Iowa State University Research Foundation Inc

Textron Innovations Inc.

The Ohio State University

Kent Corporation

Midwest Acrylated Processes, LLC

Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

David Allen Grewell

Avraham Benatar

Edward W Lee

Eric William Cochran

Nacu Hernandez

Michael Forrester

Jeff Underwood

James A Schrader

Joseph J Marcinko

William Graves, Jr

Gowrishankar Srinivasan

R Chris Williams

Somayajulu Venkata Satya Gandikota

Andrew Becker

Spent filter media material may be blended with a classic material, such as high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene succinate, or polylactic acid, to form a filled plastic composition. The spent filter media may include spent diatomaceous earth, spent perlite, and/or residues thereof. The composition may be performed by co-extruding a mixture of the plastic material and the spent filter media. Surprisingly, the spent filter media may be used as-supplied and without the need to dry the material. The resulting plastic composite material has numerous uses, including, for example, litter scoops and eating utensils.

Plastic composition with spent filter media filler

The present invention relates to an adhesive comprising a thermoplastic polyacrylated glycerol polymer, water, and a cross linker that is reactive with the polyacrylated glycerol polymer. This adhesive is useful in the formation of cellulosic products including oriented strand board (OSB), particle board, oriented structural straw board, chipboard, plywood, laminated veneer lumber (LVL), pressed wood, glued laminated timber (glulam), cross-laminated timber (CLT), and other wood products. Methods of producing the adhesive and cellulosic products are also disclosed.

Thermoplastic poly acrylated glycerol adhesives useful in cellulosic products

To better control part quality of 3D printed parts, the temperature of an extruder filament using a secondary heat source is provided. A heat source, such as an infrared heat source, can be used to heat the filament of a 3D printer to the optimum temperature that will enhance welding of the filament to a substrate that it is being printed on or to. Such an optimum temperature can be based upon, in part, the temperature of the substrate. A controller or other intelligent control can be used to receive temperature readings of the substrate and/or filament and then can adjust the temperature of the heating source to optimize the temperature of the filament to better combine the filament to the substrate.

Closed loop 3D printing

This invention relates to bio-renewable fertilizer compositions and methods of making and using the bio-renewable fertilizer compositions. In particular, the fertilizer compositions include biodegradable nutrient carriers, which have naturally derived, bio-renewable nitrogen content. The fertilizer compositions also contain biodegradable stabilizer.

Biodegradable fertilizer

The invention provides energy efficient depolymerization of polyesters such as post-consumer polylactic acid. Ultrasonic induced implosions can be used to facilitate the depolymerization. The expanding market of polylactic acid-based plastic products, such as water bottles and packaging materials, has raised concerns of contaminating the recycling stream, which is largely filled with petroleum-based plastics. Thus the development of an energy efficient and economically viable PLA recycling process is urgently needed. Post consumer PLA was exposed to methanol as the suspension media in the presence of organic or ionic salts of alkali metals such a potassium carbonate and sodium hydroxide as depolymerization catalysts to provide high quality lactic acid monomers in high yield.

Depolymerization of polylactic acid

A method for ultrasonic debulking a composite laminate includes the steps of defining a path across the laminate, the path having a starting location and an ending location and applying a force to and transmitting ultrasonic vibration into the laminate along the path, beginning at the starting location and ending at the ending location. The method further includes determining a temperature of a surface of the laminate proximate to the path and varying at least one of an amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration, the applied force, a feed rate at which the force and the ultrasonic vibration are applied along the path, an angle at which the ultrasonic vibration is applied to the laminate, and an interval at which plies of the laminate are processed, based upon the determined temperature of the surface of the laminate.

Apparatus and method for ultrasonic processing of laminates

A method for ultrasonic debulking a composite laminate () includes the steps of defining a path () across the laminate, the path having a starting location and an ending location and applying a force () to and transmitting ultrasonic vibration () into the laminate along the path, beginning at the starting location and ending at the ending location. The method further includes determining a temperature of a surface () of the laminate proximate to the path and varying at least one of an amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration, the applied force, a feed rate at which the force and the ultrasonic vibration are applied along the path, an angle at which the ultrasonic vibration is applied to the laminate, and an interval at which plies of the laminate are processed, based upon the determined temperature of the surface of the laminate.

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Ames, IA, United States of America

David Allen Grewell