Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

Patricia E Burdick

Bernard D Bauman

Rajendra K Mehta

Ground polymeric elastomer or other polymeric plastic, particularly from recovered scrap, is surface modified by treatment with a gaseous mixture containing a minor amount of fluorine and a larger amount of at leasts one reactive gas in an inert gaseous carrier. By the treatment the ground material is made more compatible for admixture with polyfunctional polymer-forming liquids, thereby obtaining novel composites of controlled physical properties. The other reactive gas is preferably oxygen or one of the gases from the group consisting of: chlorine and SO.sub.2 with or without added oxygen.

Polymeric materials having controlled physical properties

Ground polymer elastomer or other polymeric plastic, particularly from recovered scrap, is surface modified by treatment with a gaseous mixture containing a minor amount of fluorine and a larger amount of at least one reactive gas in an inert gaseous carrier. By the treatment the ground material is made more compatible for admixture with polyfunctional polymer-forming liquids, thereby obtaining novel composites of controlled physical properties. The other reactive gas is preferably oxygen or one of the gases from the group consisting of: chlorine and SO.sub.2 with or without added oxygen.

Polymeric materials having controlled physical properties and processes

In order to overcome the problems encountered in attempting to mix finely divided organic polymer materials into viscous polyol because of accompanying air entrainment, the polymer material is pretreated with a volatile liquid halocarbon or liquid hydrocarbon in an amount at least sufficient to wet the surfaces of the polymer particles. The halocarbon or hydrocarbon is one preferably otherwise employed as a blowing agent for the preparation of foamed resin polymers such as a polyurethane; particularly methylene chloride or a fluorocarbon (e.g. monofluorotrichloromethane). In accordance with an alternative embodiment the volatile treating liquid may be first mixed with the viscous polyol before addition of the ground material therein.

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Whitehall, PA, United States of America

Patricia E Burdick