Preparation process of bio-based light elastomer particles

Abstract

The invention discloses a preparation process of bio-based light elastomer particles. The preparation process comprises the following steps: step 1, preparing raw materials; step 2, premixing treatment; step 3, adding and mixing expanded auxiliary materials; the preparation method has the advantages that the bio-based nylon 56 is adopted as a basic raw material, and light auxiliary materials such as the glass beads, the expanded microspheres, the light lignin, the light bamboo fiber powder and the OBSH are added, so that the overall density of the material is remarkably reduced, and the weight of the material can be effectively reduced in numerous application scenes; according to the present invention, the expanded microspheres are added to meet the field requirements with strict requirements on light weight, the porous structure formed after foaming of the expanded microspheres and the soft and elastic characteristics of the material enable the material to effectively absorb and disperse energy when subjected to external force impact, the excellent damping effect is represented, and the addition of the EPOE, SEBS and other elastomer components endows the material with good flexibility and elasticity, such that the material has characteristics of good thermal stability and good thermal stability. The soft and elastic touch feeling and performance are realized, the soft and elastic touch feeling and performance can be gradually decomposed, and long-term pollution to the environment is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of elastomeric particles, and particularly to a preparation process of bio-based lightweight elastomeric particles. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous development of materials science and technology, the demand for materials with characteristics such as light weight, shock absorption, soft elasticity, and fineness is increasing day by day. In the current field of materials science, with the continuous growth of the demand for high-performance materials in various industries, the research and development of elastomeric materials with characteristics such as light weight, shock absorption, soft elasticity, and fineness have received increasing attention. At the same time, with the improvement of consumers' requirements for product quality and feel, the fineness of materials has also become an important consideration factor. The limitations of elastomers in processing technology and raw material selection make it necessary to achieve an ideal delicate texture, not only in terms of the appearance and touch of the product, but also in applications in the high-end product market. In some application scenarios such as precision instrument packaging, sports protection equipment, and building shock absorption, elastomeric materials are required to have better shock absorption ability and soft elastic characteristics to effectively protect items from impact damage or provide a more comfortable and safe experience for users.

[0003] However, existing elastomeric materials, such as some petroleum-based elastomers, face many challenges in achieving a balance of the above-mentioned multiple excellent properties. On the one hand, from an environmental protection perspective, the large-scale use of petroleum-based materials not only consumes limited fossil resources, but also their waste is difficult to degrade in the natural environment, causing long-term pressure on the ecological environment, which does not conform to the concept of sustainable development in modern society. On the other hand, in terms of performance, although some traditional elastomers can provide certain elasticity and toughness, they are often not satisfactory in terms of light weight characteristics, which limits their application in weight-sensitive fields such as aerospace, automotive lightweighting, and electronic devices. Excessive weight of materials will increase energy consumption, reduce the portability and efficiency of products.

[0004] Currently, there is an urgent need for a preparation process of bio-based lightweight elastomeric particles. A preparation process of elastomeric particles that can effectively integrate multiple excellent properties such as light weight, shock absorption, soft elasticity, and fineness has important practical significance and urgent market demand, filling the gap in existing material technologies, providing an environmentally friendly and high-performance new material solution for multiple industries, and promoting the technological progress and sustainable development of related industries. Therefore, developing a preparation process of bio-based lightweight elastomeric particles has important practical significance. To solve the above problems, the present invention proposes a preparation process of bio-based lightweight elastomeric particles. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is: to provide a bio-based lightweight elastomer particle. A preparation process of elastomer particles that can effectively integrate various excellent properties such as light weight, shock absorption, soft elasticity, and fineness has important practical significance and urgent market demand, fills the gap in existing material technologies, provides an environmentally friendly and high-performance new material solution for multiple industries, and promotes the technological progress and sustainable development of related industries.

[0006] To solve the above technical problem, the present invention is solved by the following technical solutions: A preparation process of bio-based lightweight elastomer particles, comprising the following steps:

[0007] Step 1, raw material preparation:

[0008] Weigh bio-based nylon 56, EPOE, SEBS, paraffin oil or naphthenic oil respectively according to a predetermined ratio, ensuring that the purity and quality of each raw material meet the requirements. For example, if small-scale production is carried out, 40 parts by weight of bio-based nylon 56, 30 parts by weight of EPOE, 20 parts by weight of SEBS, and 10 parts by weight of paraffin oil can be weighed; the dosage of naphthenic oil can be adjusted between 5-15 parts by weight according to actual performance requirements, and the proportions of the remaining raw materials are adjusted accordingly. According to the required performance, prepare an appropriate amount of expansion auxiliaries, such as glass microspheres, expandable microspheres, light lignin, light bamboo fiber powder, OBSH, calcium powder, talcum powder, and compatibilizers after modification. For example, 5-8 parts by weight of glass microspheres, 3-6 parts by weight of expandable microspheres, 4-7 parts by weight of light lignin, etc., and each auxiliary material needs to be pretreated by drying, screening, etc. to ensure its dispersibility and activity;

[0009] Step 2, premixing treatment:

[0010] Add the weighed bio-based nylon 56, EPOE, and SEBS to a high-speed mixer, set the stirring speed to 500-800 revolutions per minute, the stirring temperature to 70-90 °C, and the stirring time to 8-12 minutes to preliminarily mix these three raw materials evenly to form a basic polymer blend. While stirring the basic polymer blend, slowly add paraffin oil or naphthenic oil, control the dropping rate to 2-3 milliliters per second, and continue stirring for 5-8 minutes to ensure that the oil phase is evenly dispersed in the polymer matrix to obtain a preliminary premix;

[0011] Step 3, addition and mixing of expansion auxiliaries:

[0012] Adding glass microspheres: Transfer the premix to a low-speed mixer, add glass microspheres, adjust the stirring speed to 200 - 300 revolutions per minute, and stir for 10 - 15 minutes to evenly disperse the glass microspheres in the premix, avoiding agglomeration and further enhancing the lightweight property of the material; Adding expandable microspheres: When expandable microspheres need to be added, slowly add the expandable microspheres to the premix under low-speed stirring, keep the stirring speed at 200 - 300 revolutions per minute, and stir for 8 - 10 minutes to ensure the uniform distribution of the expandable microspheres for uniform foaming and weight reduction in subsequent processing; Adding light lignin and light bamboo fiber powder: For light lignin and light bamboo fiber powder, first mix them evenly with a small amount of dispersant such as zinc stearate, with a dosage of 1% - 2% of the fiber material, and then add them to the premix under low-speed stirring, with a stirring speed of 250 - 350 revolutions per minute and a stirring time of 12 - 18 minutes to fully disperse the fiber material and exert its properties of increasing tensile strength, tear resistance, and biodegradability; Adding OBSH: Pre-mix OBSH with an appropriate amount of carrier resin such as polyethylene wax, with the ratio of OBSH to carrier resin being 1:1 - 1:2 to make a masterbatch, and then add the masterbatch to the premix under low-speed stirring, with a stirring speed of 200 - 300 revolutions per minute and a stirring time of 5 - 8 minutes to ensure the uniform dispersion of OBSH and achieve the effects of weight reduction and volume increase; Adding calcium powder and talc powder: First mix the calcium powder and talc powder evenly, and then add them to the premix under low-speed stirring, with a stirring speed of 300 - 400 revolutions per minute and a stirring time of 8 - 12 minutes to make them fully fill in the polymer matrix, playing a role of filling and strengthening to improve the hardness and dimensional stability of the material; Adding modified compatibilizer: Finally, add the modified compatibilizer and stir for 5 - 8 minutes at a stirring speed of 300 - 400 revolutions per minute to promote the fusion between components, form a uniform and stable system, and improve the comprehensive performance of the material;

[0013] Step 4, Molding process:

[0014] The fully mixed materials are extruded and granulated through a twin-screw extruder. The temperature settings for each section of the twin-screw extruder are as follows: Zone 1: 160 - 180 °C, Zone 2: 180 - 200 °C, Zone 3: 200 - 220 °C, Zone 4: 220 - 240 °C, and the head: 210 - 230 °C. The screw speed is 150 - 250 revolutions per minute. The materials are melted, kneaded, sheared, etc. in the extruder, further uniformly dispersed, and extruded into strips through the head. After cooling and air-drying, they are pelletized to obtain bio-based lightweight elastomer particles. Performance testing is carried out on the prepared particles, including density testing using the drainage method to measure the density of the particles, which should be lower than that of conventional elastomer materials; hardness testing using a Shore hardness tester to detect, and the hardness value is within a predetermined range; tensile property testing to determine the tensile strength and elongation at break through a universal material testing machine, meeting the actual application requirements; shock absorption performance testing using an impact testing machine to simulate the impact conditions and detect the shock absorption effect, etc., to ensure that the particle performance meets the requirements of mainly lightweight, shock absorption, soft elasticity, and delicate effect. If the performance does not meet the standards, the raw material ratio, processing process parameters, etc. are adjusted and optimized until the product performance is qualified.

[0015] Preferably, the expansion auxiliary materials include glass microspheres, expandable microspheres, lightweight lignin, lightweight bamboo fiber powder, OBSH, calcium powder, talcum powder, and compatibilizer after modification. The bio-based nylon 56, EPOE, SEBS, and paraffin oil or naphthenic oil form an elastomer matrix by physically blending and entangling molecular chains during the mixing process.

[0016] Preferably, the glass microspheres are uniformly dispersed in the elastomer matrix to enhance the lightweight property and compressive strength of the material. The addition amount of the glass microspheres can further enhance the lightweight property of the material while meeting the performance requirements of the lightweight elastomer, and the glass microspheres are uniformly dispersed in the particles.

[0017] Preferably, the expandable microspheres foam during the processing to expand the granules into spheres, reducing the weight and improving the shock absorption performance. The addition amount of the expandable microspheres and the foaming conditions should ensure that the weight of the granules is effectively reduced after expanding into spheres without damaging the overall performance of the granules.

[0018] Preferably, the lightweight lignin and lightweight bamboo fiber powder have the characteristics of lightweight, increased tensile strength, and degradability, and are used to optimize the performance of the elastomer particles. The addition amount of the lightweight lignin and lightweight bamboo fiber powder can effectively increase the tensile strength of the granules on the basis of ensuring the lightweight of the granules, make the wood fibers play a role in resisting tearing, and meet the degradability requirements of the material at the same time.

[0019] Preferably, the OBSH decomposes to generate gas to reduce the weight and increase the volume, improving the elasticity and sound absorption and heat insulation performance of the elastomer particles. The addition amount of the OBSH and the reaction conditions should enable the particles to increase the volume while reducing the weight and maintain the stability and other properties of the particles.

[0020] Preferably, the calcium powder and talcum powder play a filling role, improving the hardness, rigidity and dimensional stability of the elastomer particles. The addition amount and particle size of the calcium powder and talcum powder should ensure the effective play of the filling role without significantly reducing the key properties such as the elasticity and toughness of the particles.

[0021] Preferably, the modified compatibilizer is used to improve the compatibility between components, promoting the formation of a uniform and stable system. The addition amount and modification conditions of the modified compatibilizer should ensure the effective play of the fusion function, enabling each component to form a stable and uniform system in the particles and enhancing the comprehensive properties of the particles.

[0022] Preferably, the density of the particles meets the light weight requirement, the Shore hardness of the particles ensures soft elastic characteristics, the tensile strength of the particles has sufficient tensile force, the shock absorption performance of the particles achieves good shock absorption effect, and the surface smoothness of the particles reaches a delicate effect.

[0023] Preferably, the mass ratio range of the bio-based nylon 56 in the base material is 20% - 50%, the mass ratio range of the EPOE is 15% - 30%, the mass ratio range of the SEBS is 15% - 30%, and the mass ratio range of the paraffin oil or naphthenic oil is 10% - 20%, and the sum of the proportions of each component is 100%.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0025] 1. In the preparation process of the bio-based light elastomer particles of the present invention, by using bio-based nylon 56 as the base material and adding light auxiliary materials such as glass microspheres, expandable microspheres, light lignin, light bamboo fiber powder and OBSH, the overall density of the material is significantly reduced, enabling it to effectively reduce the weight in many application scenarios and meet the requirements of fields with strict lightweight requirements, such as the urgent need for material weight reduction of some components in aerospace and automotive manufacturing. This helps to improve energy utilization efficiency and the portability and controllability of products. At the same time, the porous structure formed by the expandable microspheres after foaming and the soft elastic characteristics of the material itself enable it to effectively absorb and disperse energy when subjected to external force impact, showing excellent shock absorption effect. Therefore, the elastomer particles have great application value in fields such as sports protection equipment and precision instrument packaging, and can provide reliable buffer protection for the protected object, reducing the risk of damage caused by vibration or collision;

[0026] 2. The preparation process of the bio-based light elastic particles of the present invention endows the material with good flexibility and elasticity by adding elastomer components such as EPOE and SEBS, making it have a soft and elastic touch and performance. At the same time, after reasonable mixing and processing of each raw material, a uniform and delicate internal structure and surface texture are formed, which not only improves the use comfort of the product, but also expands its application scope in high-end consumer products, electronic device accessories and other fields. At the same time, the use of bio-based nylon 56 and the addition of degradable auxiliary materials such as light lignin and light bamboo fiber powder make the elastic particles have certain biodegradability and can gradually decompose in the natural environment, reducing the long-term pollution to the environment, meeting the urgent needs of today's society for environmentally friendly materials, and being conducive to promoting the relevant industries to develop in the direction of green sustainability. It has broad application prospects in the fields of packaging, disposable products, etc., and can effectively alleviate the "white pollution" problem brought by traditional plastic materials;

[0027] 3. The preparation process of the bio-based light elastic particles of the present invention has good compatibility among the raw materials. Especially by adding the compatibilizer after modification, the uniform mixing and fusion of different components are further promoted, making the elastic particles show good fluidity and moldability during the processing. Whether it is extrusion granulation, injection molding or other common processing techniques, it can proceed smoothly, which is conducive to improving the production efficiency and the stability of product quality, facilitating the realization of large-scale industrial production, and thus promoting the wide application and popularization of this material in various industries. At the same time, with a variety of implementation methods and the choice of extended auxiliary materials, by adjusting the proportion of different raw materials and adding different combinations of auxiliary materials, the performance of the material can be flexibly optimized according to specific application requirements. For example, changing the ratio of paraffin oil and naphthenic oil can adjust the hardness and cold resistance of the material; adding different amounts of calcium powder and talcum powder can precisely control the filling effect and mechanical properties of the material, meeting the diverse market demands, improving the versatility and adaptability of this preparation process, and reducing the product R & D and production costs. Detailed implementation manners

[0028] Unless otherwise clearly specified in the context, nouns without quantifiers and nouns modified by "the" include singular and plural referents.

[0029] As used in the specification and claims, the terms "comprising", "including", "having", "can", "containing" and their variants used herein are open transitional phrases, terms or words that require the presence of the specified component / step and allow the presence of other components / steps. However, such description should also be construed as describing the composition or method as "consisting of" and "essentially consisting of" the listed components / steps, which allows only the presence of the specified components / steps and any inevitable impurities that may result therefrom, and excludes other components / steps.

[0030] The numerical values in the description and claims of this application should be understood to include the same numerical values when reduced to the same number of significant figures and numerical values that differ from the said values by less than the experimental error of the conventional measurement techniques used to determine the said values of the type described in this application.

[0031] All ranges disclosed herein include the indicated endpoints and can be combined independently (e.g., the range of "2 grams to 10 grams" includes the endpoints 2 grams and 10 grams, as well as all intermediate values).

[0032] The terms "about" and "approximate" can be used to include any numerical value that can vary without changing the basic function of the value. When used with a range, "about" and "approximate" also disclose the range defined by the absolute values of the two endpoints. For example, "about 2 to about 4" also discloses the range of "2 to 4". Generally, the terms "about" and "approximate" can refer to ±10% of the indicated number. However, for temperature, the term "about" means ±1 °C.

[0033] Unless otherwise clearly specified, the percentages of the elements should be considered as weight percentages of the said alloy.

[0034] This disclosure may relate to the temperature of certain method steps. It should be noted that these indicators generally refer to the temperature set by the heat source (such as a furnace), rather than necessarily the temperature that the heated material must reach.

[0035] The following description is used to disclose the present invention and enable those skilled in the art to implement the present invention. The preferred embodiments in the following description are only examples, and those skilled in the art can think of other obvious variations. The basic principles of the present invention defined in the following description can be used in other implementation schemes, variation schemes, improvement schemes, equivalent schemes, and other technical schemes without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0036] Example 1

[0037] Raw material preparation: Weigh 30 parts of bio-based nylon 56, 20 parts of EPOE, 20 parts of SEBS, 10 parts of paraffin oil, 5 parts of glass microspheres, 5 parts of light lignin, and 3 parts of modified compatibilizer.

[0038] Mixing step: First, put bio-based nylon 56, EPOE, and SEBS into a high-speed mixer, stir at 80 °C for 10 minutes to make a preliminary uniform mixture, then add paraffin oil and continue stirring for 5 minutes. Next, add glass microspheres and light lignin and stir for 15 minutes to ensure uniform dispersion of each component. Finally, add the modified compatibilizer and stir for 5 minutes to obtain a mixed material.

[0039] Molding process: The mixed materials are extruded and granulated through a twin-screw extruder. The temperatures of each section of the extruder are set at 180°C, 200°C, 220°C, 230°C, and 220°C respectively, and the screw speed is 200 rpm to obtain bio-based lightweight elastomer particles.

[0040] Example 2

[0041] Raw material preparation: Take 25 parts of bio-based nylon 56, 25 parts of EPOE, 15 parts of SEBS, 15 parts of naphthenic oil, 8 parts of expandable microspheres, 6 parts of lightweight bamboo fiber powder, 3 parts of OBSH, and 4 parts of calcium powder, and 4 parts of modified compatibilizer.

[0042] Mixing step: First, put bio-based nylon 56, EPOE, and SEBS into a mixer and knead at 90°C for 8 minutes. Then add naphthenic oil and knead for 5 minutes. Next, add expandable microspheres, lightweight bamboo fiber powder, and OBSH and knead for 12 minutes. Then add calcium powder and knead for 5 minutes. Finally, add the modified compatibilizer and knead for 3 minutes to obtain kneaded rubber compound.

[0043] Molding process: The kneaded rubber compound is extruded and granulated through a single-screw extruder. The temperatures of the extruder are 170°C, 190°C, 210°C, and 200°C in sequence, and the screw speed is 180 rpm to make bio-based lightweight elastomer particles.

[0044] Example 3

[0045] Raw material preparation:

[0046] Accurately weigh 40 parts by weight of bio-based nylon 56, 15 parts by weight of EPOE, 15 parts by weight of SEBS, 10 parts by weight of paraffin oil, 5 parts by weight of glass microspheres, 3 parts by weight of lightweight lignin, and 2 parts by weight of the compatibilizer after modification.

[0047] Mixing step:

[0048] Put bio-based nylon 56, EPOE, and SEBS into a high-speed mixer, set the stirring speed at 800 rpm, and stir at 70°C for 15 minutes to preliminarily mix each component evenly.

[0049] Slowly add paraffin oil and continue stirring for 8 minutes to ensure that the paraffin oil fully infiltrates other components.

[0050] Then add glass microspheres and lightweight lignin, increase the stirring speed to 1000 rpm, and stir for 20 minutes to ensure that the glass microspheres and lightweight lignin are evenly dispersed in the system.

[0051] Finally, add the compatibilizer after modification and stir at 80°C for 10 minutes to obtain a uniform mixed material.

[0052] Molding process:

[0053] The mixed materials are conveyed into a twin-screw extruder, and the temperatures of each section of the extruder are set at 170 °C, 190 °C, 210 °C, 220 °C, and 200 °C respectively. The screw speed is 180 rpm. The strip material is extruded through the head of the extruder and then cut into uniform particles by a pelletizer, thus obtaining the bio-based lightweight elastomer particle product.

[0054] Example 4

[0055] Raw material preparation:

[0056] Accurately weigh 35 parts by weight of bio-based nylon 56, 20 parts by weight of EPOE, 10 parts by weight of SEBS, 12 parts by weight of naphthenic oil, 6 parts by weight of expandable microspheres, 4 parts by weight of lightweight bamboo fiber powder, 2 parts by weight of OBSH (white blowing agent), 3 parts by weight of calcium powder, 3 parts by weight of talc powder, and 5 parts by weight of the compatibilizer after modification.

[0057] Mixing step:

[0058] First, put bio-based nylon 56, EPOE, and SEBS into a mixer and mix them preliminarily at 80 °C for 10 minutes.

[0059] Add naphthenic oil and continue mixing for 6 minutes.

[0060] Subsequently, add expandable microspheres, lightweight bamboo fiber powder, and OBSH in sequence and mix for 15 minutes to fully disperse and react each component.

[0061] Add calcium powder and talc powder and mix for 8 minutes.

[0062] Finally, add the compatibilizer after modification and mix for 5 minutes to obtain the mixed rubber compound.

[0063] Molding and processing:

[0064] Extrude the mixed rubber compound through a single-screw extruder. The temperature of the extruder is set at 160 °C, 180 °C, 200 °C, and 190 °C, and the screw speed is 160 rpm. After extrusion, it is cooled and pelletized to obtain the finished bio-based lightweight elastomer particles.

[0065] Example 5. A preparation process of bio-based lightweight elastomer particles, comprising the following steps:

[0066] Step 1. Raw material preparation

[0067] 1. Weigh bio-based nylon 56, EPOE, SEBS, paraffin oil or naphthenic oil respectively according to a predetermined ratio, ensuring that the purity and quality of each raw material meet the requirements. For example, in small-scale trial production, 40 parts by weight of bio-based nylon 56, 30 parts by weight of EPOE, 20 parts by weight of SEBS, and 10 parts by weight of paraffin oil can be weighed; the dosage of naphthenic oil can be adjusted between 5 - 15 parts by weight according to actual performance requirements, and the proportions of the remaining raw materials are adjusted accordingly.

[0068] 2. Prepare an appropriate amount of expansion auxiliary materials according to the required performance, such as glass microspheres, expandable microspheres, light lignin, light bamboo fiber powder, OBSH, calcium powder, talc powder, and compatibilizer after modification. For example, 5 - 8 parts by weight of glass microspheres, 3 - 6 parts by weight of expandable microspheres, 4 - 7 parts by weight of light lignin, etc. And each auxiliary material needs to be pretreated such as drying, screening, etc. to ensure its dispersibility and activity.

[0069] Step Two: Premixing

[0070] 1. Add the weighed bio-based nylon 56, EPOE, and SEBS into a high-speed mixer, set the stirring speed at 500 - 800 revolutions per minute, the stirring temperature at 70 - 90 °C, and the stirring time at 8 - 12 minutes to preliminarily mix these three raw materials evenly to form a basic polymer blend.

[0071] 2. While stirring the basic polymer blend, slowly add paraffin oil or naphthenic oil, control the dropping rate at 2 - 3 milliliters per second, and continue stirring for 5 - 8 minutes to ensure that the oil phase is evenly dispersed in the polymer matrix to obtain a preliminary premix.

[0072] Step Three: Addition and Mixing of Expansion Auxiliary Materials (Selective Addition According to Requirements)

[0073] 1. Add glass microspheres: Transfer the premix to a low-speed mixer, add glass microspheres, adjust the stirring speed to 200 - 300 revolutions per minute, and stir for 10 - 15 minutes to evenly disperse the glass microspheres in the premix, avoiding agglomeration and further enhancing the light weight characteristics of the material.

[0074] 2. Add expandable microspheres: When expandable microspheres need to be added, slowly add the expandable microspheres to the premix under low-speed stirring, keep the stirring speed at 200 - 300 revolutions per minute, and stir for 8 - 10 minutes to ensure that the expandable microspheres are evenly distributed for uniform foaming in subsequent processing to reduce weight.

[0075] 3. Adding light lignin and light bamboo fiber powder: For light lignin and light bamboo fiber powder, first mix them evenly with a small amount of dispersant (such as zinc stearate, with a dosage of 1% - 2% of the fiber material), and then add them to the premix under low-speed stirring. The stirring speed is 250 - 350 revolutions per minute, and the stirring time is 12 - 18 minutes, so that the fiber material is fully dispersed, and its properties of increasing tensile strength, tear resistance, and biodegradability are exerted.

[0076] 4. Adding OBSH: Pre-mix OBSH with an appropriate amount of carrier resin (such as polyethylene wax, and the ratio of OBSH to carrier resin is 1:1 - 1:2) to make masterbatch, and then add the masterbatch to the premix under low-speed stirring. The stirring speed is 200 - 300 revolutions per minute, and the stirring time is 5 - 8 minutes to ensure the uniform dispersion of OBSH and achieve the effects of weight reduction and volume increase.

[0077] 5. Adding calcium powder and talcum powder: First mix calcium powder and talcum powder evenly, and then add them to the premix under low-speed stirring. The stirring speed is 300 - 400 revolutions per minute, and the stirring time is 8 - 12 minutes, so that they are fully filled in the polymer matrix, playing a role of filling and strengthening, and improving the hardness and dimensional stability of the material.

[0078] 6. Adding modified compatibilizer: Finally, add the modified compatibilizer and stir at a stirring speed of 300 - 400 revolutions per minute for 5 - 8 minutes to promote the fusion between components, form a uniform and stable system, and improve the comprehensive performance of the material.

[0079] Step Four: Molding and Processing

[0080] 1. Extrude and pelletize the fully mixed materials through a twin-screw extruder. The temperature settings for each section of the twin-screw extruder are: Zone 1: 160 - 180 °C, Zone 2: 180 - 200 °C, Zone 3: 200 - 220 °C, Zone 4: 220 - 240 °C, and the head: 210 - 230 °C. The screw speed is 150 - 250 revolutions per minute. The materials are further uniformly dispersed through melting, mixing, shearing, etc. in the extruder, and are extruded into strips through the head, and cut into pellets after cooling and air drying to obtain bio-based light elastomer pellets.

[0081] 2. Conduct performance tests on the prepared pellets, including density test (measuring the density of the pellets by the drainage method, which should be lower than that of conventional elastomer materials), hardness test (detecting with a Shore hardness tester, and the hardness value is within the predetermined range), tensile property test (determining the tensile strength and elongation at break through a universal material testing machine, meeting the actual application requirements), shock absorption performance test (simulating the impact condition with an impact testing machine to detect the shock absorption effect), etc., to ensure that the pellet performance meets the requirements of main light weight, shock absorption, soft elasticity, and fineness effects. If the performance does not meet the standard, adjust and optimize the raw material ratio, processing process parameters, etc. until the product performance is qualified.

[0082] Mix bio - based nylon 56, EPOE, SEBS, and paraffin oil in any proportion. During the mixing process of each component, through physical blending, their molecular chains are intertwined to form a matrix with certain elasticity and toughness. Bio - based nylon 56 provides good strength and bio - based characteristics, EPOE and SEBS enhance the flexibility and elasticity of the elastomer, and paraffin oil acts as a plasticizer, improving the processing performance and the softness of the material.

[0083] Mix bio - based nylon 56, EPOE, SEBS, and naphthenic oil in any proportion. This combination method can also form an elastomer with excellent performance. Naphthenic oil has different molecular structures and performance characteristics compared with paraffin oil, and can adjust the hardness, cold resistance and other properties of the elastomer to a certain extent, providing more choices for the performance optimization of the material.

[0084] Expansion auxiliary materials

[0085] Glass microspheres: Add glass microspheres to the above - mentioned basic formula. The glass microspheres are evenly dispersed in the elastomer matrix. Due to the characteristics of low density and high hardness of glass microspheres, they can further enhance the light - weight property of the material without significantly affecting other properties of the material, and at the same time can also enhance the compressive strength and wear resistance of the material.

[0086] Expansion microspheres: When expansion microspheres are added, during subsequent processing, such as under heating or specific chemical reaction conditions, the expansion microspheres will foam and expand into spherical particles. This process not only reduces the weight of the material, but also forms a porous structure inside the material, further improving the shock - absorption performance and soft - elastic characteristics of the material, enabling it to better absorb energy when subjected to external force impact.

[0087] Light - weight lignin: The addition of light - weight lignin brings multiple advantages to the elastomer. Its light - weight property helps to reduce the overall weight of the material. At the same time, the presence of wood fibers increases the tensile strength of the material, enabling it to withstand greater external forces during the stretching process. Moreover, lignin is biodegradable, meeting environmental protection requirements, and can solve the problem that traditional polymer materials are difficult to degrade to a certain extent, broadening the application fields of the material.

[0088] Light - weight bamboo fiber powder: Similar to light - weight lignin, light - weight bamboo fiber powder has the advantages of light weight and biodegradability. The unique structure of bamboo fibers enables it to enhance the toughness and strength of the material, and during the mixing process with other components, it can form a stable fiber - reinforced phase, further optimizing the comprehensive performance of the elastomer particles.

[0089] OBSH (White Blowing Agent): OBSH decomposes during processing to produce gas, thereby reducing the weight of the material and increasing its volume. This foaming effect enables the elastomer particles to form a more porous internal structure, improving the elasticity, sound absorption, heat insulation and other properties of the material, making it have a broader application prospect in the fields of packaging, construction, etc.

[0090] Calcium powder, talcum powder: Calcium powder and talcum powder mainly play a filling role. They can fill between the molecular chains of the elastomer, improving the hardness, rigidity and dimensional stability of the material. At the same time, by reasonably controlling the addition amount of calcium powder and talcum powder, the processing performance and surface performance of the material can be optimized without significantly reducing the toughness of the material, and the production cost can be reduced.

[0091] Modified compatibilizer: Adding the modified compatibilizer can effectively improve the compatibility between the components. Since the present invention involves various materials with different properties, such as bio-based nylon, rubber-like elastomers and various additives, etc., the compatibilizer can promote their fusion, making the components form a more uniform and stable system during the mixing process, thereby improving the comprehensive performance and processing performance of the material.

[0092] The specific steps are as follows: First, the staff weighs bio-based nylon 56, EPOE, SEBS, paraffin oil or naphthenic oil respectively according to a predetermined ratio to ensure that the purity and quality of each raw material meet the requirements. For example, if pilot production is carried out, 40 parts by weight of bio-based nylon 56, 30 parts by weight of EPOE, 20 parts by weight of SEBS, and 10 parts by weight of paraffin oil can be weighed. The dosage of naphthenic oil can be adjusted between 5-15 parts by weight according to actual performance requirements, and the proportions of the remaining raw materials are adjusted accordingly. According to the required performance, an appropriate amount of expansion auxiliaries are prepared, such as glass microspheres, expandable microspheres, light lignin, light bamboo fiber powder, OBSH, calcium powder, talcum powder, and compatibilizer after modification. For example, 5-8 parts by weight of glass microspheres, 3-6 parts by weight of expandable microspheres, 4-7 parts by weight of light lignin, etc. And each auxiliary needs to be pretreated by drying, screening, etc. to ensure its dispersibility and activity. At this time, the weighed bio-based nylon 56, EPOE, and SEBS are added to a high-speed mixer, the stirring speed is set at 500-800 revolutions per minute, the stirring temperature is 70-90 °C, and the stirring time is 8-12 minutes to preliminarily mix these three raw materials evenly to form a basic polymer blend. While the basic polymer blend is being stirred, paraffin oil or naphthenic oil is slowly added, and the dropping rate is controlled at 2-3 ml / s, and stirring continues for 5-8 minutes to ensure that the oil phase is evenly dispersed in the polymer matrix to obtain a preliminary premix. At this time, the staff adds and mixes the expansion auxiliaries. Adding glass microspheres: Transfer the premix to a low-speed mixer, add glass microspheres, adjust the stirring speed to 200-300 revolutions per minute, and the stirring time is 10-15 minutes to make the glass microspheres evenly dispersed in the premix and avoid agglomeration, further enhancing the light weight characteristics of the material; Adding expandable microspheres: When expandable microspheres need to be added, under the condition of low-speed stirring, the expandable microspheres are slowly added to the premix, the stirring speed is maintained at 200-300 revolutions per minute, and the stirring time is 8-10 minutes to ensure that the expandable microspheres are evenly distributed for uniform foaming in subsequent processing to reduce weight; Adding light lignin and light bamboo fiber powder: For light lignin and light bamboo fiber powder, first mix them evenly with a small amount of dispersant such as zinc stearate, and the dosage is 1%-2% of the fiber material, and then add them to the premix under low-speed stirring, the stirring speed is 250-350 revolutions per minute, and the stirring time is 12-18 minutes to make the fiber material fully dispersed and play its characteristics of increasing tensile strength, tear resistance, and biodegradability; Adding OBSH: Mix OBSH with an appropriate amount of carrier resin such as polyethylene wax in a ratio of 1:1-1:2 in advance to make a masterbatch, and then add the masterbatch to the premix under low-speed stirring, the stirring speed is 200-300 revolutions per minute, and the stirring time is 5-8 minutes to ensure that OBSH is evenly dispersed to achieve the effects of reducing weight and increasing volume;Adding calcium powder and talcum powder: First, mix the calcium powder and talcum powder evenly, and then add them to the premix under low-speed stirring. The stirring speed is 300 - 400 revolutions per minute, and the stirring time is 8 - 12 minutes, so that they are fully filled in the polymer matrix, playing a role of filling and strengthening, and improving the hardness and dimensional stability of the material; Adding a modified compatibilizer: Finally, add the modified compatibilizer and stir for 5 - 8 minutes at a stirring speed of 300 - 400 revolutions per minute to promote the fusion between components, form a uniform and stable system, and improve the comprehensive performance of the material. Finally, the staff extrude and pelletize the fully mixed material through a twin-screw extruder. The temperature settings for each section of the twin-screw extruder are: zone 1: 160 - 180 °C, zone 2: 180 - 200 °C, zone 3: 200 - 220 °C, zone 4: 220 - 240 °C, and the head: 210 - 230 °C. The screw speed is 150 - 250 revolutions per minute. The material undergoes melting, mixing, shearing, etc. in the extruder, is further uniformly dispersed, and is extruded into strips through the head, cut into pellets after cooling and air drying to obtain bio-based lightweight elastomer pellets; Conduct performance testing on the prepared pellets, including density testing using the drainage method to measure the density of the pellets, which should be lower than that of conventional elastomer materials, hardness testing using a Shore hardness tester to detect, and the hardness value should be within a predetermined range, tensile property testing using a universal material testing machine to determine the tensile strength and elongation at break, meeting the actual application requirements, shock absorption performance testing using an impact testing machine to simulate the impact condition and detect the shock absorption effect, etc., to ensure that the pellet performance meets the requirements of mainly lightweight, shock-absorbing, soft and elastic, and delicate effects. If the performance does not meet the standard, adjust and optimize the raw material ratio, processing process parameters, etc. until the product performance is qualified.;

[0093] Those skilled in the art should understand that the described embodiments of the present invention are only examples and do not limit the present invention. The object of the present invention has been completely and effectively achieved. The functions and structural principles of the present invention have been shown and described in the embodiments. Without departing from the said principles, the embodiments of the present invention can have any deformation or modification. Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, for those of ordinary skill in the art, it can be understood that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. This specific embodiment is only an interpretation of the present application and does not limit the present application. Those skilled in the art can make modifications without creative contributions to this embodiment according to needs after reading this specification, but as long as it is within the scope of the claims of the present application, it is protected by the patent law.

Claims

1. A process for preparing bio-based lightweight elastomer particles, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Step 1, raw material preparation: weigh bio-based nylon 56, EPOE, SEBS, paraffin oil or naphthenic oil respectively according to a predetermined ratio to ensure that the purity and quality of each raw material meet the requirements. For example, if a small trial production is carried out, 40 parts by weight of bio-based nylon 56, 30 parts by weight of EPOE, 20 parts by weight of SEBS, and 10 parts by weight of paraffin oil can be weighed; the amount of naphthenic oil can be adjusted between 5-15 parts by weight according to actual performance requirements, and the proportions of other raw materials are fine-tuned accordingly. According to the required performance, prepare an appropriate amount of expansion auxiliary materials, such as glass microspheres, expanded microspheres, lightweight lignin, lightweight bamboo fiber powder, OBSH, calcium powder, talcum powder, and modified compatibilizers, for example, 5-8 parts by weight of glass microspheres, 3-6 parts by weight of expanded microspheres, 4-7 parts by weight of lightweight lignin, etc., and each auxiliary material needs to be pre-treated by drying, screening, etc. to ensure its dispersibility and activity; Step 2, premixing treatment: add weighed bio-based nylon 56, EPOE, and SEBS into a high-speed mixer, set the stirring speed to 500-800 rpm, the stirring temperature to 70-90° C., and the stirring time to 8-12 minutes, so that the three raw materials are preliminarily mixed evenly to form a basic polymer blend, and while the basic polymer blend is being stirred, slowly add paraffin oil or cyclohexane oil, control the dripping rate to 2-3 ml / s, and continue stirring for 5-8 minutes to ensure that the oil phase is evenly dispersed in the polymer matrix to obtain a preliminary premix; Step 3, add and mix the expanded auxiliary materials: Add glass beads: transfer the premix to a low-speed mixer, add the glass beads, adjust the stirring speed to 200-300 rpm, and stir for 10-15 minutes to evenly disperse the glass beads in the premix to avoid agglomeration and further enhance the lightweight properties of the material; Add expanded microspheres: when it is necessary to add expanded microspheres, slowly add the expanded microspheres to the premix under low-speed stirring, keep the stirring speed at 200-300 rpm, and stir for 8-10 minutes to ensure that the expanded microspheres are evenly distributed so that they can be evenly foamed in subsequent processing to reduce weight; Add lightweight lignin and lightweight bamboo fiber powder: For lightweight lignin and lightweight bamboo fiber powder, first mix them with a small amount of dispersant such as zinc stearate, the amount of which is 1% to 2% of the fiber material, and then add them to the premix under low-speed stirring. , stirring speed 250-350 rpm, stirring time 12-18 minutes, so that the fiber material is fully dispersed, and its characteristics of increasing tension, tearing resistance and biodegradability are brought into play; adding OBSH: pre-mixing OBSH with an appropriate amount of carrier resin such as polyethylene wax, OBSH and carrier resin ratio of 1:1-1:2 to make a masterbatch, and then adding the masterbatch to the premix under low-speed stirring, stirring speed 200-300 rpm, stirring time 5-8 minutes, ensuring that OBSH is evenly dispersed, achieving the effect of reducing weight and increasing volume; adding calcium powder and talcum powder: first mix the calcium powder and talcum powder evenly, and then add them to the premix under low-speed stirring, stirring speed 300-400 rpm, stirring time 8-12 minutes, so that they are fully filled in the polymer matrix, play a filling and reinforcing role, and improve the hardness and dimensional stability of the material; Add modified compatibilizer: Finally add the modified compatibilizer and stir for 5 to 8 minutes at a stirring speed of 300-400 rpm to promote the fusion of various components, form a uniform and stable system, and improve the comprehensive performance of the material; Step 4, molding processing: the fully mixed material is extruded and granulated through a twin-screw extruder, and the temperature of each section of the twin-screw extruder is set to: 160-180°C in zone 1, 180-200°C in zone 2, 200-220°C in zone 3, 220-240°C in zone 4, and 210-230°C in die head, and the screw speed is 150-250 rpm. The material is further evenly dispersed after melting, mixing, shearing, etc. in the extruder, and extruded into strips through the die head, and pelletized after cooling and drying to obtain bio-based lightweight elastomer particles; the prepared particles Performance testing is carried out, including density testing, using the drainage method to measure the density of the particles, which should be lower than that of conventional elastomer materials; hardness testing using a Shore hardness tester, with the hardness value within a predetermined range; tensile performance testing using a universal material testing machine to determine the tensile strength and elongation at break to meet actual application needs; shock absorption performance testing using an impact testing machine to simulate impact conditions and detect shock absorption effects, etc., to ensure that the particle performance meets the requirements of light weight, shock absorption, soft elasticity, and delicate effects. If the performance does not meet the standards, the raw material ratio, processing parameters, etc. will be adjusted and optimized until the product performance is qualified.

2. The process for preparing bio-based lightweight elastomer particles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The expansion auxiliary materials include glass microspheres, expanded microspheres, light lignin, light bamboo fiber powder, OBSH, calcium powder, talcum powder and modified compatibilizers. The bio-based nylon 56, EPOE, SEBS and paraffin oil or cyclohexane oil are physically blended during the mixing process to make the molecular chains entangled with each other to form an elastomer matrix.

3. The process for preparing a bio-based lightweight elastomer particle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The glass microspheres are uniformly dispersed in the elastomer matrix to improve the light weight and compressive strength of the material. The added amount of the glass microspheres can further improve the light weight of the material while meeting the performance of a lightweight elastomer, and the glass microspheres are uniformly dispersed in the particles.

4. The process for preparing bio-based lightweight elastomer particles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The expanded microspheres are foamed during the processing to expand the granules into balls, thereby reducing weight and improving shock absorption performance. The amount of expanded microspheres added and the foaming conditions should ensure that the weight of the particles is effectively reduced after the granules expand into balls without destroying the overall performance of the particles.

5. The process for preparing bio-based lightweight elastomer particles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lightweight lignin and lightweight bamboo fiber powder have the characteristics of light weight, increased tensile strength and degradability, and are used to optimize the performance of elastomer particles. The addition amount of the lightweight lignin and lightweight bamboo fiber powder can effectively increase the tensile strength of the particles while ensuring the light weight of the particles, and enable the wood fibers to play an anti-tear role, while meeting the degradability requirements of the material.

6. The process for preparing bio-based lightweight elastomer particles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The OBSH decomposes to generate gas to reduce weight and increase volume, thereby improving the elasticity and sound absorption and heat insulation properties of the elastomer particles. The amount of OBSH added and the reaction conditions should increase the volume of the particles while reducing weight, while maintaining the stability and other properties of the particles.

7. The process for preparing bio-based lightweight elastomer particles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The calcium powder and talcum powder play a filling role, improving the hardness, rigidity and dimensional stability of the elastomer particles. The addition amount of the calcium powder and talcum powder and the particle size should ensure that the filling effect is effectively exerted without significantly reducing the key properties of the particles such as elasticity and toughness.

8. The process for preparing bio-based lightweight elastomer particles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The modified compatibilizer is used to improve the compatibility between the components and promote the formation of a uniform and stable system. The amount of the modified compatibilizer added and the modification conditions should ensure that the fusion function is effectively exerted so that the components form a stable and uniform system in the particles, thereby improving the comprehensive performance of the particles.

9. The process for preparing bio-based lightweight elastomer particles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The density of the particles meets the light weight requirement, the Shore hardness of the particles ensures soft elastic properties, the tensile strength of the particles has sufficient pulling force, the shock absorbing performance of the particles achieves a good shock absorbing effect, and the surface smoothness of the particles achieves a delicate effect.

10. The process for preparing bio-based lightweight elastomer particles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mass proportion of the bio-based nylon 56 in the basic material is in the range of 20% to 50%, the mass proportion of the EPOE is in the range of 15% to 30%, the mass proportion of the SEBS is in the range of 15% to 30%, the mass proportion of the paraffin oil or cyclohexane oil is in the range of 10% to 20%, and the sum of the proportions of each component is 100%.