Thermoset and thermoplastic materials have provided significant performance advantages because of their relatively high strength compared to weight. This allows thermoplastic materials to be used in devices ranging from consumer items to complex industrial equipment. Pure thermosets and thermoplastics have a homogeneous internal composition and have minimal or no activity at a surface or phase boundary. The materials are also prone to "creep" as an applied load or the solid's own weight cause the solid to deform with time. Attempting to form a composite by mixing a vascular plant part and a plastic made from an ethane monomer produces a material in which the two components clump into large, separate phases to produce a weakened, unstructured solid with no surface activity, no wetting of woody interfaces, decreased binding strength even in the two phase solid, and degradation of the plant phase alone under attack by microorganisms.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds