Claims
- 1. A polymer composite including a filled polymer comprising a polymer and a filler blend comprising fly ash and at least one additional filler, said filler blend having a particle size distribution having at least three modes.
- 2. The polymer composite according to claim 1, wherein the particle size distribution of the filler blend includes a first mode having a median particle diameter from 0.3 to 1.0 microns, a second mode having a median particle diameter from 10 to 25 microns, and a third mode having a median particle diameter from 40 to 80 microns.
- 3. The polymer composite according to claim 2, wherein the particle size distribution of the filler blend includes 11-17% of the particles by volume in the first mode, 56-74% of the particles by volume in the second mode, and 12-31% of the particles by volume in the third mode.
- 4. The polymer composite according to claim 2, wherein the ratio of the volume of particles in the second and third modes to the volume of particles in the first mode is preferably from about 4.5 to about 7.5.
- 5. The polymer composite according to claim 1, wherein the at least one additional filler in the filler blend is a second fly ash.
- 6. The polymer composite according to claim 5, wherein the filler blend comprises a high fine particle content fly ash filler and a low fine particle content fly ash filler.
- 7. The polymer composite according to claim 1, wherein the at least one additional filler in the filler blend is calcium carbonate.
- 8. The polymer composite according to claim 1, wherein the filler blend comprises a subbituminous coal fly ash filler.
- 9. The polymer composite according to claim 1, wherein the filler blend comprises a lignite coal fly ash filler.
- 10. The polymer composite according to claim 1, wherein the filler blend comprises a Class C fly ash.
- 11. The polymer composite according to claim 1, wherein the filler blend comprises a Class F fly ash.
- 12. The polymer composite according to claim 1, wherein the filler blend comprises a first fly ash and at least one additional filler selected from the group consisting of a second fly ash and calcium carbonate, and wherein the polymer composite comprises at least one additional filler other than the fillers included in the filler blend.
- 13. The polymer composite according to claim 1, wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, nylons, epoxies, phenolics, polyesters, acrylic polymers, polyurethanes, bitumen, styrene-butadiene copolymers, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymers and blends thereof.
- 14. The polymer composite according to claim 1, wherein the polymer composite is used in carpet backing.
- 15. A filler for a filled polymer for use in a polymer composite comprising a blend of fly ash and at least one additional filler wherein the filler blend has a particle size distribution having at least three modes.
- 16. The filler according to claim 15, wherein the particle size distribution of the filler includes a first mode having a median particle diameter from 0.3 to 1.0 microns, a second mode having a median particle diameter from 10 to 25 microns, and a third mode having a median particle diameter from 40 to 80 microns.
- 17. The filler according to claim 16, wherein the particle size distribution of the filler blend includes 11-17% of the particles by volume in the first mode, 56-74% of the particles by volume in the second mode, and 12-31% of the particles by volume in the third mode.
- 18. The filler according to claim 16, wherein the ratio of the volume of particles in the second and third modes to the volume of particles in the first mode is preferably from about 4.5 to about 7.5.
- 19. The filler according to claim 15, wherein the at least one additional filler in the filler blend is a second fly ash.
- 20. The filler according to claim 19, wherein the filler blend comprises a high fine particle content fly ash filler and a low fine particle content fly ash filler.
- 21. The filler according to claim 15, wherein the at least one additional filler in the filler blend is calcium carbonate.
- 22. The filler according to claim 15, wherein the filler blend comprises a subbituminous coal fly ash filler.
- 23. The filler according to claim 15, wherein the filler blend comprises a lignite coal fly ash filler.
- 24. The filler according to claim 15, wherein the filler blend comprises a Class C fly ash.
- 25. The filler according to claim 15, wherein the filler blend comprises a Class F fly ash.
- 26. Carpet backing formed of a filled polymer comprising:
a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, bitumen, styrene-butadiene copolymer, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer and blends thereof; and filler, said filler comprising fly ash and having a particle size distribution having at least three modes.
- 27. The carpet backing according to claim 26, wherein the particle size distribution of the filler includes a first mode having a median particle diameter from 0.3 to 1.0 microns, a second mode having a median particle diameter from 10 to 25 microns, and a third mode having a median particle diameter from 40 to 80 microns.
- 28. The carpet backing according to claim 27, wherein the particle size distribution of the filler includes 11-17% of the particles by volume in the first mode, 56-74% of the particles by volume in the second mode, and 12-31% of the particles by volume in the third mode.
- 29. The carpet backing according to claim 27, wherein the ratio of the volume of particles in the second and third modes to the volume of particles in the first mode is preferably from about 4.5 to about 7.5.
- 30. The carpet backing according to claim 26, wherein the filler is a filler blend comprising at least one additional filler and the at least one additional filler is a second fly ash.
- 31. The carpet backing according to claim 26, wherein the filler is a filler blend comprising at least one additional filler and the at least one additional filler is calcium carbonate.
- 32. The carpet backing according to claim 26, wherein the filler consists of a fly ash having a particle size distribution having at least three modes, and wherein the filled polymer comprises at least one additional filler other than said fly ash.
- 33. The carpet backing according to claim 26, wherein the filler comprises a first fly ash and at least one additional filler selected from the group consisting of a second fly ash and calcium carbonate, and wherein the filled polymer comprises at least one additional filler other than the fillers included in the filler blend.
- 34. The carpet backing according to claim 26, wherein the filler is present in the filled polymer at a filler loading of at least 55% by weight.
- 35. A method for producing a polymer composite, comprising the steps of:
combining a polymer with a filler blend to produce a filled polymer, the filler blend comprising fly ash and at least one additional filler and having a particle size distribution having at least three modes; and producing a polymer composite with the resulting filled polymer.
- 36. The method according to claim 35, wherein the filler blend in said combining step has a particle size distribution that includes a first mode having a median particle diameter from 0.3 to 1.0 microns, a second mode having a median particle diameter from 10 to 25 microns, and a third mode having a median particle diameter from 40 to 80 microns.
- 37. The method according to claim 35, further comprising the step of classifying a fly ash to produce a fly ash filler having a particle size distribution having at least three modes prior to said combining step.
- 38. The method according to claim 35, further comprising the step of removing at least the fly ash particles having a particle size of greater than 250 microns prior to said combining step.
- 39. The method according to claim 35, wherein the filler in said combining step consists of said fly ash filler and said combining step comprises combining said fly ash filler and at least one additional filler with the polymer to produce the filled polymer.
- 40. The method according to claim 35, further comprising the step of blending fly ash and at least one additional filler together to produce a filler blend prior to said combining step.
- 41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the blending step comprises blending a first fly ash and a second fly ash.
- 42. The method according to claim 40, wherein the blending step comprises blending a fly ash and calcium carbonate.
- 43. The method according to claim 35, wherein the combining step comprises combining a polymer with a filler blend comprising a first fly ash and at least one additional filler selected from the group consisting of a second fly ash and calcium carbonate, and wherein the polymer composite comprises at least one additional filler other than the fillers included in the filler blend.
- 44. The method according to claim 35, wherein the combining step comprises combining a polymer with a fly ash blend formed by burning two or more types of coal selected from the group consisting of lignite coal, subbituminous coal and bituminous coal.
- 45. The method according to claim 35, wherein said producing step comprises producing carpet backing with the filled polymer.
- 46. A method for producing a backing for a carpet material, comprising the steps of:
combining a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, bitumen, styrene-butadiene copolymer, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer and blends thereof with a filler to produce a filled polymer, the filler comprising fly ash and having a particle size distribution with at least three modes, and applying the filled polymer as a melt to a surface of a carpet material at an elevated temperature to form a backing on the carpet material.
- 47. The method according to claim 46, further combining the steps of:
forming the filled polymer produced in said combining step into filled polymer pellets; and subjecting the filled polymer pellets to an elevated temperatures to produce a filled polymer melt that is used in said applying step.
- 48. The method according to claim 46, further comprising the step of removing at least the fly ash particles having a particle size of greater than 250 microns prior to said combining step.
- 49. The method according to claim 48, wherein said removing step comprises using at least one screen having a mesh size between about 75 and about 250 microns to remove at least said fly ash particles having a particle size of greater than 250 microns.
- 50. The method according to claim 48, wherein said removing step comprises air classifying the fly ash particles to remove at least said fly ash particles having a particle size of greater than 250 microns.
- 51. The method according to claim 46, wherein further comprising the step of classifying a fly ash to produce a fly ash filler having a particle size distribution having at least three modes prior to said combining step.
- 52. The method according to claim 51, wherein said classifying step comprises air classifying a fly ash to produce a fly ash filler having a particle size distribution having at least three modes.
- 53. The method according to claim 46, wherein said combining step comprises combining a filler having a particle size distribution having at least three modes and consisting of fly ash, with at least one additional filler other than said fly ash and the polymer to produce the filled polymer.
- 54. The method according to claim 46, wherein said combining step comprises combining a filler blend comprising a first fly ash and at least one additional filler selected from the group consisting of a second fly ash and calcium carbonate and having a particle size distribution having at least three modes with at least one additional filler other than the fillers included in the filler blend with the polymer to produce the filled polymer.
- 55. The method according to claim 46, wherein said combining step comprises combining the filler and the polymer at a filler loading of greater than 55% by weight to produce the filled polymer.
- 56. A method for producing a polymer composite, comprising the step of selecting a fly ash filler for use in the polymer composite or modifying a fly ash filler for use in the polymer composite to have a particle size distribution with at least three modes to increase the packing factor of the fly ash filler and to improve the mechanical properties of the polymer composite.
- 57. The method according to claim 56, wherein the selecting or modifying step comprises selecting or modifying a fly ash filler to have a particle size distribution with three modes.
- 58. The method according to claim 56, wherein the selecting or modifying step comprises selecting a polymer that has good compatibility with the fly ash filler to improve the mechanical properties of the polymer composite.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/993,316, filed Nov. 14, 2001, which claims the benefit of commonly owned, copending U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/248,518, filed Nov. 14, 2000.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60248518 |
Nov 2000 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09993316 |
Nov 2001 |
US |
Child |
10225958 |
Aug 2002 |
US |