Composite building material produced from reclaimed thermoplastic powders and recycled glass

摘要

An improved heat-cured composite material for casting building products is disclosed together with an associated method of making same from a dry mixture of reclaimed thermoplastic powders and selectively-formed particles of recycled glass, the recycled glass particles being ground into irregular shapes having non-rounded edges and sorted by size before being deposited with a silane coating. The recycled glass particles can range in size from ¾″ mesh to 100 mesh and may be employed in substantially similar sizes within a single batch mixture of the material or in a combination of differing mesh sizes to selectively vary the mechanical properties of the composite material and its resultant product. The reclaimed thermoplastic powders are screened for contaminants and treated with compatibility agents as necessary prior to mixture with the glass particles. Minor portions of a flame retardant material and a coloring agent may be further added and blended to the mixture prior to casting. Upon blending, the mixture of the composite material is placed in an object specific mold corresponding to the resultant product and heated gradually to the curing temperature of the thermoplastic powders, typically about 350° F., for a specified dwell time before any surface treatment is applied and the product released from the mold.