US 12,220,879 B2
Lightweight thermoplastic composite products and methods of making same
Mingfu Zhang, Englewood, CO (US); Jieyu Hu, Littleton, CO (US); Lance Wang, Parker, CO (US); and Jawed Asrar, Englewood, CO (US)
Assigned to Johns Manville, Denver, CO (US)
Filed by JOHNS MANVILLE, Denver, CO (US)
Filed on Feb. 11, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/173,370.
Prior Publication US 2022/0250335 A1, Aug. 11, 2022
Int. Cl. B29C 70/02 (2006.01); B22D 41/02 (2006.01); B29C 70/50 (2006.01); B29K 33/00 (2006.01); B29K 101/12 (2006.01); B29K 105/16 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 70/025 (2013.01) [B22D 41/02 (2013.01); B29C 70/50 (2013.01); B29K 2033/12 (2013.01); B29K 2101/12 (2013.01); B29K 2105/16 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A lightweight polymer-based composite product comprising:
a first layer having a first exterior surface, the first layer comprising:
a polymer material body formed of an in-situ polymerized polymer having a density of at least 1.0 g/cm3; and
a lightweight filler material that is embedded in the polymer, wherein the lightweight filler material has a density of between 0.1 and 1.0 g/cm3;
a second layer having a second exterior surface that is positioned opposite the first exterior surface, the second layer comprising a polymer material body formed of the in-situ polymerized polymer;
wherein the lightweight filler material is separated from the second layer such that substantially all of the lightweight filler material is included in the first layer;
wherein the first exterior surface includes the lightweight filler material and the second exterior surface is free of the lightweight filler material;
wherein the second layer seamlessly transitions from the first layer due to a continuous matrix of the in-situ polymerized polymer throughout the first layer and the second layer; and
wherein the first layer has a density that is less than the second layer.