Flexible Hose Composition With High Post-Consumer Content
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flexible hoses made from thermoplastic elastomers have limited post-consumer material content, leading to high environmental and economic impacts due to expensive production and disposal, with existing formulations either having low post-consumer material percentages or high hardness issues.
Innovation Solution
A flexible hose is manufactured using a thermoplastic elastomer with a composition of 30-80% polymer matrix, 30-55% plasticising agent, 0-30% filler, and 0-10% additive, with a post-consumer material content of at least 50% by weight, achieving a balance of mechanical properties and environmental sustainability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If thermoplastic elastomers with limited post-consumer material are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but environmental impact increases and mechanical properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the compositional parameters of the thermoplastic elastomer by incorporating at least 50% post-consumer plasticising agent by weight, transforming the material from a low-recycled-content formulation to a high-recycled-content formulation that maintains mechanical properties while reducing environmental impact
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite thermoplastic elastomer formulation combining post-consumer plasticising agent with specific ratios of thermoplastic polymer (30-80%), elastomeric polymer (20-50%), and optional fillers (0-30%), achieving a material that simultaneously satisfies mechanical performance requirements and environmental sustainability goals
2Object-affected harmful factors
If thermoplastic elastomers with high post-consumer material content are used, then environmental impact is reduced, but hardness increases and mechanical properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent precisely controls the plasticising agent content at 30-55% by weight and elastomeric polymer at 20-50% by weight, optimizing these parameters to achieve the counterintuitive result of maintaining appropriate hardness and mechanical properties while using high post-consumer material content (at least 50%)
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different functional components with specific post-consumer content levels to different aspects of the material: the plasticising agent (at least 50% post-consumer) provides flexibility and processability, while the thermoplastic and elastomeric polymers provide structural integrity and mechanical strength, creating a differentiated quality distribution within the composite material
3Strength
If traditional thermoplastic elastomer formulations are used, then mechanical properties are maintained, but post-consumer material content remains low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the post-consumer material content parameter from traditional low levels (typically <10%) to at least 50% by weight, specifically in the plasticising agent component, while adjusting associated parameters (thermoplastic polymer 30-80%, elastomeric polymer 20-50%) to maintain mechanical properties
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the plasticising agent as an intermediary component that can be sourced from post-consumer materials (waste plastic processed into plasticising agents) and still fulfill its functional role in providing flexibility and processability, thereby enabling high post-consumer content without compromising mechanical properties
Data Source
AI summary
A thermoplastic elastomer for manufacturing a low environmental impact flexible hose for transporting fluids includes (A) 30%-80% by weight of a polymer matrix consisting of 10%-35% by weight with respect to the total weight of the thermoplastic elastomer of a first thermoplastic part (A1) and 20%-45% by weight with respect to the total weight of the thermoplastic elastomer of a second elastomeric part (A2); (B) 30%-55% by weight of a plasticizing agent; (C) 0%-30% by weight of a filler; and (D) 0%-10% by weight of an additive. The thermoplastic elastomer has a Shore A of 50 Sh A-85 Sh A and a percentage of post-consumer material greater than or equal to 50%. The thermoplastic elastomer is in an amount greater than or equal to 90% by weight on the total weight of the flexible hose.