Illinois Institute of Technology

Fyodor Shutov

Hamid Arastoopour

George K Ivanov

A method of making a molded biodegradable food receptacle product including the steps of grinding up non-toxic agricultural waste plant material like soy, rice, oat and wheat hulls into particles having a range of sizes so that, if compressed in a mold, the smaller particles substantially fill the spaces between the much larger ones. Where necessary, there is added to the particles a natural and biodegradable binder-forming material, like an edible vegetable oil which will bind like a food receptacle the particles together to form a leak-proof receptacle, when inserted into a mold and compressed by the mold walls at elevated temperatures will produce compact well bound together particles. Without any chemical or physical pretreatment of the ground particles and particle-binder feed mix, the unpretreated mix, with or without small amounts of coloring, aromatic or foaming agents, is fed into a pressure-applying mold. The initial pressure and temperature preferably squeezes inherent binding-forming oils from the preferably seed hulls which freely flow through the mix. The high pressure is then partially reduced and the mold temperature is elevated to maximize the binding action of the binder materials as they solidify.

Method for producing biodegradable products

A process and apparatus for pulverization of natural and synthetic polymeric material by heating to a pre-melt or softening temperature below its melting point, cooling and applying high normal and shear stresses sufficient to form fine powder, and fluidizing the powder in a gas stream preventing its agglomeration. The same process and apparatus is suitable for enhancement of reactivity of polymeric and solid monomeric material to form homopolymers, copolymers, and new polymeric materials.

Solid state shear extrusion pulverization

A process and apparatus for pulverization of natural and synthetic polymeric material by heating to a pre-melt or softening temperature below its melting point, cooling and applying normal and shear stresses sufficient to form fine powder, and fluidizing the powder in a gas stream preventing its agglomeration. The same process and apparatus is suitable for enhancement of reactivity of polymeric and solid monomeric material to form homopolymers, copolymers, and new polymeric materials.

A process and apparatus for pulverization of thermosetting, crosslinked thermoplastic and natural polymeric materials by applying normal and shear stresses by oppositely rotating meshing conical screws sufficient to form fine powder. The process may be conducted at relatively low temperatures, and in the case of many materials, at ambient or near ambient temperature and pressure conditions. The fine powder may be fluidized to aid in its discharge.

Growing community of inventors

Downers Grove, IL, United States of America

Fyodor Shutov