초록 ▼

A fiber-reinforced and starch-based composition can be prepared by combining two fractions. The first fraction can include a gelatinized starch, water, and fibers, wherein the fibers are substantially homogenously mixed with the starch in an amount sufficient to structurally reinforce the mechanical

A fiber-reinforced and starch-based composition can be prepared by combining two fractions. The first fraction can include a gelatinized starch, water, and fibers, wherein the fibers are substantially homogenously mixed with the starch in an amount sufficient to structurally reinforce the mechanical characteristics of the starch-based composition. The second fraction is then combined with the first fraction, wherein the second fraction can include non-gelatinized starch, non-volatile plasticizer, and a water-resistant polymer. The composition is mixed so as to form a thermoplastic composition being capable of expanding when rapidly heated to above the boiling point of water and the softening point of the plasticized starch. Additionally, fiber-reinforced articles can be prepared from a method of processing the starch-based compositions. Such a method includes introducing the fiber-reinforced starch-based composition into a mold, and molding the composition into a fiber-reinforced article.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method of manufacturing a molded article comprising a dried thermoplastic starch-based and fiber-reinforced composition having homogeneously dispersed fibers,whereinthe dried thermoplastic starch-based and fiber-reinforced composition having homogeneously dispersed fibers is

What is claimed is: 1. A method of manufacturing a molded article comprising a dried thermoplastic starch-based and fiber-reinforced composition having homogeneously dispersed fibers,whereinthe dried thermoplastic starch-based and fiber-reinforced composition having homogeneously dispersed fibers is prepared according to a method comprising:mixing water, fibers, and gelatinized starch under high shear in order to yield a fibrous mixture having a substantially homogeneous fiber distribution; andintroducing additional components into the fibrous mixture after the fibers have been homogeneously distributed, wherein the introducing additional components includes:mixing non-gelatinized starch into the fibrous mixture;mixing a non-volatile plasticizer into the fibrous mixture so as to plasticize at least one of the gelatinized starch or non-gelatinized starch; andmixing a water-resistant polymer into the fibrous mixture so that the plasticized starch is capable of behaving in a thermoplastic manner, thereby forming a thermoplastic starch based and fiber reinforced composition having homogeneously dispersed fiberspelletizing the thermoplastic starch-based and fiber-reinforced composition having homogeneously dispersed fibersdrying the pelletized thermoplastic starch based and fiber reinforced composition to remove the water, thereby providing the dried thermoplastic starch-based and fiber-reinforced composition having homogeneously dispersed fibers in the form of non-expanded pelletsintroducing the non-expanded pellets into an injection mold; andinjection-molding the dried thermoplastic starch-based and fiber-reinforced composition having homogeneously dispersed fibers into an molded article.