Long Glass Fiber Reinforced Post-Consumer Carpet: Processing, Propertiesand Products

摘要

Post-consumer carpet is sorted by type of face fiber and shredded. The shreddedrnfibers contain at least 75 % face fiber; however, the remainder is a mixture ofrnpolypropylene backing fibers, latex binder, calcium carbonate filler and dirt. Long glassrnfiber is used to reinforce this partially purified waste stream, improving strength, stiffnessrnand toughness. The properties of long glass fiber reinforced post-consumer carpet arerncomparable to similarly reinforced virgin polymers.rnA coupled extrusion compounding and compression molding process has beenrndeveloped to produce reinforced plastic products. The fabrication of a bracket as arndemonstration product will be presented. To make this product either continuous orrnchopped glass fiber is fed to a counter-rotating, non-intermeshing, twin screw extruder tornprovide a hot perform for compression molding.