Performance infill for grass fields, process for the production thereof, and grass fields comprising said performance infill
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current eco-friendly performance infills for artificial turf, such as those made from plant materials, deteriorate rapidly and require frequent refilling, failing to meet durability and performance standards, especially with the prohibition of thermoplastic elastomers and vulcanized rubbers under new European regulations.
Innovation Solution
A performance infill comprising mineral fillers like calcium carbonate, plant components like cellulose and lignin, and renewable materials like polylactic acid, combined in an extrusion process to create durable, long-lasting, and eco-friendly granules that maintain elasticity and resistance, adhering to FIFA diameter requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If plant materials (coconut fibres, cork, corn) are used for performance infill, then the infill is eco-friendly and meets new European regulations, but the infill deteriorates rapidly and requires frequent refilling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining plant-derived polymers (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin) with inorganic fillers (calcium carbonate, silica) and crosslinking agents. This creates a hybrid material that maintains the eco-friendly nature of plant materials while significantly improving durability through the reinforcing effect of inorganic components and crosslinked network structure, resolving the contradiction between eco-friendliness and durability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of plant materials through extraction, purification, and crosslinking processes. By transforming raw plant materials into purified polymers and then crosslinking them, the material's structural stability and resistance to deterioration are enhanced, allowing the infill to meet both eco-friendly requirements and durability standards
2Reliability
If thermoplastic elastomers and vulcanized rubbers are used for performance infill, then the infill maintains excellent elasticity and durability, but production is prohibited under new European regulations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces prohibited synthetic rubber materials with renewable, biodegradable plant-based polymers. While plant materials traditionally have shorter service lives, the patent's crosslinking technology extends their durability to match or exceed synthetic alternatives, creating an eco-friendly infill that is both sustainable and long-lasting
Solution Approach 2:
The patent fundamentally changes the material composition from synthetic polymers to plant-derived polymers, altering the chemical structure while maintaining mechanical performance through crosslinking. This parameter change enables the infill to be both eco-friendly (biodegradable, renewable) and durable (resistant to deterioration)
3Stability of the object's composition
If plant materials are used for performance infill, then the infill is renewable and eco-friendly, but the infill has low specific weight and requires refilling every two years
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates composite materials by integrating plant polymers with inorganic fillers and crosslinked networks. This composite structure increases the specific weight and structural stability of the infill, preventing rapid deterioration and reducing refilling frequency while maintaining the renewable and eco-friendly characteristics of the plant-based components
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses crosslinking agents as intermediaries to form bridges between plant polymer chains and inorganic filler particles. This intermediary action creates a unified, stable network structure that enhances the overall durability and weight of the infill, extending service life from two years to potentially decades while preserving eco-friendliness
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 solution provides a fully vegetable, eco-friendly infill that maintains excellent elasticity, resistance to wear, and ball-bouncing properties without the need for frequent refilling, ensuring continuous efficiency and durability of the artificial turf.
Implementation Method 1
ii.c) thrust - through an extrusion screw - and melting the mixture obtained from ii.b), wherein said mixture obtained from ii.b) is molten to 60% of the total amount of the mixture; ii.d) thrust - through an extrusion screw - and total melting of the mixture obtained from ii.c), amalgamating the mixture and recovering the extruded product
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C~2D
AI summary
Performance infill for artificial turf, wherein said performance infill comprises: - mineral filler selected from the group consisting of: talc, calcium carbonate, silica, barite, preferably calcium carbonate, wherein said filler is comprised in the range from 5-50% by weight, preferably 20-50% by weight; - plant component selected from the group consisting of: cellulose and derivatives, lignin, hemicellulose, sisal, cotton and mixtures thereof, wherein said plant component is comprised in the range from 0-50% by weight, preferably 20-50% by weight, and said plant component is in extruded and/or loose form; - renewable raw material, preferably polylactic acid (PLA), wherein said renewable raw material is comprised in the range from 0-50% by weight, preferably 0.5-50% by weight; - coloured pigment comprised in the range from 0-1% by weight; wherein the sum of said the components is equal to 100% by weight; and wherein said performance infill always comprises at least plant component and renewable raw material and/or mixtures thereof.