FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method for manu ^¬ facturing a material composition. Further, the invention relates to a material composition. Further, the invention relates to a use of the material composi ^¬ tion. Further, the invention relates to a composite product.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Known from prior art are different rejects in the waste paper treatment. Typically the rejects are waste, and they are incinerated or are disposed.

OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION

The objectives of the invention are to dis ^¬ close a new method for manufacturing a material compo- sition and a new type material composition. Further, the objective of the invention is to disclose a new method for utilizing rejects from a waste paper treat ^¬ ment and for manufacturing new type products. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The method for manufacturing a material composition according to the present invention is characterized by what is presented in claim 1.

The material composition according to the present invention is characterized by what is present ^¬ ed in claim 19.

The use of the material composition according to the present invention is characterized by what is presented in claim 20. The composite product according to the pre ^¬ sent invention is characterized by what is presented in claim 22. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The accompanying figures, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and constitutes a part of this specification, illus- trate some embodiments of the invention and together with the description help to explain the principles of the invention. In the figures:

Fig. 1 is a flow chart illustration of a method according to one embodiment of the present in- vention,

Fig. 2 is a flow chart illustration of a method according to one embodiment of the present in ^¬ vention,

Fig. 3 is a flow chart illustration of a method according to one embodiment of the present in ^¬ vention,

Fig. 4 is a flow chart illustration of a method according to one embodiment of the present in ^¬ vention, and

Fig. 5 is a flow chart illustration of a waste paper treatment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the present invention, a material composi ^¬ tion (7) is manufactured from a starting material (1) . The starting material (1) including a reject from waste paper treatment is treated (2,10) to form a dried material component (3) and/or ash based compo- nent (11, 13) . At least one of the dried material com ^¬ ponent (3) and ash based component (11, 13) is mixed (6) with a polymer based component (4), and in one em ^¬ bodiment with a coupling agent (5) , in order to form the material composition (7) .

Some process embodiments of the present in- vention are presented in figures 1 to 4.

In this context, the starting material 1 may comprise any reject from waste paper treatment. The starting material includes one or more reject compo ^¬ nent from waste paper treatment. The starting material may include also other components, agents and com ^¬ pounds. In one embodiment, the starting material in ^¬ cludes a mineral fraction in the reject of the waste paper treatment. In this invention the starting material includes 95 - 100 % by weight, preferably about 100 % by weight, reject components. Preferably, the starting material mainly consists of reject component or components. The starting material may be in the form of sludge, slurry, suspension or their combination.

In this context, the reject means any reject, residue, residue flow and/or side flow from a waste paper treatment. In one embodiment the reject may be dewatered and/or dried. The reject may be in the form of sludge, slurry, suspension or the like.

In one embodiment, the reject is reject or residue from a deinking process. A typical waste paper treatment process is presented in figure 5. In one em ^¬ bodiment the reject comprises RCF reject (recycled fi ^¬ ber reject) . In this context, RCF reject means any RCF reject or deinking reject, or any sludge or any combi- nation of different RCF rejects from RCF process, i.e. from re-circulated fiber plant, in which waste paper is treated. The reject may include minerals used in paper coating, filler and printing inks, and fibers, fines, sticky materials like starch, latex and other adhesive or adhesives, and other inorganic components and/or small amount of other components, preferably other reject components. In one embodiment the reject is high solid sludge in which dry solid content may be about 50 - 70 %. In one embodiment the reject is low solid sludge. In one embodiment the reject can be de- watered to form the high solid sludge before a use as the reject based component in the method of the pre ^¬ sent invention. In one embodiment, the reject may be treated in the dewatering by means of a gravitation table, disc filter, pressure apparatus and/or screw press or the like before the method of the present in- vention.

Typically the reject, such as RCF reject, from a waste paper treatment comprises coarse screen ^¬ ing reject, pre-screening reject, first flotation reject, fine screening reject, dissolved air flotation reject and/or second flotation reject. The pre- screening reject and/or coarse screening reject come from the pre- and/or coarse screens of the deinking plant. The pre- and coarse screening reject may in ^¬ clude fibers, fines, sticky materials, minerals, other inorganic components and their combinations. The flo ^¬ tation and fine screening rejects may include miner ^¬ als, fibers, fines, sticky materials, other inorganic components and their combinations.

In one embodiment, the reject is selected from the group consisting of waste paper treatment re ^¬ ject, coarse screening reject, pre-screening reject, flotation reject, fine screening reject, dissolved air flotation reject and their combinations.

The dissolved air flotation reject includes residue or residues from the dissolved air flotation process in connection with the waste paper treatment and/or paper manufacturing. The residue from the dissolved air flotation process may be in the form of slurry, suspension or the like. The dissolved air flo- tation (DAF) process is a water treatment process that clarifies wastewaters or other waters by the removal of suspended matter such as solids or in some embodi- ment oils or other matter. The removal is achieved by dissolving air in the water or wastewater under pressure and then releasing the air at atmospheric pres ^¬ sure in a flotation tank or basin. The released air forms tiny bubbles which adhere to suspended matter causing the suspended matter to float to the surface of the water where it may then be removed by a skim ^¬ ming device. In the wastepaper treatment the dissolved air flotation process is used for cleaning or purify- ing the process waters coming e.g. from RCF pulp thickening. In the paper manufacturing the dissolved air flotation process is used for cleaning or purifying the process waters. A water-carrying reject, e.g. process water or wastewater, from the waste paper treatment or paper manufacturing is supplied into the dissolved air flotation process, and the slurry or suspension residue from said process is called as a dissolved air flotation reject. In one embodiment the dissolved air flotation process may be used in connec- tion with the thickening after the flotation and/or the fine screening in the waste paper treatment.

In this context, the dried material component (3) means the starting material which is dried. The dried material component is formed from one or more starting material component.

In one embodiment, the dried material compo ^¬ nent (3) is formed from the starting material (1) by drying (2) . Preferably, the starting material is in the form of sludge, slurry or suspension, and it is dried to form the dried material component. In one em ^¬ bodiment, the dried material component (3) is in the form of sludge, preferably in the form of dried sludge .

In one embodiment, the starting material (1) is dewatered and/or dried to form a dried material compo ^¬ nent (3). In one embodiment, the starting material (1) is dewatered or dried at one or more drying stages (2) . In one embodiment, water, preferably free water, is removed from the starting material (1) mechanically in the dewatering. In one embodiment, the starting ma ^¬ terial (1) is dried in one or more steps, preferably after the dewatering in order to remove bound water which cannot be removed mechanically.

In one embodiment, the dry content of the dried material component (3) is over 30 %, preferably over 50 %, after the dewatering and/or the drying (2) . In one embodiment, the dry content of the dried mate ^¬ rial component (3) is between 60 to 99 ~6 , in one em bodiment between 70 to 99 % and in one embodiment be ^¬ tween 80 to 99 %, after the dewatering and/or the drying (2) . In one embodiment, the dry content of the dried material component (3) is between 90 to 99 %, preferably between 95 to 99 %, after the dewatering and/or the drying (2) .

In one embodiment, the dewatering and/or drying (2) can be made by means of device selected from the group: gravitation table, disc filter, screw press, wire press, double wire press, indirect dryer, direct sludge dryer, paddle dryer, flash dryer, fluid- ized bed dryer, cyclone dryer, air dryer, air grinder, rotor mill, centrifugal mill, air turbulence mill, air turbulence dryer and other suitable dryers and other suitable mills, and their combinations. Also other drying devices are possible. In one embodiment, a dry ^¬ ing device can also act as a grinder. In one embodi ^¬ ment, a grinder can act as a drying device.

In one embodiment, a mineral fraction is sep ^¬ arated from the dried material component (3) before the manufacturing the material composition (7) of the present invention. In one embodiment, the dried mate ^¬ rial component (3) includes the fraction from which the mineral fraction has been separated. In one embod ^¬ iment, the dried material component (3) includes the separated mineral fraction. In one embodiment, the dried material component (3) is the separated mineral fraction. The separation of the mineral fraction may be carried out such as described in patent application PCT/FI2013/050704.

In one embodiment, the dried material compo ^¬ nent (3) includes one or more dried material compo ^¬ nents. In one embodiment, the dried material component (3) includes at least one dried material component as such and at least one dried material component from which the mineral fraction has been separated. In one embodiment, the dried material component (3) includes at least one dried material component as such and the separated mineral fraction. In one embodiment, the dried material component (3) includes at least one dried material component as such and at least one dried material component from which the mineral frac ^¬ tion has been separated and at least one separated mineral fraction.

In one embodiment, the dried material compo- nent (3) includes the mineral fraction. In one embodi ^¬ ment, the dried material component (3) is the mineral fraction .

In this context, the ash based component (11,13) is formed from the starting material by com- busting the starting material to form the ash which is used as such as the ash based component (11) or which is treated to form the ash based component (13) . The ash based component comprises one or more ash based component (11,13) . The ash formed from reject of the waste paper treatment, such as RCF-ash, differs from usual power plant ashes. Main difference in the ash formed from reject of the waste paper treatment, such as RCF-ash, is the CaO-amount which is around 15 - 30 % by weight of the ash. Colour of the ash formed from reject of the waste paper treatment, such as RCF-ash, is light grey which gives many possibilities to die the plastic composite product. In one embodiment, the ash based component

(11) is formed from the starting material (1) so that the starting material is combusted (10) to form the ash based component.

In one embodiment, the ash based component

(13) is formed from the starting material (1) so that the starting material is combusted (10) to form the ash and the ash is treated in at least one treatment step

(12) to form the ash based component. The ash may be treated in one or more treatment step (12) . The treat ^¬ ment step may be selected from the group consisting of grinding, fatty acid treatment, hydrophobic treatment and their combination. The ash may be treated by means of any suitable method, e.g. by means of any method presented in patent application PCT/FI2013/050934. In one embodiment, the ash is treated by fatty acid se ^¬ lected from the group consisting of stearic acid, oleic acid, myristic acid, caprylic acid, any other fatty acid and their combinations. In one embodiment, content of fatty acid is 0.1 - 5 % by weight of the ash. In one embodiment, the ash, e.g. its surface, is treated so that the ash becomes hydrophobic. This treatment can be made by means any method known per se and/or by means of any suitable agents, e.g. lipid, fatty acid, carboxylic acid, dispergation agents, hydrophobic agents or any other suitable agents.

In one embodiment, the starting material (1) is combusted (10) to form the ash and the ash is treated by fatty acids in at least one treatment step (12) . In one embodiment, the starting material (1) is combusted (10) to form the ash and the ash is treated by fatty ac ^¬ ids in more than one treatment step (12) .

In one embodiment, the starting material (1) is combusted (10) to form the ash and the ash is treated by grinding in at least one treatment step (12) . In one embodiment, the starting material (1) is combusted (10) to form the ash and the ash is treated by grinding in at least two treatment step (12) . In one embodiment, the grinding is dry grinding, wet grinding or other suitable grinding method. The grinding may be made by means of any suitable grinding method, e.g. by means of any grinding method presented in patent applications PCT/EP2013/069949 and PCT/EP2013/069948. In one embod ^¬ iment, the mean particle size of the ash based compo ^¬ nent (13) is 0.01 - 100 ym, in one embodiment 0.01 - 50 ym, and in one embodiment 0.01 - 20 ym, after the grinding. In one embodiment, the mean particle size of the ash is 0.01 - 100 ym, in one embodiment 50 - 100 ym, after the combustion and before the grinding.

In one embodiment, the starting material (1) is combusted (10) to form the ash and a part of the ash is treated by fatty acids and a part of the ash is treated by grinding in at least one treatment step (12) .

In one embodiment, the starting material (1) is combusted (10) to form the ash and the ash is treated by grinding and by fatty acids in at least one treatment step (12) .

In one embodiment, the ash based component (13) includes ash based components from one or more treatment step.

In one embodiment, the dried material compo- nent (3), the ash based component (11) formed by only the combustion (10) or the ash based component (13) formed by the combustion (10) and at least one treat ^¬ ment step (12) is mixed (6) with a polymer based com ^¬ ponent (4) in order to form the material composition (7) . In one embodiment, more than one of the dried ma ^¬ terial component (3), the ash based component (11) formed by only the combustion (10) and the ash based component (13) formed by the combustion (10) and at least one treatment step (12) are mixed (6) with a polymer based component (4) in order to form the mate ^¬ rial composition (7) . In one embodiment, the dried ma ^¬ terial component (3) and the ash based component (11) and/or at least one treated ash based component (13) are mixed (6) with a polymer based component (4) . In one embodiment, the dried material component (3) and the ash based component (11) are mixed (6) with a pol- ymer based component (4) . In one embodiment, the dried material component (3) and the ash based component (13) are mixed (6) with a polymer based component (4) . In one embodiment, the dried material component (3) and the ash based component (11) and at least one treated ash based component (13) are mixed (6) with a polymer based component (4) . In one embodiment, the ash based component (11) and at least one treated ash based component (13) are mixed (6) with a polymer based component (4) .

In one embodiment, the ash based component

(11, 13) includes coal ash (14) . In one embodiment, the coal ash (14) is mixed with the ash based compo ^¬ nent (11) formed by only the combustion (10) and/or the ash based component (13) formed by the combustion (10) and at least one treatment step (12) .

In one embodiment, the coal ash (14) is used as a component and it is mixed (6) with a polymer based component (4), and in one embodiment with a cou ^¬ pling agent (5) , and with at least one of the dried material component (3), the ash based component (11) formed by only the combustion (10) and the ash based component (13) formed by the combustion (10) and at least one treatment step (12) in order to form the ma ^¬ terial composition (7) .

In one embodiment, the polymer based compo ^¬ nent (4) is thermoplastic based component. In one em ^¬ bodiment, the thermoplastic based component includes high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, polypropylene or their combinations. In one embodi- ment, the polymer based component is recycled plastic. In one embodiment, the polymer based component is se ^¬ lected from the group consisting of high density poly- ethylene, low density polyethylene, polypropylene, re ^¬ cycled plastic, recycled polyethylene, recycled poly ^¬ propylene and their combinations. In one embodiment, the polymer based component is rubber, such as syn- thetic rubber, natural rubber or their combination.

In one embodiment, at least one of the dried material component (3) and ash based component (11, 13) is mixed with a polymer based component (4) and a coupling agent (5) in order to form the material com- position (7) . In one embodiment, the coupling agent is selected from the group consisting of maleic anhy ^¬ dride, modified maleic anhydride, silane, other suita ^¬ ble coupling agent and their combinations. In one em ^¬ bodiment, the material composition (7) contains the coupling agent (5) .

In one embodiment, the material composition (7) contains 1 - 80 % by weight the dried material component (3) and/or ash based component (11, 13) . In one embodiment the material composition contains 5 - 20 % by weight the dried material component (3) and/or ash based component (11, 13) . In one embodiment the material composition contains over 20 % by weight, preferably over 30 % by weight, more preferably over 40 % by weight, the dried material component (3) and/or ash based component (11, 13) . In one embodi ^¬ ment, the material composition may contain suitable additives, such as reinforcing agents, plastizisers, fillers, accelerators, activators, catalysts, other suitable additives used in composites or their combi- nations.

The material composition 7 of the invention is used as a raw material or as a raw material compo ^¬ nent in different final products, e.g. composites. In one embodiment, the material composition is used as component, such as filler, in the composite product. In one embodiment, the composite product, e.g. pallet, tote, spool, pail, automotive component or the like, is formed from the material composition. The composite product can be manufactured by any suitable method, e.g. by extrusion, moulding, injection moulding, blow moulding or other suitable method or their combina- tions.

A technical effect of the invention is that different rejects from a waste paper treatment can be utilized. The materials of the fractions can be reused and then environmental load decreases. The present in- vention provides products including material composi ^¬ tion with good quality. The method of the present in ^¬ vention offers a possibility to prepare the products from the rejects cost-effectively and energy- effectively. By means of the starting material includ- ing rejects can be replaced at least a part of the plastic or polymer based material in the composites. The method according to the present invention is easy and simple to realize as a production process.

The method according to the present invention is suitable for use in the manufacture of the differ ^¬ ent products from different rejects.

EXAMPLES

The invention is described in more detail by the following examples with reference to accompanying figures .

Example 1

In this example, which is shown in figure 1, a material composition (7) is manufactured from a starting material (1) . The starting material (1) in ^¬ cluding a reject from waste paper treatment is treated (2) to form a dried material component (3) . The dried material component (3) is formed by drying (2) the starting material (1) which is in the form of sludge. The dried material component (3) is mixed (6) with a polymer based component (4) and a coupling agent (5) in order to form the material composition (7) .

Example 2

In this example, which is shown in figure 2, a material composition (7) is manufactured from a starting material (1) . The starting material (1) in ^¬ cluding a reject from waste paper treatment is treated (10) to form an ash based component (13) .

The ash based component (13) is formed from the starting material (1) so that the starting material is combusted (10) to form ash and the ash is treated by grinding and/or by fatty acid treatment to form the ash based component (13) .

At least one ash based component (13) is mixed (6) with a polymer based component (4) and a coupling agent (5) in order to form the material composition (7) . In one embodiment, a coal ash (14) is also added to the material composition (7) .

Example 3

In this example, which is shown in figure 3, a material composition (7) is manufactured from a starting material (1) . The starting material (1) in ^¬ cluding a reject from waste paper treatment is treated (10) to form ash based components (11, 13) .

The ash based component (11) is formed from the starting material (1) so that the starting material is combusted (10) to form the ash which is used as such as the ash based component (11) . The ash based compo ^¬ nent (13) is formed from the starting material (1) so that the starting material is combusted (10) to form ash and the ash is treated by grinding and/or by fatty acid treatment to form the ash based component (13) .

The ash based components (11, 13) are mixed

(6) with a polymer based component (4) and a coupling agent (5) in order to form the material composition

(7) . In one embodiment, a coal ash (14) is also added to the material composition (7) .

Example 4

In this example, which is shown in figure 4, a material composition (7) is manufactured from a starting material (1) . The starting material (1) in ^¬ cluding a reject from waste paper treatment is treated (2,10) to form a dried material component (3) and at least one ash based component (11, 13) . The dried ma ^¬ terial component (3) is formed by drying (2) as pre ^¬ sented in Example 1. The ash based components (11, 13) are formed as presented in Examples 2 and 3.

The dried material component (3) and at least one ash based component (11, 13) are mixed (6) with a polymer based component (4) and a coupling agent (5) in order to form the material composition (7) . In one embodiment, a coal ash (14) is also added to the mate ^¬ rial composition (7) .

The material compositions (7) of Examples 1 - 4 can be used as components or as raw material in the manufacturing of final products, such as composites. Example 5

In this example, properties of composite products are researched and determined from the compo ^¬ site products of the present invention and reference samples .

The composite products are formed from mate ^¬ rial composition (7) which is manufactured from a starting material (1) . The starting material (1) in ^¬ cluding a RCF-reject is treated (2,10) to form a dried material component (3) and ash based components (13) . The dried material component (3) is formed by drying (2) as presented in Example 1. The ash based compo ^¬ nents (13) are formed as presented in Examples 2 and 3. The first ash based component is formed from the RCF-reject so that the RCF-reject is combusted to form the ash which is ground so that the mean particle size of the first ash based component is 10 - 15 ym. Prod ^¬ uct 2 of the first ash based component is ground in the second grinding step and mean particle size of product 2 is 2 - 4 ym. The second ash based component is formed from the RCF-reject so that the RCF-reject is combusted and treated by grinding and by stearic acid treatment or caprylic acid treatment. The second ash based component is ground so that the mean particle size of the second ash based component is 10 - 15 ym after the combustion and the first grinding. The sec- ond ash based component is ground in the second grind ^¬ ing step. The mean particle size of the second ash based component is 2 - 4 ym after the second grinding.

The dried material component (3) , the first ash based component and/or the second ash based compo- nent (13) is mixed (6) with polyethylene component (4) and a coupling agent (5) in order to form the material composition (7) . The material composition is used as raw material in the manufacturing of composite prod ^¬ uct. In the first tests, the composite product is man- ufactured by means of 1-screw extruder for forming granulates and by means of an injection moulding for forming the composite product from the granulates. In the second tests, the composite product is manufac ^¬ tured by means of 2-screw extruder for forming granu- lates and by means of an injection moulding for forming the composite product from the granulates. The reference composite products have been manufactured in a similar way than the composite products of the pre ^¬ sent invention.

In the first tests, tensile stress and flex- ure stress are determined from the composite products formed from the material composition including 20 % the first ash based component or 20 % by weight the second ash based component and from the reference com ^¬ posite products including 20 % by weight talcum. The all composite products contain 78 % by weight polyeth ^¬ ylene and 2 % by weight maleic anhydride as coupling agent. Results are described in table 1.

Table 1

Composition Tensile stress, Flexure stress,

MPa MPa

Reference product 20.5 23.1

Product 1 with 20.1 21.5

first ash based

component

Product 2 with 20.7 21.3

first ash based

component

Product 3 with 19.9 21.1

second ash based

component + stearic acid treatment

Product 4 with 20.2 21.4

second ash based

component +

caprylic acid

treatment From the tests it is observed that tensile stress and flexure stress of the composite products according to the present invention are in a similar level in comparison with reference product.

In the second tests, tensile stress and flex ^¬ ure stress are determined from the composite products formed from the material composition including 10 % or 50 % by weight the dried material component (3) and from the reference composite products including 10 % or 50 % by weight talcum. The composite products con ^¬ tain 88 % or 48 % by weight recycled polyethylene and 2 % by weight maleic anhydride as coupling agent. Re ^¬ sults are described in table 2. Table 2

From the tests it is observed that tensile stress and flexure stress of the composite products according to the present invention are in a similar level in comparison with reference products.

Example 6; In this example, properties of composite products are researched and determined from the compo ^¬ site products of the present invention and reference samples .

The composite products are formed from mate ^¬ rial composition (7) which is manufactured from a starting material (1) . The starting material (1) in ^¬ cluding a RCF-reject is treated (2,10) to form a dried material component (3) and ash based components (11, 13) and mineral fraction component. The dried material component (3) is formed by drying (2) as presented in Example 1. The mineral fraction component is formed by separating from the dried material component. The ash based components (11, 13) are formed as presented in Examples 2 and 3. The first ash based component (11) is formed from the RCF-reject so that the RCF-reject is combusted to form the ash (mean particle size is about 10 ym) which is used as such as the ash based com ^¬ ponent (11) . The second ash based component (13) is formed from the RCF-reject so that the RCF-reject is combusted and treated by grinding (mean particle size is about 4 ym) .

The dried material component (3) , the first ash based component (11), the second ash based compo- nent (13) and/or the mineral fraction component is mixed (6) with natural rubber (4) in order to form the material composition (7) . Further, the material compo ^¬ sition contains activators, such as stearic acid and zinc oxide, and vulcanizing agents, such as sulphur and CBS (cyclohexyl benzothiazolesulfenamide) acceler ^¬ ator. Further, the material composition contains CB (carbon black) reinforcing filler and oil (plas- tiziser) . The material composition is used as raw material in the manufacturing of composite product.

The composite product is manufactured by means of mixing and vulcanization. The mixing is per- formed in an intermeshing mixer so that firstly the natural rubber is fed into the mixer for masticating and then reinforcing filler and/or the dried material component (3), the first ash based component (11), the second ash based component (13) or the mineral frac ^¬ tion component are fed into the mixer. After that the activators and oil are added. The formed lump of the rubber is transferred to the two-roll mill where vul ^¬ canizing agents are mixed into the rubber. From the two-roll mill the rubber compounds come out as rough sheets. The rubber compounds are vulcanized in large heated press at temperature 150 °C. The reference com ^¬ posite products have been manufactured in a similar way than the composite products of the present inven- tion.

In the tests, tensile strength, elongation at break, tear strength and shore A hardness are determined from the composite products formed from the ma ^¬ terial composition. The composite products of the pre- sent invention contain the dried material component or the first ash based component or the second ash based component 10, 25 or 50 weight portion and correspond ^¬ ingly CB reinforcing filler 40, 25 or 0 weight portion. One of the composite products contains the min- eral fraction component 50 weight portion and CB rein ^¬ forcing filler 0 weight portion. The reference compo ^¬ site product contains CB reinforcing filler 50 weight portion. The all composite products contain natural rubber 100 weight portion and zinc oxide 5 weight por- tion and stearic acid 2 weight portion. Further, the all composite products contain CBS 1.5 weight portion, sulphur 1.5 weight portion and oil 5 weight portion. Results are described in table 3. Table 3 Composition Tensile Elongation Tear Shore A strength at break, strength hardness , MPa , kN/m

Reference 22.6 389 9.7 57

Product 10 with 15.4 375 14.8 51 dried material

component 10 +

40 CB

Product 11 with 13.4 373 10.8 47 dried material

component 25 +

25 CB

Product 12 with 12.0 474 6.1 55 dried material

component 50 + 0

CB

Product 13 with 18.0 377 11.4 49 first ash based

component 10 +

40 CB

Product 14 with 14.5 472 9.0 45 first ash based

component 25 +

25 CB

Product 15 with 14.8 566 2.9 37 first ash based

component 50 + 0

CB

Product 16 with 18.7 456 10.5 47 second ash based

component 10 +

40 CB

Product 17 with 16.9 514 8.9 43 second ash based

component 25 +

25 CB Product 18 with 15.4 630 6.4 33 first ash based

component 50 + 0

CB

Product 19 with 15.6 486 4.5 50 mineral fraction

component 50 + 0

CB

From the tests it is observed that tensile strength, elongation at break, tear strength and shore A hardness of the composite products according to the present invention are in a similar level in comparison with reference product.

Example 7;

In this example, properties of composite products are researched and determined from the compo ^¬ site products of the present invention and reference samples .

The composite products are formed from mate- rial composition (7) which is manufactured from a starting material (1) . The starting material (1) in ^¬ cluding a RCF-reject is treated (2,10) to form ash based components (11, 13) . The ash based components (11, 13) are formed as presented in Examples 2 and 3. The first ash based component (11) is formed from the RCF-reject so that the RCF-reject is combusted to form the ash (mean particle size is about 10 ym) which is used as such as the ash based component (11) . The second ash based component (13) is formed from the RCF-reject so that the RCF-reject is combusted and treated by grinding (mean particle size is about 4 ym) .

The first ash based component (11) or the second ash based component (13) is mixed (6) with EPDM (ethylene propylene diene) rubber (4) in order to form the material composition (7) . Further, the material composition contains oil (plastiziser) and activators, such as stearic acid and zinc oxide, and vulcanizing agents, such as sulphur, ZDBC (zinc dibutyl dithiocar- bamate) accelerator and CBS (cyclohexyl benzothia- zolesulfenamide) accelerator. Further, the material composition contains CB (carbon black) reinforcing filler or CaC0 ₃ filler. The material composition is used as raw material in the manufacturing of composite product .

The composite product is manufactured by means of mixing and vulcanization. The mixing is performed in an intermeshing mixer so that reinforcing filler and/or the first ash based component (11) or the second ash based component (13), and oil and acti ^¬ vators are fed into the mixer. After that EPDM is add ^¬ ed. The formed lump of the rubber is transferred to the two-roll mill where vulcanizing agents are mixed into the rubber. From the two-roll mill the rubber compounds come out as rough sheets. The rubber com ^¬ pounds are vulcanized in large heated press at temper ^¬ ature 150 °C. The reference composite products have been manufactured in a similar way than the composite products of the present invention.

In the tests, tensile strength, elongation at break, tear strength and shore A hardness are determined from the composite products formed from the ma ^¬ terial composition. The composite products of the pre- sent invention contain the first ash based component or the second ash based component 40, 100 or 200 weight portion and correspondingly CB reinforcing filler 160, 100 or 0 weight portion. The first refer ^¬ ence composite product contains CB reinforcing filler 200 weight portion. The second reference composite product contains CaC0 ₃ filler 200 weight portion. The all composite products contain EPDM rubber 100 weight portion and zinc oxide 5 weight portion and stearic acid 2 weight portion and oil 60 weight portion. Fur ^¬ ther, the all composite products contain CBS 1 weight portion, ZDBC 2 weight portion and sulphur 1 weight portion. Results are described in table 4.

Table 4

Composition Tensile Elongation Tear Shore A strength at break, strength hardness , MPa , kN/m

Reference, in6.5 173 4.3 73 cluding CB

Reference, in4.5 933 3.5 27 cluding CaC03

Product 20 with 2.4 123 3.9 66 first ash based

component 40 +

160 CB

Product 21 with 4.0 339 10.3 55 first ash based

component 100 +

100 CB

Product 22 with 2.6 661 5.5 37 first ash based

component 200 +

0 CB

Product 23 with 2.7 126 2.7 61 second ash based

component 40 +

160 CB

Product 24 with 3.9 417 9.7 50 second ash based

component 100 +

100 CB Product 25 with 3.9 804 4.9 31 first ash based

component 200 +

0 CB

From the tests it is observed that tensile strength, elongation at break, tear strength and shore A hardness of the composite products according to the present invention are in a similar level in comparison with reference products.

From the all tests it was observed that dif ^¬ ferent material compositions can be manufactured from different rejects. Further, it was observed that com ^¬ posite products can be manufactured from the material compositions. The products had good properties. Fur ^¬ ther, reject handling costs can be decreased by means of the invention.

The method according to the present invention is suitable in different embodiments to be used for manufacturing the most different kinds of products. The material composition according to the present in- vention is suitable in different embodiments to be used in different final products.

The invention is not limited merely to the example referred to above; instead many variations are possible within the scope of the inventive idea de- fined by the claims.