E. Khashoggi Industries, LLC

Bio-tec Biologische Naturverpackungen Gmbh & Co. Kg.

Icrete, LLC

Per Just Andersen

Simon K Hodson

Shaode Ong

Bruce J Christensen

Hamlin M Jennings

Bruce J Christiansen

Harald Schmidt

David A Dellinger

Matthew Laine

Kishan Chand Khemani

Kristopher Turner

Anthony J Kelzenberg

Amitabha Kumar

Denise S Miller

Sandeep Kumar

Kishan Khemani

A cementitious composite product that can function as a substitute for stone and solid surface materials, such as granite, marble, and engineered stone is provided. Furthermore methods for manufacturing the cementitious composite product using an extrudable cementitious composition that can be extruded or otherwise shaped into stone-like building products that can be used as a substitute for many known stone products is disclosed. In one embodiment, the cementitious composite products can be manufactured more cheaply to be as tough or tougher and more durable than stone and solid surface materials.

Extruded fiber reinforced cementitious products having stone-like properties and methods of making the same

Design optimization methods can be used to design concrete mixtures having optimized properties, including desired strength and slump at minimal cost. The design optimization methods use a computer-implemented process that is able to design and virtually 'test' millions of hypothetical concrete compositions using mathematical algorithms that interrelate a number of variables that affect strength, slump, cost and other desired features. The design optimization procedure utilizes a constant K (or K factor) within Feret's strength equation that varies (e.g., logarithmically) with concrete strength for any given set of raw material inputs and processing equipment. That means that the binding efficiency or effectiveness of hydraulic cement increases with increasing concentration so long as the concrete remains optimized. The knowledge of how the K factor varies with binding efficiency and strength is a powerful tool that can be applied in multiple circumstances. A concrete manufacturing process may include accurately measuring the raw materials to minimize variation between predicted and actual strength, as well as carefully controlling water content throughout the manufacturing and delivery process.

Methods and systems for manufacturing optimized concrete

Compositions, methods, and systems for manufacturing articles, particularly containers and packaging materials, having a fiber-reinforced, starch-bound cellular matrix. Suitable mixtures used to form the articles are prepared by first preparing a viscous preblended mixture comprising water, a gelatinized starch-based binder, and fibers having an average length greater than about 2 mm. The highly viscous preblended mixture effectively transfers the shearing forces of the mixer to the fibers. The final moldable mixture is then prepared by mixing into the preblended mixture the remaining starch-based binder, water, and other desired admixtures, e.g., mold-releasing agents, inorganic filler rheology-modifying agents, plasticizers, coating materials, and dispersants, in the correct proportions to form an article which has the desired performance criteria. The moldable mixtures are heated between molds at an elevated temperature and pressure to produce form-stable articles having a desired shape and a selectively controlled foamed structural matrix. The articles may be manufactured to have properties substantially similar to articles presently made from conventional materials like paper, paperboard, polystyrene, plastic, or other organic-based materials and have especial utility in the mass-production of containers, particularly food and beverage containers.

Compositions for manufacturing fiber-reinforced, starch-bound articles having a foamed cellular matrix

Biodegradable polymer blends suitable for laminate coatings, wraps and other packaging materials manufactured from at least one &ldquo;hard&rdquo; biopolymer and at least one &ldquo;soft&rdquo; biopolymer. &ldquo;Hard&rdquo; biopolymers tend to be more brittle and rigid and typically have a glass transition temperature greater than about 10&deg; C. &ldquo;Soft&rdquo; biopolymers tend to be more flexible and pliable and typically have a glass transition temperature less than about 0&deg; C. While hard and soft polymers each possess certain intrinsic benefits, certain blends of hard and soft polymers have been discovered which possess synergistic properties superior to those of either hard or soft polymers by themselves. Biodegradable polymers include polyesters, polyesteramides and thermoplastically processable starch. The polymer blends may optionally include an inorganic filler. Films and sheets made from the polymer blends may be textured so as to increase the bulk hand feel. Wraps will typically be manufactured so as to have good &ldquo;dead-fold&rdquo; properties so as to remain in a wrapped position and not spring back to an &ldquo;unwrapped&rdquo; and planar form. Laminate films will typically have good water vapor barrier properties as measured by the their Water Vapor Permeability Coefficient (WVPC).

Biodegradable polymer films and sheets suitable for use as laminate coatings as well as wraps and other packaging materials

Mold press apparatus for use in the manufacture of molded articles, particularly starch-bound containers and other articles. The mold press apparatus includes a planar array of female mold halves and a corresponding planar array of male mold halves. The planar array of mold halves remain substantially coplanar throughout the process of selectively mating and separating the male and female mold halves. When used to manufacture molded articles from aqueous starch-based compositions, the molds are equipped with venting means, such as vent holes and/or a vent gap, which allow for the escape of water vapor from the mold cavities defined by the mated male/female mold pairs. A suction removal system may be used to remove the molded articles from the mold press apparatus, typically from the female mold halves. The demolded articles are deposited on a conveyor system equipped with individual nests for each article.

Mold apparatus

Compositions and methods in which dry-committed fibers are substantially homogeneously dispersed throughout a fibrous composition. The fibrous composition is characterized as having sufficient yield stress and viscosity such that the shearing forces from the mixing apparatus are effectively transferred down to the fiber level. This is accomplished by means of an appropriate thickening agent, e.g, gelatinized starch. The dry-committed fibers are exemplified by flash dry fibers or fibrous sheets that have been cut or torn into fragments less than 2 cm across. Providing fibers that have been dry-committed greatly reduces the time that it takes to obtain substantially homogeneous dispersion of the fibers throughout the fibrous composition. This, in turn, reduces the risk of mixture spoilage and mechanical or chemical damage to the solid components within the fibrous composition.

Methods for dispersing fibers within aqueous compositions

A system for providing a desired quantity of a mold material into a mold. The system includes an accumulation system and a metering and delivery system. The accumulation system is a temporary reservoir which accepts and stores mold material and then provides the mold material to the metering and deliver system under pressure on demand The accumulation system is exemplified by a cylinder and a pneumatically actuated piston within the cylinder which is capable of selectively withdrawing and advancing so as to accept and then supply mold material under pressure. The metering and delivery system is exemplified by a metering cylinder and a pneumatically actuated metering piston within the cylinder that has a stroke length that defines a volume that substantially corresponds to the volume of mold material that is delivered to the mold. Adjustments to the stroke length of the metering piston may be made in order to fine tune the quantity of mold material that is placed into the mold. The system is particularly well suited for metering and delivering a desired quantity of a Binghamian pseudo-plastic fluid, such as an aqueous starch-based composition used to manufacture foamed, starch-bound articles of manufacture.

System for metering and delivering a moldable composition into a mold

Thermoplastic starch compositions that include a particulate filler, e.g. an inorganic filler component, and optional fibrous component The compositions include a thermoplastic phase comprising a thermoplastic starch melt that contains, at a minimum, starch blended with an appropriate plasticizing agent under conditions in order for the starch to form a thermoplastic melt. The thermoplastic phase may also include one or more additional thermoplastic polymers and other optional reactants, liquids or cross-linking agents to improve the water-resistance, strength, and/or other mechanical properties of the thermoplastic melt, particularly upon solidification. The inorganic filler component may affect the mechanical properties but will mainly be added to reduce the cost of the thermoplastic starch compositions by displacing a significant portion of the more expensive starch or starch/polymer melt. Fibers may optionally be included in order to improve the mechanical properties of the thermoplastic starch compositions. The thermoplastic starch compositions may be shaped into a wide variety of useful articles, such as sheets, films, containers, and packaging materials. Because the thermoplastic starch compositions will typically include a thermoplastic phase that is biodegradable, and because the other components will either constitute a naturally occurring mineral and optionally a natural fiber, the overall composition will typically be more environmentally friendly compared to conventional thermoplastic materials.

Thermoplastic starch compositions incorporating a particulate filler component

Compositions and methods for manufacturing sheets having a starch-bound matrix reinforced with fibers and optionally including an inorganic mineral filler. Suitable mixtures for forming the sheets are prepared by mixing together water, unmodified and ungelatinized starch granules, an auxiliary water-dispersible organic polymer, fibers, and optionally an inorganic mineral filler in the correct proportions to form a sheet having desired properties. The mixtures are formed into sheets by passing them between one or more sets of heated rollers to form green sheets. The heated rollers cause the auxiliary polymer to form a skin on the outer surfaces of the sheet that prevents the starch granules from causing the sheet to adhere to the rollers upon gelation of the starch. The green sheets are passed between heated rollers to gelatinize the starch granules, and then to dry the sheet by removing a substantial portion of the water by evaporation. The starch and auxiliary polymer form the binding matrix of the sheets with the fibers and optional inorganic filler dispersed throughout the binding matrix. The starch-bound sheets can be cut, rolled, pressed, scored, perforated, folded, and glued to fashion articles from the sheets much like paper or paperboard. The sheets are particularly useful in the mass production of containers, such as food and beverage containers.

Compositions and methods for manufacturing starch-based sheets

Compositions and methods for manufacturing sheets having a highly inorganically filled matrix. Suitable inorganically filled mixtures are prepared by mixing together an organic polymer binder, water, one or more inorganic aggregate materials, fibers, and optional admixtures in the correct proportions in order to form a sheet which has the desired performance criteria. The inorganically filled mixtures are formed into sheets by first extruding the mixtures and the passing the extruded materials between a set of rollers. The rolled sheets are dried in an accelerated manner to form a substantially hardened sheet, such as by heated rollers and/or a drying chamber. The inorganically filled sheets may have properties substantially similar to sheets presently made from traditional materials like paper, cardboard, polystyrene, plastic, or metal. Such sheets can be rolled, pressed, scored, perforated, folded, and glued. They have especial utility in the mass production of containers, particularly food and beverage containers.

Methods for the manufacture of sheets having a highly inorganically filled organic polymer matrix

Compositions and methods for manufacturing starch-based compositions

Compositions, methods, and systems for manufacturing articles, particularly containers and packaging materials, having a highly inorganically filled matrix. Suitable inorganically filled mixtures are prepared by mixing together an organic polymer binder, water, one or more aggregate materials, fibers, and optional admixtures in the correct proportions in order to form an article which has the desired performance criteria. The inorganically filled mixtures are molded to fashion a portion of the mixture into a form stable shape for the desired article. Once the article has obtained form stability, such as by heating to remove water by evaporation, the article is removed from the mold and allowed to harden to gain strength. The articles may have properties substantially similar to articles presently made from traditional materials like paper, paperboard, polystyrene, plastic, or metal. They have especial utility in the mass production of containers, particularly food and beverage containers.

Compositions used in manufacturing articles having an inorganically

Compositions and methods for manufacturing sheets having a starch-bound matrix, optionally reinforced with fibers and optionally including an inorganic mineral filler. Suitable mixtures for forming the sheets are prepared by mixing together water, unmodified and ungelatinized starch granules, a cellulosic ether, optionally fibers, and optionally an inorganic mineral filler in the correct proportions to form a sheet having desired properties. The mixtures are formed into sheets by passing them between one or more sets of heated rollers to form green sheets. The heated rollers cause the cellulosic ether to form a skin on the outer surfaces of the sheet that prevents the starch granules from causing the sheet to adhere to the rollers upon gelation of the starch. The green sheets are passed between heated rollers to gelatinize the starch granules, and then to dry the sheet by removing a substantial portion of the water by evaporation. The starch and cellulosic ether form the binding matrix of the sheets with the fibers and optional inorganic filler dispersed throughout the binding matrix. The starch-bound sheets can be cut, rolled, pressed, scored, perforated, folded, and glued to fashion articles from the sheets much like paper or paperboard. The sheets are particularly useful in the mass production of containers, such as food and beverage containers.

Sheets having a starch-based binding matrix

Compositions, methods, and systems for manufacturing articles, particularly containers and packaging materials, having a particle packed, highly inorganically filled, cellular matrix are disclosed. Suitable inorganically filled mixtures are prepared by mixing together a starch-based binder, a solvent, inorganic aggregates, and optimal admixtures, e.g., fibers, mold-releasing agents, rheology-modifying agents, plasticizers, coating materials, and dispersants, in the correct proportions to form an article which has the desired performance criteria. The inorganically filled mixtures have a predetermined viscosity and are heated between molds at an elevated temperature and pressure to produce form-stable articles having a desired shape and a selectively controlled cellular, structure matrix. The molded articles may be placed in a high humidity chamber to obtain the necessary flexibility for their intended use. The articles may be manufactured to have properties substantially similar to articles presently made from conventional materials like paper, paperboard, polystyrene, plastic, or other organic materials. They have especial utility in the mass-production of containers, particularly food and beverage containers.

Molded starch-bound containers and other articles having natural and/or

Compositions and methods for manufacturing sheets having a starch-bound matrix reinforced with fibers and optionally including an inorganic mineral filler. Suitable mixtures for forming the sheets are prepared by mixing together water, unmodified and ungelatinized starch granules, a cellulosic ether, fibers, and optionally an inorganic mineral filler in the correct proportions to form a sheet having desired properties. The mixtures are formed into sheets by passing them between one or more sets of heated rollers to form green sheets. The heated rollers cause the cellulosic ether to form a skin on the outer surfaces of the sheet that prevents the starch granules from causing the sheet to adhere to the rollers upon gelation of the starch. The green sheets are passed between heated rollers to gelatinize the starch granules, and then to dry the sheet by removing a substantial portion of the water by evaporation. The starch and cellulosic ether form the binding matrix of the sheets with the fibers and optional inorganic filler dispersed throughout the binding matrix. The starch-bound sheets can be cut, rolled, pressed, scored, perforated, folded, and glued to fashion articles from the sheets much like paper or paperboard. The sheets are particularly useful in the mass production of containers, such as food and beverage containers.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Barbara, CA, United States of America

Per Just Andersen