Moldable composition

Abstract

The present invention relates to a moldable material comprising: a) at least one binder; and b) at least one particulate filler material. The filler material includes a natural, non-porous filler material, such as cork or coconut fibers. The invention also provides products made of moldable materials, such as modeling compounds, art materials, children's toy materials, filling materials, building materials, packaging materials, insulating materials and / or flame retardant materials. A method for producing a moldable material is also provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a moldable composition comprising a binder and at least one filler, wherein the filler comprises a natural product. In particular, the present invention relates to materials wherein the filler is a non-food product, such as a product comprising lignin, and in particular a product comprising suberin. Background Art

[0002] Mouldable compositions have a variety of uses. Children's toy compositions such as play dough and modelling clay are very common, but many other uses exist, including artistic uses such as sculpture and industrial uses such as construction, sound or thermal insulation and packaging.

[0003] Many moldable compositions are formed by at least one binder material and at least one filler. Filler provides volume for material and affects the characteristic of composition, for example density, compressibility, thermal and acoustic properties etc. The main effect of binding agent is that composition is kept together, and may contribute to improving performances such as strength and rigidity. The moldable material that comprises filler and binding agent can be molded at room temperature, or may need heating to mold, and then solidifies again when cooling. Similarly, moldable material can be permanently moldable, or, may also be " solidified " by effects such as drying, heating or chemical reaction.

[0004] A variety of particulate materials have been used or proposed as all or part of the filler component in moldable materials. These materials include inorganic fillers such as sand, chalk, mica, glass, etc.; synthetic polymers such as resin beads, expanded polymer materials, polymer microbubbles, etc.; and natural materials such as edible flours, including wheat flour or rice flour.

[0005] Natural filler materials offer several potential advantages over inorganic or synthetic materials. They are often readily available and potentially lower cost because they are often part of the existing natural products industry. They are generally biocompatible, have low bio-impact, and / or have a widely established safety profile. They are also relatively environmentally friendly to obtain and handle. Most natural product-based fillers are carbon-based, and recent production of these fillers will contribute to carbon sequestration from the atmosphere. When such products reach the end of their useful life, the filler materials can be easily disposed of because, as natural products, they have natural degradation mechanisms that allow for environmentally friendly disposal. Furthermore, any carbon released into the atmosphere during this process will not exceed the amount of carbon captured during the material's creation, resulting in no net release of carbon from the filler materials.

[0006] The most commonly used natural filler materials are food product materials. That is, they are or are derived from edible materials such as starch. Edible flours such as wheat flour or rice flour are typical examples. These types of flours are the basis of many of the simplest molding compositions, such as simple flour and water dough. However, such fillers have several disadvantages. First, the filler is generally permeable to the binder material (e.g., water), which means that the filler must be saturated with the binder before the surface bonding effect can be achieved. For other binder materials, the permeability of the filler may not result in an immediate need to "saturate" the filler, but may cause the binder to gradually penetrate into the filler, causing the composition to gradually dry out and become less viscous, or even the binder itself is not dried but simply absorbed into the filler particles. Although convenient, it is preferred to limit the use of edible materials that can be used for human or animal food to produce non-food items, such as molding compositions.

[0007] The inventor is always looking for the alternative natural filling material that is applicable to molding composition, particularly those are not formed by edible material such as starch or from edible material such as starch filling material.Unfortunately, many common granular natural materials have poor performance when used as filling material.Particularly, many natural granular materials such as flour, wood chips (wood-chip), sawdust (sawdust), paper scraps etc. tend to absorb binder material immediately or gradually over time.Therefore, moldable material may need a large amount of binding agents, or gradually lose the binding agent of filler surface due to absorption.This may cause material to reduce viscosity over time, and lose moldability in use or storage process.

[0008] In view of the foregoing, it would be of considerable advantage to provide a moldable material comprising a natural or naturally derived filler material which does not absorb binder material beyond the surface layer and / or which remains viscous and moldable during use and / or storage.

[0009] The inventors have surprisingly discovered that a moldable material formed from closed-cell natural material particles absorbs binder only on its surface and therefore requires less binder and / or does not lose adhesion due to binder absorption. Summary of the Invention

[0010] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a moldable material comprising: a) at least one binder; and b) at least one particulate filler material.

[0011] In particular, the filling material is a natural filling material, in particular a non-porous filling material, such as a closed-cell filling material.

[0012] A well-suited filler material for use in various aspects of the present invention is cork.

[0013] The moldable materials of the present invention can be used in a variety of technologies. In particular, the present disclosure provides, in various aspects, modeling compounds, art materials, children's toy materials, filling materials, building materials, packaging materials, insulation materials, and / or flame retardant materials comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of the moldable compositions described in any aspect or embodiment herein.

[0014] The moldable material of the present invention can be produced by combining a suitable binder material (as described in any compatible embodiment herein) with a particulate filler material (as described in any compatible embodiment herein). In a corresponding aspect, the present disclosure therefore provides a method for forming a moldable material as described in any aspect or embodiment herein, the method comprising combining a binder material with a particulate filler material. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 shows a scanning electron micrograph of the surface of a cork sample, illustrating the closed-cell nature of the material.*

[0016] Figure 2 shows a scanning (A) electron micrograph and a transmission (B) electron micrograph of an oak sample.**

[0017] FIG3 shows a scanning electron micrograph of the surface of an untreated corncob sample.

[0018] *Image courtesy of Nicola Angeli / MUSE, a file uploaded by MUSE (Trento Science Museum) in collaboration with Wikimedia Italia. -MUSE, CC BY-SA 3.0 https: / / commons.wikimedia.org / w / index.php?curid=48378572

[0019] **Image courtesy of McKDandy on English Wikipedia – CC BY 2.5, https: / / en.wikipedia.org / wiki / Vessel_element# / media / File:Hardwood_Pores.jpg

[0020] Image cropped by Linna Suo, Xiangyang Sun, and Weijie Jiang from PLOS ONE – CC BY 4.0, https: / / doi.org / 10.1371 / journal.pone.0064550.g001 DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The moldable material of the present disclosure comprises two key components: a binder component and a particulate non-porous (particularly closed-cell) filler component. The filler material is particularly a natural filler material.

[0022] The particulate non-porous (particularly closed-cell) filler component is of vital importance in the present invention because many key attributes of the products of the present disclosure can be attributed to the non-porous (particularly closed-cell) filler material and the interaction of the filler material with the binder material. The non-porosity and / or closed-cell nature of the filler material is a key feature of the present invention because it can achieve a more effective filler to binder ratio and improve the long-term performance of the material. In a preferred embodiment, the filler material does not contain or is substantially free of porous material.

[0023] In a key embodiment, non-porous (for example, closed-cell) filling material is natural material. " natural material " used herein means that filling material can be derived from at least one organism (or previous organism). For example, natural material can be derived from an organism that survived in a certain period in the past 20 years. Especially, preferred natural material is usually derived from (or can be derived from) living (or previously living) organism, for example plant, animal, fungus, protist and / or prokaryotic microorganism. Very suitable organism comprises plant and fungus, particularly plant (for example tree). Natural product is preferably obtained from its organism that generates by physical, chemical and / or biological method. Physical methods such as mechanical separation, heating, grinding, cutting and similar methods are very effective, and the waste generated is minimum. Biological method, for example, uses microorganism and / or enzyme, is applicable to some natural product, and usually produces relatively small waste to environmental impact. Chemical method can be used, but usually less preferred, because the waste generated may be larger to environmental impact. Natural product that can be separated by physical and / or biological method is preferred. Example comprises cork and coconut fiber.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, the non-porous (e.g., closed-cell) filler material is not an inorganic material (e.g., not a mineral). In a preferred embodiment, the non-porous (e.g., closed-cell) filler is free of or substantially free of metals and / or metal ions (e.g., alkali metal ions, such as sodium ions). In one embodiment, the filler material comprises less than 20% by weight (e.g., 0% to 20% by weight) or less than 20% by volume (e.g., 0% to 20% by volume) of inorganic material (e.g., mineral material). Generally speaking, this proportion will be less than 10% by weight, such as less than 5% by weight, or less than 10% by volume, such as less than 5% by volume.

[0025] In one embodiment, the non-porous natural filling material can be compressible. Compressible means that the filling material can be compressed to 90% of its longest dimension and recover to at least 95% (e.g., 95% to 100%) of its original length within 24 hours. In one embodiment, the compressible natural material is such that a 10 mm cube of the natural material can be compressed to 90% of its length in one dimension with a force of no more than 1000 N (e.g., 25 N to 1000 N), preferably no more than 500 N or no more than 300 N.

[0026] In various embodiments of the present invention, a valuable property of compressible natural materials as filler materials is that compression of the material can cause a temporary redistribution of the binder material on the filler surface. This imparts to the material the property of being tacky when compressed, yet non-sticky or greasy to the touch. Thus, in one embodiment, the filler material comprises or consists of at least one compressible natural material, and the composition of any aspect or embodiment of the present invention is tacky when compressed by manual pressure, yet non-sticky or greasy to the touch.

[0027] When this type of material is compressed into small "bricks" (e.g., bricks 1 cm to 10 cm in each dimension) by hand, squeezing, or in small molds, the resulting bricks exhibit cohesiveness when compressed together but do not stick to hands or surfaces.

[0028] In one embodiment, small bricks formed from the material of the present invention can adhere together by being pressed together, but will not stick to hands and / or work surfaces. In a corresponding embodiment, small bricks formed from the material of the present invention can adhere together by being pressed together by manual force, rather than simply by the force of being stacked together.

[0029] Among plant-derived natural products, those derived from trees are particularly suitable, as trees offer numerous environmental advantages, including sequestering carbon from the atmosphere, stabilizing soil, and combating desertification. Materials that can be harvested without destroying the trees themselves offer the advantage of not destroying these properties. Examples of materials that can be harvested from trees without killing them include cork, which is the outer bark layer and can be regenerated, and coconut fiber, which forms around the fruit / seeds of the plant.

[0030] The key attribute of the non-porous / closed-cell filling materials suitable for use in the present invention is that they have limited absorption of the binder material. This is believed to be relevant to the non-porous / closed-cell nature of the filling material. Without being bound by theory, it is believed that this reduces the weight of the binder required for coating the filling material, and also reduces or prevents "drying" of the moldable composition by being absorbed into the filling material body by the binder material. Therefore, it is highly desirable that the particle filling material of the present invention is a "closed-cell" filling material. "Closed-cell" filling material used herein refers to a non-porous or substantially non-porous material.

[0031] The closed-cell filling material referred to in all aspects and embodiments herein can be a non-porous natural material. In particular, the non-porous material has a surface pore size of no more than 2 μm (e.g., 2 μm to 200 μm), a depth of no more than 100 μm (e.g., 100 μm to 1 cm), and preferably no pores with a diameter greater than 1 μm and a depth greater than 50 μm. If less than 10% or 5% (e.g., 0% to 5% or 0.00001% to 5%), preferably less than 1% of the surface area of ​​the material is composed of pores of the size, then the surface of the material is considered to be free of pores. In one embodiment, such a surface area can be less than 0.1%.

[0032] Since closed-cell filling materials are non-porous materials, their surface pore diameter should not be greater than 2 μm (e.g., 2 μm to 200 μm), the depth should not exceed 100 μm (e.g., 100 μm to 1 cm), and preferably there are no pores with a diameter greater than 1 μm and a depth greater than 50 μm. If less than 10% or 5% (e.g., 0% to 5% or 0.00001% to 5%), preferably less than 1% of the surface area of ​​the material is composed of pores of the aforementioned size, then the closed-cell filling material is considered to have no pores on its surface. In one embodiment, such surface area may be less than 0.1%. As used herein, "closed-cell" materials are generally materials that include gas-containing cells that do not allow liquids or similar non-gaseous fluids (especially adhesives) to flow from one pore to an adjacent pore. Some materials, such as cork, allow a small amount of gas to penetrate between the pores, but this is not relevant to the present invention because it does not affect the absorption of the adhesive (usually a fairly viscous liquid). In one embodiment, the non-porous material is a closed-cell material formed of gas-containing pores that does not allow liquid (particularly a binder, such as any of the binders described herein) to flow from one pore to the next.

[0033] In one embodiment, the natural material is a porous material. A porous material refers to a material composed of sealed gas-containing pores, wherein multiple pores are adjacent and have a common wall between them. In one embodiment, a 10 mm cube of porous natural material will contain at least 10,000 pores (e.g., 10,000 to 100,000,000 pores), preferably at least 50,000 or at least 500,000 gas-filled pores. Generally, the closed-cell materials described herein are porous materials.

[0034] As can be seen by reference to FIG1 , cork is an example of a natural material having a "closed-cell" structure. Cork has a very low porosity (in the pore size range of 1 μm and above, for example, 1 μm to 200 μm), as can also be seen from FIG1 . Many other natural materials, including those generally considered impermeable, such as wood, actually have "open" surfaces with a considerable density of pores above 1 μm. This is true even for relatively dense woods, as shown in FIG2 , which shows a micrograph of an oak sample. Therefore, cork forms a very suitable filler material in all aspects and embodiments of the present invention.

[0035] Cork that is porous and does not fall within the definition of "non-porous" as used herein is not suitable as a non-porous filler material. The filler preferably does not include porous cork. The filler preferably comprises commercial first or second grade cork. Porous cork is not a common type of cork, and the term "cork" is not generally used to refer to any porous material. Therefore, as used herein, the term "cork" is used in its natural sense and does not include porous materials.

[0036] In one embodiment, the filler material comprises at least 10% suberin (eg, 10% to 50% suberin).

[0037] Another material with very low porosity (except for the cut ends of the fibers) is coir (coconut fiber). Such fibers, particularly those having a length of 1 mm or greater (e.g., 1 mm to 30 cm, such as 2 mm to 50 mm or 5 mm to 20 mm), can form another suitable filler material for use in all compatible aspects and embodiments of the present invention.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment, the filling material comprises closed-cell coconut shell fiber. Reference is made to the SEM image of coconut shell fiber in the paper by Tran et al. (Industrial Crops and Products 65 (2015) 437-445 – see Figure 2) (incorporated herein by reference). This figure shows the closed-cell characteristics of coconut shell fiber. As can be seen from the image, coconut shell fiber contains multiple small cavities (pockets) (i.e., the cavities described therein) between each of its basic fibers, and these small cavities are confined to the inner part of the coconut shell fiber. Therefore, "pores" only exist at the cut end of the coconut shell fiber, and these pores are not open to the structure of the fiber, but only extend to the depth of a single closed hole in the material. Therefore, coconut shell fiber is also a closed-cell material as described herein.

[0039] In one embodiment, the particulate filler material will comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of a material comprising cellulose (including hemicellulose) and / or lignin. In particular, the filler material may be a material comprising at least 10 wt% cellulose (including hemicellulose) and at least 10 wt% lignin.

[0040] In another embodiment, the granular filler material will be free (or substantially free) of absorbent (porous) material. Preferably, the granular filler material comprises less than 10 wt% of porous polysaccharide material. Porous polysaccharide materials include wood chips / dust, corn fiber, and starch (e.g., starch fiber).

[0041] Preferably, the filler is not a human food substance. In one embodiment, the filler material preferably does not contain a significant food value as a human food. In one embodiment, the filler material does not contain more than 20wt% (e.g., contains 0wt% to 20wt% or 0.0001wt% to 20wt%) of starch. In one embodiment, the filler is not edible flour. In particular, the filler is not flour or other particles derived from cereals or quinoa, and therefore is not, for example, wheat flour, rice flour, quinoa, or related products. This has two advantages: such food materials tend to be porous and therefore do not easily form stable low-binder materials, whereas cork, coconut shell fibers, and similar closed-cell materials can form such low-stable binder materials. In addition, human food grade materials are preferably not used for non-food purposes.

[0042] In a certain embodiment, the filler is free or substantially free of polysaccharide food additives, such as xanthan gum and / or cellulose gum.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment applicable to all aspects of the present invention, the filler material will comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of bark, a bark product, or a bark layer. In a preferred embodiment, the filler will comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of all or part of the periderm of the bark. In one embodiment, the filler may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of fallen bark.

[0044] In one embodiment, the density of the natural filler material (e.g., cork or coconut fiber) is about 30 g / L to 500 g / L. Preferably, it is about 50 g / L to 250 g / L, 80 g / L to 220 g / L, or 60 g / L to 180 g / L. Common cork densities of about 100 g / L to 175 g / L are very suitable.

[0045] Common densities for (unground) coconut fiber are around 100 to 200 g / L, which is very suitable.

[0046] In another preferred embodiment, the filler may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of cork.

[0047] In particularly preferred embodiments, the filler will comprise; consist essentially of; or consist of; a non-porous, closed-cell cork (as defined herein in any suitable embodiment).

[0048] In another preferred embodiment, the filler will comprise; consist essentially of; or consist of; non-porous, closed-cell coconut fiber (as defined herein in any suitable embodiment).

[0049] In another preferred embodiment, the filler will comprise a mixture of non-porous, closed-pore coir and non-porous, closed-pore cork (both as defined in any suitable embodiment herein); consist essentially of a mixture of non-porous, closed-pore coir and non-porous, closed-pore cork (both as defined in any suitable embodiment herein); or consist of a mixture of non-porous, closed-pore coir and non-porous, closed-pore cork (both as defined in any suitable embodiment herein).

[0050] Bark is only present on woody plants; the stems of herbaceous plants and seedlings lack bark. Preferably, the bark referred to herein is the bark from the mature stems of woody plants, and thus typically includes the periderm (cork, cork cambium, suberin), cortex, and phloem. Although all layers of the bark can be used as desired, the periderm, particularly the cork layer, is particularly preferred in the present disclosure.

[0051] Cork is an impermeable, buoyant material formed from the cork layer of bark tissue found in woody plants. The cork cell walls contain suberin, a waxy substance that protects the stem from water loss, insects, and infection by bacteria and fungal spores. The cells within the cork trap air-like gases, which contribute to its low density, elasticity, and insulating and flame-retardant properties. Cork is used in a variety of products due to its impermeable, buoyant, elastic, and flame-retardant properties. Cork is found in the bark of most woody plants but is typically harvested from certain species, particularly the cork oak (Quercus suber) or Chinese cork oak (Quercus variabilis).

[0052] The softwood referred to herein may be any form of softwood, but is preferably softwood harvested from cork oak (Quercus suber) or Chinese cork oak (Quercus variabilis). Typically, softwood contains suberin (~40%), lignin (~22%), cellulose and hemicellulose (~18%), waxes and other materials.

[0053] In one embodiment, the filler material may comprise at least 10 wt% suberin (eg, 10 wt% to 60 wt%), such as 15 wt% to 50 wt% or 30 wt% to 45 wt% suberin.

[0054] The filler material employed in various aspects and embodiments of the present invention is a particulate material.

[0055] Typical sizes of granular materials correspond to those of the "sand" type. The average particle size of these can be 50 μm to 5 mm (e.g. 63 μm to 5 mm), preferably 95 μm to 3 mm. Particle size can also include gravel and pebble-sized fillers with an average particle size of up to about 10 mm. When referring to a single particle, the size usually refers to the minimum diameter (i.e. the diameter of the smallest axis). Fillers can be "unimodal", "bimodal" or "multimodal" in that there can be filler particles of one or more sizes. For example, a fine filler with an average particle size of less than 100 μm can be used in combination with a coarser filler with a particle size of 1 mm or more (e.g. 1 mm to 10 mm or 1 mm to 5 mm). Such a bimodal filler mixture can better coat the larger particles and can improve the performance of the binder. Typically, in this case, the filler with the larger particle size will be a closed-cell filler. Obviously, all filling materials of all particle sizes can be formed from one or more closed-cell fillers. When a bimodal filler is used, in one embodiment, the first particle size maximum can exist at a particle size that is at least twice (e.g., 2 to 100 times larger) than the second particle size maximum. In this case and when the two sizes of particles have similar densities (e.g., ±50%), in one embodiment, the filler component can contain at least 60 wt% of the larger size filler, preferably at least 75 wt%. For such a distribution, regardless of the relative density of the filler, in one embodiment, the filler component can contain at least 60 volume % (e.g., 75 volume %) of the larger filler particles.

[0056] In one embodiment, the molding composition may include a "large" filler and a "small" filler, wherein the "large" filler comprises at least one closed-cell particle filler as described herein, and the "small" filler may be a closed-cell particle filler or other filler type. The "large" filler particle size may have an average particle size of 300 μm to 10 mm, for example, 500 μm to 5 mm. The "small" filler particle size may have an average particle size of 0.1 μm to 100 μm, for example, 0.5 μm to 50 μm or 1 μm to 30 μm. The small filler particles and the large filler particles may be the same or different filler materials.

[0057] In one embodiment, at least 20 wt% (e.g., 20 wt% to 100 wt%), such as at least 30 wt% or at least 50 wt% (e.g., 50 wt% to 100 wt%) of the filler component in the moldable composition is a closed-cell filler. This proportion is preferably at least 60% or at least 75%, such as at least 80%, at least 90%, or at least 95%. In one embodiment, substantially 100% of the filler material will be a closed-cell filler.

[0058] In other embodiments, at least 30 vol% of the filler component in the moldable composition will be closed-cell filler. This proportion is preferably at least 40 vol% or at least 60 vol%, such as at least 70 vol%, at least 80 vol%, or at least 90 vol%. In one embodiment, substantially 100% of the filler material will be closed-cell filler.

[0059] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the filler will include more "large" fillers than "small" fillers. The weight or volume ratio of "large" fillers to "small" fillers is preferably in the range of 55:45 to 90:10. It is particularly preferred that the ratio of "large" fillers to "small" fillers is in the range of 60:40 to 75:25 by weight and / or 75:25 to 90:10 by volume.

[0060] In a specific embodiment, the filler comprises a natural non-porous filler material and at least one additional filler material, wherein the additional filler material may include an inorganic filler and / or a polymer filler. In a specific embodiment, the filler comprises a natural non-porous filler material and at least one additional filler material in a weight or volume ratio of 55:45 to 90:10. It is particularly preferred that the ratio of the non-porous filler material to the additional filler material is in the range of 60:40 to 75:25 by weight and / or 75:25 to 90:10 by volume.

[0061] The additional filler material can be any suitable inert material, but is typically a particulate material, such as at least one inorganic filler and / or at least one polymer filler. Suitable materials include sand, glass (e.g., borosilicate glass), silica, calcium carbonate, and other "inorganic" materials, such as minerals; and polymers, including natural, semi-synthetic, and synthetic polymers. Natural polymers can include polyphenol- and polysaccharide-based fillers, including lignin and cellulose-based fillers, such as wood dust, and carbohydrate-based fillers (e.g., wheat flour, rice flour, or corn flour). Synthetic polymers include polyolefins (e.g., polystyrene, polyethylene, or polypropylene), polyesters (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutyrate), polyamides, polyurethanes, and the like, and mixtures thereof. Expandable materials include hollow glass microspheres and expandable polymers (polymer foams), such as foamed latex, polyurethane foam, expanded polyvinyl chloride, expanded polystyrene, or expanded polyethylene, and copolymers containing any of these. A particularly suitable expandable material is "Expancel," a copolymer of vinylidene chloride, acrylonitrile, and methyl methacrylate, typically with isobutylene as the blowing agent.

[0062] In alternative embodiments, the "bulky" filler is free of or substantially free of inorganic or mineral fillers (e.g., natural or industrial minerals such as kaolin, silica, and / or perlite). In preferred embodiments, the non-porous filler material is free of or substantially free of inorganic natural or industrial minerals (e.g., kaolin, silica, and / or perlite). In specific embodiments, the filler is free of or substantially free of inorganic industrial minerals (e.g., kaolin, silica, and / or perlite, particularly kaolin).

[0063] Very suitable "small" fillers are finely powdered calcium carbonate or silica. Such fillers have no significant effect on the texture of the binder or moldable material, but can increase the volume of the binder component. The average particle size of such fine powder fillers ("small fillers") can be less than 20 μm (e.g., 0.5 μm to 20 μm), preferably less than 10 μm (e.g., 1 μm to 10 μm). An average particle size of 0.5 μm to 8 μm or 2 μm to 20 μm is very suitable for such small fillers, which can be formed from any filler material disclosed herein, in particular inorganic fillers such as silica or calcium carbonate. Such small filler particles can form the only filler (formed from a closed-cell filler material), but are typically used in combination with larger (closed-cell) filler materials.

[0064] Silica fillers, particularly hydrophobized silica fillers, are highly preferred mineral fillers for use as "small fillers" in combination with closed-cell fillers to form part of the filler component of the present invention. Such small particle silica fillers may be added in amounts ranging from about 1% to 30% by weight of all components in the composition. When such pre-filled compositions are added to a larger amount (particularly a larger volume) of another filler (see below for typical filler amounts), the small filler has a bulking effect and can also increase the adhesive effect of the binder without requiring more binder (e.g., a polymer or other component, such as a softener).

[0065] In an advantageous embodiment, the various products of the present invention may include "small fillers", such as hydrophobized fumed silica fillers or small particle calcium carbonate fillers, as well as any type of closed-cell filler as indicated herein. This provides advantages for the elasticity and firmness of the binder, particularly when the amount of small filler (e.g., hydrophobized fumed silica filler) is about 5 wt% to 30 wt% (e.g., 10 wt% to 25 wt% or 5 wt% to 15 wt%) of the total amount of filler and binder components. Preferred hydrophobized fumed silica fillers can comprise various particle sizes, including aggregates of small particles. The minimum size of typical aggregated fumed silica particles can be in the range of 1 μm to 100 μm, preferably around 5 μm to 50 μm.

[0066] All fillers, particularly mineral fillers, including glass, sand, silica, aluminum oxide and other mineral fillers, can be surface treated. There are many useful surface treatment methods that can improve various properties, such as performance and / or appearance. A preferred surface treatment is a hydrophobic surface treatment to "hydrophobize" the filler surface. Thus, glass, sand, silica and / or aluminum oxide that has been surface treated (e.g., hydrophobized) form preferred fillers in the present invention. Suitable surface treatments, particularly for silica-containing fillers, can include treatment with an alkoxysilane or silylalkanoate in an amount of 0.05 wt % to 0.2 wt % of the filler.

[0067] The moldable material of the present invention comprises at least one filler (including natural, closed-cell fillers) and at least one binder material. The ratio of binder material to filler material can vary greatly depending on the application of the moldable material. For example, the ratio of binder to total filler can range from 1:99 to 99:1 by weight to 1:99 to 99:1 by volume. This will vary depending on the nature of the binder, the nature of the filler, and the application of the material. For example, a binder:filler ratio of 2:98 to 98:2 or 5:95 to 95:5 may be suitable, as may a ratio of 90:10 to 10:90 or 75:25 to 25:75 (by weight or volume). When the filler consists of a natural closed-cell filler (typically 50% to 100% of the total filler volume) and optionally another low-density filler (such as hollow glass or polymer microspheres or blown polymer foam), the binder is typically the larger component by mass and the binder:filler ratio can be 50:50 to 98:2, for example a weight ratio of 60:40 to 95:5 or 70:30 to 90:10.

[0068] When the filler component comprises natural closed-cell fillers (typically 50% to 99% of the total filler volume) and additional fillers, such as inorganic fillers (e.g., silica) or polymeric fillers, the total density of the filler will be higher than the above values. In this case, the weight ratio of binder:filler may be 90:10 to 10:90, such as 60:40 to 40:60 or 70:30 to 30:70.

[0069] In preferred embodiments, the weight of the filler in the composition is greater than the weight of the binder. In particularly preferred embodiments, the weight ratio of filler to binder is in the range of 51:49 to 90:10, for example, 51:49 to 75:25. In preferred embodiments, the volume of the filler in the composition is greater than the volume of the binder. In particularly preferred embodiments, the volume ratio of filler to binder is in the range of 51:49 to 95:5, for example, 60:40 to 92:8. Particularly preferred are filler / binder volume ratios in the range of 70:30 to 95:5, for example, 80:20 and 90:10.

[0070] One potentially valuable use of the materials of the present invention is as a flame retardant. Natural fillers such as cork have high insulating properties and natural flame retardancy and can therefore be used as such in the materials of the present invention. The flame retardant properties of the material can be further enhanced by adding a second filling material, particularly an inorganic / mineral filler. Therefore, in one embodiment, the invention provides a flame retardant material as described in any embodiment or aspect herein, wherein the material comprises at least one granular, natural, closed-cell filler and optionally at least one mineral filler. Suitable closed-cell fillers include cork. Suitable mineral fillers include any of the ones discussed herein, including silica (e.g., sand) and / or calcium carbonate.

[0071] In the moldable composition and all aspects and embodiments of the present invention, a binder material is required.

[0072] Suitable binders for use in all aspects and embodiments of the present invention include silicone-based binders, polyester binders, polyamide binders, and substituted aliphatic polymer binders. Specific examples include polyesters such as polycaprolactone (optionally copolymerized with lactate monomers) and substituted aliphatic polymers such as polyvinyl acetate (homopolymer or copolymer). Silicone binders include polyalkylsiloxane binders, optionally crosslinked with materials such as alkylsilanoates.

[0073] In a preferred embodiment, the binder component comprises less than 10 wt%, such as less than 5 wt% of a polysaccharide (e.g., cellulose, starch). In another preferred embodiment (which can be combined with the previous embodiment), the binder component comprises less than 10 wt%, such as less than 5 wt% of a polyether (e.g., polyethylene glycol). In a preferred embodiment, the binder is free or substantially free of polysaccharides and polyethers.

[0074] In one embodiment, the moldable material of the invention comprises no (or substantially no) cellulose in solution.For example, the material of the invention may comprise less than 5 wt% (eg, 0 wt% to 5 wt%) cellulose in solution.

[0075] In one embodiment, the silicone adhesive can be formed from a polyalkylsiloxane such as polydimethylsiloxane (e.g., hydroxyl-terminated PDMS). Any suitable siloxane or mixture thereof can be used, for example, a siloxane with a MW between 1 kD and 50 kD, such as between 2 kD and 30 kD. A mixture of at least one low MW (e.g., 1 kD to 10 kD) siloxane and one higher MW (e.g., 12 kD to 30 kD) siloxane forms a suitable embodiment.

[0076] The crosslinking of the silicone binder can be partially covalent, for example with silylalkanoates (e.g., triacetoxysilane) or alkoxysilanes (e.g., trimethoxysilane or triethoxy(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)silane). Alternatively or additionally, crosslinking can be performed with boron compounds (e.g., boron compounds such as boric acid or sodium borate, or boron-containing ceramics or glasses such as borosilicate glass). In one embodiment, boron crosslinking and covalent crosslinking can be used simultaneously.

[0077] It has been discovered that moldable compositions formed from closed-cell natural particulate fillers can be effectively coated with a binder using less binder than is required for other natural fillers. Furthermore, the closed-cell or non-porous nature of the filler particles is believed to limit the absorption of binder, thereby reducing "drying out" of the material through migration of binder from the particle surface over time.

[0078] Binders typically include additional optional ingredients, such as softeners and / or anti-tack agents. The amount of softener and / or anti-tack agent in binder component a) depends on the nature of the polymer. If a softener is present, the amount of softener is typically less than 80% by weight of component a), with the remainder of the component being polymer. The softener content can range from 1% to 50% by weight or from 5% to 35% by weight.

[0079] The adhesive may be permanently flexible or may be "cured" by drying, heating, or curing (e.g., using ultraviolet light). Similarly, the adhesive may be flexible at room temperature or may require heating to become flexible. In one embodiment, the adhesive may be rigid at 20°C but flexible at 42°C.

[0080] Some preferred examples of the binder of component a) include: i) 30% to 70% of a polyvinyl acetate homopolymer, a polyvinyl acetate copolymer (e.g., copolymerized with at least one other vinyl ester), or a mixture thereof, and 30% to 70% of at least one hydroxylated or esterified softener (e.g., at least one glyceride and / or a C10-C22 branched or linear alkyl alcohol (e.g., a mono-, di-, or tri-ol). ii) 20% to 80% of at least one polyester homopolymer or copolymer (e.g., at least one caprolactone homopolymer or caprolactone copolymer) and 20% to 80% of at least one softener (e.g., MW50 to 500 amu). Suitable softeners may include at least one benzyl alcohol, benzyl ester, benzyl ether, and / or benzoic acyl group. iii) at least one covalently crosslinked siloxane polymer, which is optionally further crosslinked with up to 5 wt% (e.g., 0 wt% or 0.01 wt% to 0.5 wt%), in particular up to 0.5 wt% (e.g., 0 wt% or 0.01 wt% to 0.5 wt%, such as 0.1 wt% to 0.3 wt% or 0.15 wt% to 0.25 wt%) of boron. iv) at least one non-covalently crosslinked siloxane polymer (i.e., a polymer having no covalent crosslinks), which is crosslinked with up to 5 wt% (e.g., 0 wt% or 0.01 wt% to 5 wt%, such as 0.01 wt% to 0.5 wt% or 2 wt%, or 0.1 wt% to 1.0 wt%) of boron.

[0081] Adhesive ii) may be rigid at 20°C but flexible at 42°C.

[0082] In all embodiments i) to iv), all % above are based on the weight of the binder material.

[0083] In all embodiments utilizing boron crosslinking, the amount of boron referred to is the amount of boron available for crosslinking. This would be the total amount of simple compounds such as boric acid, but for boron present as part of the glass or ceramic material matrix (as shown in the Examples), it would be the amount available. For example, in borosilicate glass spheres, the boron content is less in the center of the particle, and the amount of "available" boron is about 4000 ppm to 8000 ppm by weight. About 5000 ppm is a typical amount. In all aspects of the present invention, the products and compositions may include at least one of various optional components, such as: c) pigment; d) glitter; e) mica or coated mica; f) fragrance; g) preservative; and / or h) flame retardant.

[0084] Each optional component has advantages that are useful and valuable in certain embodiments and certain applications and can be independently selected and used alone or in any combination where technically feasible. For clarity, various components are described herein individually, but can be used in combination to provide the compositions of the present invention with desirable properties.

[0085] Examples of each of these additives are well known to those skilled in the art. Glitter powders referred to herein include plastic film based glitter powders (eg polystyrene film glitter powders) or plastic free glitter powders (eg TiO2, fluorphlogopite, tin dioxide or mixtures thereof).

[0086] When additional components c) to h) or other additional components are present, their content is generally no more than 5 wt% (e.g. 0.01 wt% to 5 wt%) of the total composition. Preferably, no more than 2 wt% or no more than 1 wt%.

[0087] In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method for making any moldable material of the present invention. Suitable methods may include, for example, forming a suitable binder component a) (e.g., as described herein), heating or dissolving the binder, and then mixing the binder or binder solution with the particle filler component b) to at least partially coat the filler particles with the binder. The material may then be dried to remove the solvent as needed.

[0088] The moldable material should be capable of being molded at low temperatures. In a preferred embodiment, the moldable material can be molded between room temperature and 50° C., such as in the range of 18° C. to 45° C., for example, in the range of 21° C. to 42° C. or 25° C. to 37° C. “Moldable” is defined herein as being capable of being shaped without requiring excessive manual force (e.g., by manipulating the material in the user's hands).

[0089] As used herein, the terms "about," "approximately," "substantially," or "approximately" in connection with numbers or ranges of numbers generally indicate that the specified number or range is preferred, but that such numbers may vary within a certain range without materially affecting the properties of the relevant material, composition, method, or product. One skilled in the art will generally be able to readily determine the extent to which such numbers may vary without affecting the primary advantages of the invention. As a general guide, such numbers or endpoints of such ranges to which such terms refer may vary by ±20% or ±10%, preferably ±5%, and more preferably ±1%. A corresponding meaning may be given to a composition that "consists essentially of certain components," which composition may include, in addition to the specified components, up to 20% or up to 10%, preferably up to 5%, and most preferably up to 1% of other components. A composition described as comprising or consisting essentially of certain components includes disclosure of compositions consisting only of those components. Unless otherwise indicated or the context requires otherwise, all percentages herein are given by weight. Similarly, a material that is "substantially free" of another substance typically contains no more than 20% (i.e., 0% to 20%) of that substance, and preferably contains no more than 10%, no more than 5%, no more than 2%, or no more than 1% of the specified substance. Calculations may be by weight or volume, as appropriate, but are most commonly by weight unless the context indicates otherwise.

[0090] When reference is made herein to the density of a particulate material, this is meant to be bulk density wherever the context permits. Density generally refers to the density of the material "as used" rather than the density of the material after it has been crushed or ground to a powder before measurement.

[0091] Example

[0092] Table 1 Raw materials used in the examples.

[0093]

[0094]

[0095] Example 1 - PVAc binder

[0096] (i) 52.6 g of B500 / 40VL were melted and mixed with 36.5 g of Isofol 20, 4.6 g of MCT 60 and 6.4 g of Triacetin.

[0097] (ii) 42.6 g of binder (i) was mixed with 57.4 g of Cork (0.5-1.0) to obtain a viscous moldable material. The viscous moldable material was soft and elastic, and the material flowed and had an "alive" appearance.

[0098] (iii) 57.1 g of binder (i) was mixed with 42.9 g of Cork (0.2-0.5) to obtain a viscous moldable material. The viscous moldable material was soft and elastic, and the material flowed and had a "liquid" appearance.

[0099] (iv) 52.6 g of B500 / 40VL was melted and mixed with 36.5 g of Isofol 20, 8.3 g of MCT 60, and 6.4 g of Triacetin to obtain a slightly modified, softer binder (compared to binder (i)). 76.3 g of this binder was mixed with 23.7 g of Cork (0.2-0.5) to obtain a viscous moldable material. This material had less fluidity than (ii) and (iii), and therefore a less "fluid" appearance. Due to the higher volume fraction of the binder, the texture was doughy, but the softer texture made it easier to mold and form architectural structures with shapes.

[0100] Example 2 - PCL Adhesive

[0101] 36g of CAPA 6500 was melted and mixed with 64g of Benzoflex 988 to produce binder (v). This binder (v) was mixed with 35g of (vi) and 15g of Cork (0.5-1.0) or 35g of (vii) and 15g of Cork (0.2-0.5). While the binder was in the molten stage, both materials (vi and vii) could be molded at approximately 40°C. Once the structure was formed, it was allowed to stand and cool to room temperature, where it solidified into a rigid structure. The heating and molding process could be repeated to form new solid structures.

[0102] Both materials (vi and vii) are somewhat sticky in the molten stage (above 40° C.) This problem can be solved by adding about 1 wt% of AK10 to the materials.

[0103] Example 3 - Silicone Adhesive

[0104] Formulation (viii) was prepared by crosslinking 397 g of C2T with 3.5 g of ES23. The reaction occurred when the two components were mixed at a temperature of approximately 130°C. Crosslinking significantly increased the viscosity. 530 g of CDS100 was then added to the reaction vessel and mixed. The reaction was complete after three hours.

[0105] Formulations (ix), (x), and (xi) were prepared by mixing appropriate amounts of the first four components (Table 2) at a temperature of approximately 60°C. Radiacid 0406 was then added, melted, and properly mixed. HCl (9%) was added to the mixture and the water evaporated. Finally, SnS was added when present in the formulation. After proper mixing, the final materials (ix), (x), and (xi) had a doughy texture but also a "fluid" feel. These materials could be used to build structures when compressed, but had a fluffy appearance and flowability when gently manipulated (without excessive compressive force).

[0106] Table 2 Amounts of raw materials used in the examples of silicone-based adhesives

[0107]

[0108]

[0109] Example 4 - Comparison of cork and other natural filling materials

[0110] Binder type (i) (see Example 1) was used in mixtures xii through xx, and the properties of materials prepared with various organic fillers were compared. For comparison, mixture xxi was prepared using inert sand as a filler. Mixtures with different filler densities were compensated to compare similar volume fractions (binder to filler), as shown in Table 3.

[0111] The filler to binder ratio (by volume) used was approximately 88:12.

[0112] Before mixing with the binder, Sand (0.2) was surface treated to improve compatibility with the binder (i). First, an aqueous silane dispersion was prepared:

[0113] Weigh 5 g of silane (0.5 g of BS1701 and 4.5 g of XL10) and mix them in a beaker using a magnetic stirrer.

[0114] Under vigorous stirring, the silane (mixture) was added to 94.5 g of water and 0.5 g of HAc (24%) aqueous solution to form a coarse dispersion;

[0115] • Continue mixing (vigorously) for about 30 to 60 minutes, then contact with heated sand (below).

[0116] Then the sand surface is treated. Preparation of Sand (0.2) ST:

[0117] Heat 5 kg of sand in a stainless steel pot to 55 to 60°C.

[0118] Add 100 g of aqueous silane dispersion (about 5% silane in water) to the hot sand while stirring continuously.

[0119] Continue mixing until the water evaporates and the sand is dry.

[0120] Table 3 Density compensation formulations. After preparation (0 hours), all samples were viscous.

[0121]

[0122]

[0123]

[0124] Freshly prepared, all materials were doughy and well-molded, suitable for use in figurines and children's toys. The sawdust preparation had a slightly harder texture than the others and was not easily molded. The cork-filled sample was soft and had a particularly pleasant feel, while the samples made with ground bare corncobs and wood chips had an "angular" feel and were neither too soft nor too smooth.

[0125] After 15 hours, several formulations showed noticeable changes. Inert sand fillers and cork-based fillers appeared less affected by aging than formulations made with sawdust, wood chips, and ground bare corncobs. All samples showed continuous changes in material properties over time, with the exception of those prepared with inert sand or cork fillers.

[0126] Sample (xix) was further investigated, notably to show a gradual change in the material over time, becoming too "dry" and non-tacky to be used after 480 hours of storage. The "dry" sample appeared "wet," but it was clear that the binder had been unable to reach the surface of the filler particles. New additional binder was added to the "dry" sample in small proportions. Its properties were judged and compared with a freshly prepared reference sample. After six consecutive additions (equivalent to approximately 70% additional binder), the initial properties were restored. This indicates that a significant portion of the volume of the initially added binder had been absorbed by the filler particles and could no longer be accessed.

[0127] Example 5 - Replacement of natural non-porous fillers

[0128] Similar to cork, coconut fiber also appears to have a non-porous surface structure. The fibers were manually cut with scissors and then sieved to obtain a size-sorted fraction, with most fibers ranging from 1 mm to 5 mm in length - coconut fiber (1-5). The density of coconut fiber (1-5) was estimated by weighing the tapped volume. After adjusting to a volume ratio (binder to filler) similar to that of formulations xii to xxi, sample xxii (40 wt% binder (i) and 60 wt% coconut fiber (1-5)) was prepared.

[0129] The density of coconut shell fiber is known to be in the range of 1.1 g / mL to 1.5 g / mL when measured as a ground powder. The density herein is calculated based on unground coconut fiber. The calculated density is less than 0.2 g / mL.

[0130] Material xxii has a doughy texture and a soft, "fluffy" appearance. Due to the long fibers, it is not easy to mold. One way to address this problem is to use shorter fibers or to blend coconut fiber with particulate fillers, such as inorganic or polymer fillers or natural fillers such as cork.

[0131] Material xxiii was prepared by mixing equal volumes of samples xiii and xxii. The 1:1 mixture xxiii retained a significant portion of the "furry" appearance of xxii while adopting most of the molding properties of xiii.

[0132] Like cork, the coconut fiber-filled samples maintained their properties over the storage times investigated, with no changes observed after 15, 60, 240, or 480 hours.

[0133] When the sample was examined again a year later, it still had a texture that could be worked and molded. After treating the material (i.e., kneading it) for a few minutes, its texture returned to a state very similar to its initial texture.

[0134] Example 6 - Alternative Silicone Adhesive

[0135] The method of Example 3 was repeated using an alternative silicone-based adhesive. This adhesive was crosslinked only with boron (in the form of borosilicate glass spheres) and contained no significant covalent crosslinks.

[0136] Material (xxiv) (see table below) was prepared with cork (0.2-0.5) and was sticky and practical, but its texture was shorter than that of material (x). (x) and (xxiv) have very similar components, but differ in the balance of physical and covalent crosslinks. (x) has more covalent crosslinks in the lattice than (xxiv).

[0137] Table 4 Amounts of raw materials in the examples of alternative silicone-based adhesives (xxiv)

[0138] raw materials / gram / ％ Cork (0.2-0.5) 23 34.3 K37 15 22.4 C2T 12 17.9 CDS100 16 23.9 Isofol20 0.4 0.6 Radiacid0406 0.6 0.8 SnS 0.1 0.15 HCl (9%) 8.2 -

[0139] Finally, sample (xxv) was prepared based on ground corncobs. This formulation compensated for the different packing density compared to the sample:

[0140] raw materials / gram / ％ Corncobs (0.2-1) 69 61.0 K37 15* 13.3 C2T 12 10.6 CDS100 16 14.2 Isofol20 0.4 0.3 Radiacid0406 0.6 0.5 SnS 0.1 0.1 HCl (9%) 8.2 -

[0141] The sample (xxv) based on Corncobs (0.2-1) was too dry and had poor properties, in contrast to the corresponding sample (xxiv) based on Cork (0.2-0.5).

Claims

1. A moldable material comprising: a) at least one binder; and b) at least one particulate filler material; in, The filling material includes a natural non-porous filling material.

2. The moldable material according to claim 1, wherein The filler component b) consists of at least one natural non-porous filler material.

3. The moldable material according to claim 1, wherein The filler component b) comprises at least one natural non-porous filler material and at least one additional filler material selected from inorganic fillers and polymeric fillers.

4. The moldable material according to claim 3, wherein The weight ratio or volume ratio of the natural non-porous filling material to the at least one additional filling material is 5:45 to 90:

10.

5. A mouldable material according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The natural non-porous filling material does not contain any industrial or natural minerals, such as silica, kaolin or perlite.

6. A mouldable material according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The non-porous filling material includes a closed-pore filling material or consists of a closed-pore filling material.

7. A mouldable material according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein Of the surface area of ​​the filling material, less than 10% is formed by surface pores having a diameter greater than 2 μm and a depth greater than 100 μm.

8. A mouldable material according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The non-porous filling material includes at least one compressible natural material.

9. A mouldable material according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The closed-cell filler material comprises at least 10% suberin.

10. A mouldable material according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The filling material comprises or consists of bark or a bark derivative.

11. A mouldable material according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The non-porous filling material comprises cork or consists of cork.

12. A mouldable material according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The non-porous filling material comprises coconut fibers or consists of coconut fibers.

13. A mouldable material according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The non-porous filling material comprises or consists of a mixture of cork and coconut fibers.

14. A mouldable material according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The adhesive is selected from the group consisting of silicone-based adhesives, polyester adhesives, polyamide adhesives, substituted aliphatic polymer adhesives, and mixtures thereof.

15. A mouldable material according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The binder is selected from: i) 30% to 70% of a polyvinyl acetate homopolymer, a polyvinyl acetate copolymer, or a mixture thereof and 30% to 70% of at least one hydroxylated softener or esterified softener; ii) 20% to 80% of at least one polyester homopolymer of caprolactone or polyester copolymer of caprolactone and 20% to 80% of at least one softener (e.g., including at least one benzyl alcohol, benzyl ester, benzyl ether and / or benzoyl); or iii) at least one covalently crosslinked siloxane polymer, optionally further crosslinked with up to 5 wt% (e.g., 0.01 wt% to 0.5 wt%) boron; iv) at least one non-covalently crosslinked siloxane polymer crosslinked with up to 5 wt% (e.g., 0.01 wt% to 1.0 wt%) boron.

16. A mouldable material according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein Component a) contains no or essentially no polysaccharides (eg cellulose, starch) and / or polyethers (eg polyethylene glycol).

17. A mouldable material according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein Component a) comprises from 2% to 98% by weight of the composition.

18. A mouldable material according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein Component b) comprises from 2% to 98% by weight of the composition.

19. A mouldable material according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The weight and / or volume of component b) is greater than the weight and / or volume of component a).

20. A mouldable material according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The volume ratio of b) to a) is in the range of 51:49 to 95:5, for example 70:30 to 95:

5.

21. A mouldable material according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The composition comprises at least one optional component selected from the group consisting of: c) pigments; d) glitter powder; e) mica or coated mica; f) spices; g) preservatives; and / or h) Flame retardants.

22. A mouldable material according to any preceding claim, capable of being moulded at at least one temperature between 18°C ​​and 50°C.

23. A product selected from the group consisting of modeling compounds, art materials, children's toy materials, filling materials, building materials, packaging materials, insulation materials and / or flame retardant materials, the product comprising, consisting essentially of or consisting of the moldable composition of any of the preceding claims.

24. Use of the moldable composition according to any one of claims 1 to 22 as a molding compound, art material, children's toy material, filling material, construction material, packaging material, insulation material and / or flame retardant material.

25. A method for forming a mouldable material according to any one of claims 1 to 22, the method comprising combining a) a binder material with b) a particulate filler material, wherein a) and b) are as defined in any one of claims 1 to 22.

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