Patent ID: 6833399
Filing Date: 2004-12-21
Classification: D01G,Y10T

Abstract:
A blend of flax bast fibers and flax shives adapted for use as a reinforcing agent for a thermoplastic resin, the blend comprising:a flax bast fiber portion, the flax bast portion comprising about 15 to about 70 weight percent of the blend, the flax bast having an average aspect ratio of about 6.0 to about 265; and a flax shive portion, the flax shive portion comprising about 30 to about 85 weight percent of the blend, the flax shives having an average aspect ratio of about 2.0 to about 4.5, the flax bast fiber portion having flax bast fibers and the flax shive portion having flax shives, the bast fibers and flax shives having selected particle size ranges and aspect ratio ranges which are effective for making the blend more flowable than a comparative blend comprising about 70 weight percent shives and about 30 weight percent bast fibers with particle sizes and aspect ratios in the comparative blend which have not been preselected to provide flowability in a thermoplastic resin, the flax bast fibers having particle sizes effective for increasing at least one of tensile strength and flexural strength of the resin which includes the flax bast fiber portion and flax shive portion by at least about 10% when the flax bast fiber portion is present in the resin in an amount of 30% by weight.