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:
Dec. 13, 2016
Filed:
Dec. 11, 2012
Ford Global Technologies, Llc, Dearborn, MI (US);
Ellen Cheng-Chi Lee, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Angela Harris, Allen Park, MI (US);
Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A method of forming a natural fiber polymer composite includes the steps of introducing into an extruder a polymer, a natural fiber and a supercritical fluid to form a natural fiber polymer mixture; and extruding the natural fiber polymer mixture to form the natural fiber polymer composite at a temperature below a standard melting temperature of the polymer alone. The supercritical fluid may be introduced after the polymer is introduced into the extruder. The supercritical fluid may be introduced before or after the natural fiber is introduced into the extruder.