Composite Panel Using Polymer Granules for Structural Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current compact laminate boards, primarily composed of paper impregnated with thermosetting phenolic resins, are costly and over-engineered for certain applications, necessitating the development of less expensive and more available alternatives with differentiating properties, while the high usage of paper, such as kraft paper, incurs significant economic and production costs.
Innovation Solution
A composite panel is created using a core made from a mixture of recycled or unrecycled polymer granules, such as those from end-of-life tire rubber, mixed with a bonding element like a polyurethane pre-polymer, which provides strong binding, high moisture resistance, and reduced volatile organic compound release, significantly reducing the need for paper and lowering production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If paper sheets impregnated with thermosetting phenolic resins are used to produce compact laminate boards, then excellent mechanical properties and impermeability are achieved, but production costs and material availability issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition parameters by replacing paper sheets with polymer granules (such as rubber granules from tire recycling) as the core material, while maintaining the impregnation process with thermosetting resins. This parameter change achieves similar mechanical properties and impermeability while dramatically reducing production costs and utilizing recycled materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system combining polymer granules (recycled or virgin) with thermosetting phenolic resins. This composite approach maintains the excellent mechanical properties and impermeability of traditional compact laminate boards while eliminating the need for expensive paper sheets, thereby resolving the cost issue.
2Strength
If large quantities of paper, such as kraft paper, are used in compact laminate boards, then structural integrity is maintained, but economic and production costs significantly increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the core material parameter from paper sheets to polymer granules. This substitution maintains structural integrity through the combination of granule packing density and resin bonding, while reducing paper usage from dozens of sheets to zero, thereby eliminating the associated economic and production costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes recycled polymer granules (particularly from tire recycling) as a cost-effective alternative to expensive kraft paper. These granules provide the necessary structural properties when combined with thermosetting resins, while being significantly cheaper and more environmentally friendly than traditional paper materials.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composite panel offers a cost-effective and sustainable solution with enhanced moisture resistance, reducing paper usage from dozens to less than ten sheets per compact, making it suitable for various structural and decorative surfaces, including bathroom and kitchen applications, while maintaining high performance.
Implementation Method 1
the bonding element providing for the bonding of the granules of a polymeric material
Implementation Method 2
the PU pre-polymer also has attractive characteristics such as high moisture resistance
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is enclosed in the area of panels for structural and decorative surfaces, in particular panels containing polymer-based materials, suitable for the coating of surfaces, for example, and containing such polymer-based materials in the respective layers. The present invention may relate to the integration of polymer granules, recycled or unrecycled, being particularly relevant when the granules are obtained from end-of-life polymer-based materials, for instance obtained from car tires into the core of compact laminate boards. It is therefore an object of the present invention a composite panel (100) for structural and decorative surfaces wherein it comprises a core panel, the core panel (10) comprising a mixture of granules of a polymeric material and a bonding element (1), the bonding element providing for the bonding of the granules of a polymeric material.