The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 07, 2019
Filed:
Jul. 17, 2014
University of Maine System Board of Trustees, Bangor, ME (US);
Douglas J. Gardner, Brewer, ME (US);
Yousoo Han, Bangor, ME (US);
Yucheng Peng, Evansville, IN (US);
University of Maine System Board of Trustees, Bangor, ME (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides, among other things, compositions comprising nanofibrils, at least one maleic-anhydride (MA) copolymer and at least one matrix polymer, and methods of making such compositions. The provided methods and compositions allow for the production of composites with unexpectedly superior properties including improved impact resistance, tensile modulus of elasticity, tensile strength, and flexural modulus of elasticity as compared to previously known composites. In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods including the steps of providing cellulose nanofibrils, associating the cellulose nanofibrils with a maleic-anhydride (MA) copolymer to form a nanofibril-MA copolymer blend, preparing the nanofibril-MA copolymer blend for addition to a matrix polymer, and forming a composite by associating the nanofibril-MA copolymer blend with the matrix polymer, wherein the amount of cellulose nanofibrils in the composite is between 3% and 50% by weight of the composite.