 to 0.98 g/cm.sup.3.

26: A particle/polymer composite obtained by the process of claim 16.

27: A particle/polymer composite obtained by the process of claim 21.

28: A particle/polymer composite obtained by the process of claim 22.

29: The process of claim 16, wherein the polymeric binder P is a thermoplastic polymer, wherein the process further comprises a step of forming a molded article by heating the obtained thermoformable and/or embossable textile-based particle/polymer composite according to step (v) to a temperature ≥Tg.sup.P, bringing the heated composite into the desired shape and/or surface structure to obtain a shaped and/or surface-structured textile-based particle/polymer molding, which is then cooled to a temperature <Tg.sup.P while retaining the formed shape and/or surface structure.

30: The process of claim 21, wherein the polymeric binder P is a thermoplastic polymer, wherein the process further comprises a step of forming a molded article by heating the obtained thermoformable and/or embossable textile-based particle/polymer composite according to step (v) to a temperature ≥Tg.sup.P, bringing the heated composite into the desired shape and/or surface structure to obtain a shaped and/or surface-structured textile-based particle/polymer molding, which is then cooled to a temperature <Tg.sup.P while retaining the formed shape and/or surface structure.

31: The process of claim 22, wherein the polymeric binder P is a thermoplastic polymer, wherein the process further comprises a step of forming a molded article by heating the obtained thermoformable and/or embossable textile-based particle/polymer composite according to step (v) to a temperature ≥Tg.sup.P, bringing the heated composite into the desired shape and/or surface structure to obtain a shaped and/or surface-structured textile-based particle/polymer molding, which is then cooled to a temperature <Tg.sup.P while retaining the formed shape and/or surface structure.

33: The process of claim 16, wherein the polymeric binder P is a thermoplastic polymer, further comprising a step of forming a molded article by heating the obtained thermoformable and/or embossable textile-based particle/polymer composite according to step (v) to a temperature ≥Tg.sup.P, bringing the heated composite into the desired shape and/or surface structure together with a support structure and/or a protective layer made of HPL, CPL, melamine resin overlay or other usual wear/protective layers from wood-based materials industry to obtain a shaped and/or surface-structured textile-based particle/polymer molding with wear and/or protective layers which is then cooled to a temperature <Tg.sup.P while maintaining its shape and/or surface structure.

34: A molded article obtained by the process of claim 32.

35: An article selected from the group consisting of architectural structures, wall panels, room dividers, floors, counters or furniture, wherein the article comprises the molded article of claim 16.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0149] FIGS. 1 to 3 show exemplary embodiments of molded articles according to the invention laminate structures for articles molded bodies according to the invention made with the textile-based particle/polymer composite of the invention.

EXAMPLES

[0150] The tests were carried out with a 12 inch refiner from Antriz and a Blowline connected to it. The refiner was operated at 130-140° C. and an internal pressure of 3-4 bar (gauge pressure). The distance between the two grinding plates was 1.0 mm, and one of the grinding plates was operated at 3000 rpm. The Blowline (steel pipe) connected to the refiner via a flange had an inner diameter of 3 cm and a pipe length of 30 m. The aqueous dispersion of the polymer P (binders) were then injected into the Blowline at 2 bar (overpressure) via a 0.2 mm nozzle mounted on the Blowline at a distance of 50 cm from the refiner outlet/Blowline inlet. At the end of the Blowline a cyclone separator was located through which the particulate substrates S contacted with the polymer P (i.e. the polymer-contacted substrate/binder-contacted substrate) were dried and cooled to a temperature of approx. 80° C. and separated into an open container.

[0151] Shredded cotton particles (RC, reclaimed cotton) were pretreated with 130-140° C. hot water/steam at 3-4 bar overpressure in the digester and used for the tests, and the mass flow rate of the pretreated shredded cotton particles (RC, reclaimed cotton) into the refiner (or into the Blowline) was set at 30 kg per hour.

[0152] Shredded polymer-glued or polymer-coated waste paper products (RP, reclaimed paper) were pretreated with 130-140° C. hot water/steam at 3-4 bar overpressure in the digester and used for the tests, and the mass flow rate of the pretreated shredded waste paper (particulated polymer-glued/polymer-coated paper) into the refiner (or into the Blowline) was set at 30 kg per hour.

[0153] Shredded biomaterial fibers (WO, spruce) were pretreated were pretreated with 130-140° C. hot water/steam at 3-4 bar overpressure in the digester and used for the tests, and the mass flow rate of the pretreated shredded biomaterial fibers (WO, spruce) into the refiner (or into the Blowline) was set at 30 kg per hour.

[0154] The dispersion acForm® 2889 (BASF) (modified polyacrylates), UF resin Kaurit® (1-component Urea Formaldehyde resin) and pMDI (polymeric diphenylmethanediisocyanate) were used as binder, as shown in the table “Fiber-Binder-Matrix” below. The binder was injected into the Blowline by means of an eccentric screw pump at a pressure of 2 bar (overpressure) via the 0.2 mm nozzle(s), the mass flows being adjusted to 5.3 kg binder (calculated as solid) and 10.6 kg (as 50% solids dispersion) per hour. The test was carried out for 1 hour in continuous steady state, during which time the shredded particles were contacted (sprayed) with the binder and collected in an open container. Textile particles, paper particles and wood particles were each treated and processed separately in the same way and collected separately.

[0155] The Particle/Fiber-Binder ratio is set between 85-90% particles/fibers and 10-15% binder for acForm® and UF-resin, for the PMDI a ratio set to 95% particles/fibers and 5% binder was used.

[0156] After passing the Blowline process the glued particles/fibers (particle/polymer mixtures) were each collected separately. The residual moisture of the glued and dried particles/fibers was adjusted to 8-10%. The further processing of the particles/fibers coated with the reactive duroplastic binder (UF- and pMDI resin) followed immediately due to low storage capabilities of such systems. The further processing of the samples with the thermoplastic binder is not time-critical due to long storage stability of the binder.

[0157] According to the following Matrix, 7 different examples were prepared and tested.

TABLE-US-00001 Particle/Fiber-Binder-Matrix of Mixtures used for preparing sample boards RC* RC* RP* WO* WO* Particle/Fiber- acForm ® Kaurit ® acForm ® acForm ® Kaurit ® Binder 2889 XYZ RC* pMDI 2889 2889 xyz Mixture 1 100% Mixture 2 100% Mixture 3 100% Mixture 4  50% 50% Mixture 5  50% 50% Mixture 6  50% 50% Mixture 7  34% 33% 33% RC = reclaimed cotton (corresponding to substrate S.sub.T) RP = reclaimed glued paper (corresponding to substrate S.sub.P) WO = wood (spruce) (corresponding to substrate S.sub.B)

[0158] The glued particles/fibers were mixed (blended) in a separate step in a blender.

Board Preparation:

[0159] The mixed (blended) glued fibers for the sample boards No. 1-7 were evenly scattered into a frame box of 22×22×30 cm (L/W/H), pre-compressed and then compressed at 180° C. to the required thickness of 4 mm. The Press-Time-Factor used was 15 sec./mm resulting in a press time of 60 sec. The target density for the board was 0.95 g/m.sup.3.

[0160] The details of the process were as follows:

[0161] A 22×22 cm wooden plate was placed horizontally on top of the obtained layer or floor of the shredded and polymer (binder)-contacted particles in the wooden frame and pre-compacted with a central stamp. The pre-compacted layer or floor of the shredded and polymer (binder)-contacted particles thus obtained was then removed from the wooden frame, covered on both square surfaces with a release paper and compacted to the target thickness/density between two 3 mm thick horizontal press plates at 180° C. under pressure with a pressing time factor of 15 seconds per millimeter, the lower side of the pre-compacted layer or floor being placed on the lower horizontal press plate in each case. Subsequently, the obtained compressed particle plates (sheets or boards) were allowed to cool to room temperature outside the press.

TABLE-US-00002 Table of sample boards of different fiber mixtures Scatter Board Board Board Mixture Board weight weight thickness density No. No. [g] [g] [mm] [g/cm.sup.3] 1 1 200 190 4.2 0.93 2 2 200 192 4.1 0.97 3 3 200 190 4.1 0.96 4 4 200 191 4.1 0.96 5 5 200 192 4.2 0.94 6 6 200 193 4.2 0.95 7 7 200 192 4.1 0.97

[0162] Investigation of the mechanical properties of compressed boards (molded articles obtained from the particle/polymer composites prepared in the Blowline process described above)

[0163] The following tests were carried out with the obtained particle sheets:

[0164] Determination of E-modulus (modulus of elasticity), bending stress, and water swelling after 24 h. The modulus of elasticity (E-module) and bending stress were determined in accordance with the ISO 178 standard. The water swelling after 24 h was determined according to DIN EN 316.

[0165] The results obtained with the various thicknesses and densities of the test pieces are listed in the following Table:

TABLE-US-00003 Board No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 E-module [N/mm.sup.2] 2514 2898 3346 2680 3214 3486 2956 deviation [N/mm.sup.2] 635 598 625 566 601 589 448 Bending stress 24 35 42 30 45 52 28 [N/mm.sup.2] deviation [N/mm.sup.2] 6 6 6 5 5 6 4 Water swelling 33 36 38 28 33 38 35 24 h [%] deviation [%] 3 4 4 3 3 4 2