Coal-Plastic Composite Formulation for Low Water Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wood plastic composites (WPCs) face issues such as ultraviolet light degradation, fungal attack, discoloration, fire hazards, heat-freeze cycles, and humidity, limiting their solid content to 30% due to wood's low thermal stability and high water absorption, making them costly and difficult to recycle.
Innovation Solution
Reinforcing thermoplastic materials with pulverized coal to create coal plastic composites (CPCs) that utilize coal's resistance to water absorption and fire, along with coupling agents like MAPE and MAPP, resulting in materials with high flexural strength, tensile strength, thermal stability, and low water absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If wood is used as filler material in WPCs, then the composite utilizes beneficial properties from wood, but water absorption increases and thermal stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the filler material parameter from wood to coal, which fundamentally alters the composite's properties. Coal provides high thermal stability and low water absorption while maintaining acceptable mechanical strength, thus resolving the contradiction between strength and thermal stability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material using coal as the filler component combined with thermoplastic resin. This composite approach allows the material to leverage the high thermal stability and low water absorption of coal while maintaining the structural integrity provided by the polymer matrix
2Quantity of substance
If wood content in WPCs is increased to reduce cost, then filler percentage increases, but ultraviolet light degradation, fungal attack, discoloration, and fire hazards worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter of the filler from wood to coal. Coal's carbon-based structure provides inherent resistance to ultraviolet degradation and fungal attack, allowing high filler content without the harmful effects associated with wood-based composites
3Quantity of substance
If wood content in WPCs is increased to reduce cost, then filler percentage increases, but fire hazards increase due to low thermal stability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thermal properties parameter of the filler material from wood to coal. Coal's high thermal stability and fire resistance allow the composite to achieve high filler content while eliminating the fire hazard problems inherent in wood-based WPCs
4Ease of manufacture
If wood is used as filler material, then the composite is readily available and low-cost, but recycling becomes difficult due to low thermal stability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thermal stability parameter of the filler from wood to coal. This enables the composite to withstand higher processing temperatures during recycling, making the material recyclable while maintaining availability and cost-effectiveness
Data Source
AI summary
A composite is formed from a combination of a polymer and pulverized coal and optionally a compatibilizing agent. The coal forms from about 10 to about 80% of the composite. The composite is form by blending the pulverized coal with the polymer to form the composite.