| CPC B32B 37/04 (2013.01) [B27N 3/002 (2013.01); B27N 3/007 (2013.01); B27N 3/02 (2013.01); B27N 3/10 (2013.01); B27N 3/203 (2013.01); B27N 3/24 (2013.01); B29C 35/16 (2013.01); B32B 27/20 (2013.01); B32B 29/005 (2013.01); B32B 37/1054 (2013.01); B32B 37/24 (2013.01); E04C 2/20 (2013.01); E04D 3/35 (2013.01); E04D 12/002 (2013.01); B29C 2043/5808 (2013.01); B29C 2043/5816 (2013.01); B29C 2043/5825 (2013.01); B29K 2105/26 (2013.01); B29L 2007/002 (2013.01); B32B 2250/05 (2013.01); B32B 2250/40 (2013.01); B32B 2260/028 (2013.01); B32B 2260/046 (2013.01); B32B 2264/04 (2013.01); B32B 2264/062 (2013.01); B32B 2272/00 (2013.01); B32B 2305/70 (2013.01); B32B 2419/06 (2013.01)] | 16 Claims |

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1. A method comprising:
pressing a mat comprising a blend of paper and plastic fragments, wherein the pressing comprises:
applying a pressure to the mat using a heated press such that the mat is compressed to a first thickness, wherein the pressure is greater than a critical pressure threshold such that at least a portion of a moisture content of the mat is in a super-heated liquid state;
maintaining the pressure on the mat above the critical pressure threshold until at least a portion of the plastic fragments of the mat are melted; and
decreasing the pressure on the mat below the critical pressure threshold such that the mat expands to a second thickness greater than or equal to a target thickness, and such that the portion of the moisture content of the mat in the super-heated liquid state is converted to steam.
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