Polymer Emulsion Binder for Sand Composition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional modeling clays and sand compositions face issues with stickiness, greasiness, and inability to maintain shape due to wax-based binders, which soften at increased temperatures, making them unsuitable for long-term use and handling by children.
Innovation Solution
A material composition with a binder comprising a mixture of ethylene vinyl acetate polymer and polyisobutylene, forming two solid phases - a harder, configurationally stable phase and a softer, plastic phase at room temperature, allowing for moderate softness and easy deformation, while maintaining shape and being non-toxic and easy to handle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If wax-based binder is used in sand composition, then the material shows good formability at low temperatures, but the material becomes sticky and softens at increased temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the binder by using a polymer emulsion instead of traditional wax-based binder. The polymer emulsion maintains plasticity at room temperature for easy forming while providing thermal stability to prevent softening at elevated temperatures, thus resolving the contradiction between formability and temperature stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite binder system comprising polymer emulsion with specific composition (polymer content, emulsifier content, pH value) that combines the advantages of plasticity and thermal resistance. This composite material approach allows the binder to exhibit both easy deformability at low temperatures and shape retention at high temperatures.
2Ease of operation
If traditional modeling clay is used, then the material is soft and formable, but it becomes excessively soft and loses shape after prolonged use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the rheological parameters of the modeling material by incorporating polymer emulsion with controlled viscosity and polymer content. This creates a material that maintains optimal softness for prolonged periods without becoming excessively soft, enabling both easy forming and long-term shape stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces traditional organic-based modeling clays with a synthetic polymer emulsion system that offers superior durability and reusability. The polymer-based binder does not deteriorate quickly like traditional clays, allowing the material to maintain its properties throughout its service life.
3Strength
If wax binder is used to hold grains together, then the material is hard at low temperatures, but it becomes greasy and sticky requiring extensive processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition and physical state of the binder by using polymer emulsion instead of solid wax. The polymer emulsion provides adequate binding strength while maintaining non-greasy, non-sticky handling properties, eliminating the need for extensive processing to achieve workable consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical binding action of solid wax with the adhesive properties of polymer emulsion. The polymer-based binder creates stronger molecular adhesion between grains while presenting a clean, non-greasy surface that is easy to handle and shape.
4Strength
If sand composition with binder coating is used, then the grains adhere together, but the material is freely running and must be pressed together extensively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the parameters of the polymer emulsion including polymer content (10-50%), emulsifier content (1-20%), and pH value (3-7) to achieve the perfect balance between cohesion and workability. This allows the material to maintain grain adhesion while remaining sufficiently plastic for easy shaping without extensive pressing.
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 material composition maintains consistent softness and tackiness, allowing for easy shaping and handling by children, and can be hardened for durability, preventing collapse under temperature changes and reducing greasiness, making it suitable for various applications including sculptures and aquarium decorations.
Implementation Method 1
A material composition with a binder comprising a mixture of ethylene vinyl acetate polymer and polyisobutylene, forming two solid phases - a harder, configurationally stable phase and a softer, plastic phase at room temperature
Implementation Method 2
a softer phase being plastic and readily deformable at temperatures below the melting point of the binder
Implementation Method 3
the components included in the binder being heated above their respective melting points and mixed
Implementation Method 4
heated above their respective melting points
Implementation Method 5
maintaining shape and being non-toxic and easy to handle... preventing collapse under temperature changes
Data Source
AI summary
A material composition comprises, on the one hand, a particulate material and, on the other hand, a binder which is provided as a coating on the material particles. The binder has at least two solid phases (13, 14), of which one harder phase (14) is configurationally stable and a softer phase (13) is plastic and readily deformable at temperatures below the melting point of the binder. A method for producing the above material comprises the steps that at least two components included in the binder are melted and mixed, whereafter kneading takes place during cooling. The material composition is usable, for example, as a play material, educational material, for sculptures or prototypes or as landscape architectonic material.