Composite material made from infiltrated natural materials

Abstract

Composite material comprising an infiltrable natural material made from renewable raw materials, the porous structure of which is penetrated by a polymerized infusion resin and which is embedded in a polymerized polymer matrix, wherein there is a chemical interlinking between the infusion resin and the polymer matrix.

Description

1. Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to a composite material and a process for its production using infiltrable natural materials from renewable resources. The invention belongs to the field of polymer-based natural material composites. 2. State of the art

[0002] Materials are known from the prior art in which wood materials are infiltrated with resins or combined with plastics. Composite materials with glass fibers or mineral fillers are also known. However, these materials have disadvantages with regard to sustainability, recyclability, design freedom, and visual diversity.

[0003] A composite material in which an infiltrated natural material made from renewable raw materials is both polymerized in its internal structure and embedded in a polymerized polymer matrix, and which manages entirely without glass fibers or mineral fillers, is not known. 3. Object of the invention

[0004] The object of the invention is to provide a sustainably producible composite material that has high mechanical properties, very high UV and color stability, design freedom and recyclability, without relying on glass fibers or mineral fillers. 4. Solution to the task

[0005] The problem is solved by a composite material comprising an infiltrable natural material made from renewable raw materials, whose porous structure is permeated with a polymerized infusion resin and which is embedded in a polymerized polymer matrix, with chemical cross-linking between the infusion resin and the polymer matrix. 5. Natural materials

[0006] Infiltrable natural materials within the meaning of the invention are all plant or biological materials from renewable raw materials which, due to their porous, capillary or fibrous structure, are suitable for the absorption of polymerizable resins.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the material is wood or wood derivatives. Natural fibers from renewable raw materials can be a component of the infiltrable natural material. 6. Material delimitation

[0008] The composite material does not contain glass fibers or mineral fillers. This distinguishes it significantly from known fiber-reinforced or mineral-filled plastics. 7. Lignin-stabilizing components

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the infiltration resin comprises lignin-stabilizing components which protect the wood's own lignin content from photochemical degradation and thereby ensure very high UV stability and color stability of the composite material. 8. Design and color properties

[0010] Both the infiltration resin and the polymerizable polymer matrix can be colored independently of each other. This opens up a wide range of optical design possibilities, depth effects, and design variations. 9. Areas of application

[0011] The composite material is particularly suitable for washbasins, bathtubs, shower trays, kitchen sinks, worktops, tables, cutting boards as well as profiles and semi-finished products.