Ground Calcium Carbonate Composites for Storage Articles and Method of Making Same

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an environmentally friendly composite structure and storage article fabricated therefrom. The composite structure includes a fiber-containing layer, such as a fiberboard layer or other layer having fibers from natural and/or synthetic sources, and a ground calcium carbonate-containing layer covering the fiber-containing layer. The ground calcium carbonate-containing layer is substantially continuously bonded to the fiber-containing layer along the surface of the fiber-containing layer. The fiber-containing layer and ground calcium carbonate-containing layer can be shaped, sized and manufactured such that the composite structure formed therefrom is capable of being shaped to form the storage article. The composite structure has advantages in that it has a high degree of pliability and flexibility that is increased over the pliability of the fiber-containing layer alone, which renders it highly attractive to consumers. The composite structure further has tensile strength and other characteristics that allow it to be readily machined into desired storage article forms, such as box and carton forms.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container comprising:
 a composite material comprising
 a fiber containing layer comprising a fiber component and having a first face; and a first mineral containing layer comprising a polymer component and a mineral component, wherein the first mineral containing layer is formed by coextrusion, and wherein the mineral containing layer is bonded to the first face of the fiber containing layer, 
   wherein the composite material is at least  20 % more pliable than the fiber component alone when measured by ASTM D 228 02, #10 or ASTM D 6125097 (2002) bendability and pliability standards.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the first mineral containing layer is formed by coextrusion. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer component comprises 15% to 50% by weight of the first mineral containing layer. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber component comprises a natural fiber. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber component comprises a synthetic fiber. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the mineral component comprises calcium carbonate. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the mineral containing layer has a thickness of 2 mils to 30 mils. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber containing layer has a thickness of 12 mils to 28 mils 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber containing layer comprises at least 90% recycled material. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber containing layer is characterized by having tensile strengths of 125 to 900 MD, 55 to 400 CD when measured by ASTM 5342-97 standard. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising a second mineral containing layer on a second face of the fiber containing layer. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the first mineral containing layer is bonded without an adhesive. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the mineral containing layer further comprises printing. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container is manufactured by a process comprising a step selected from the group consisting of bending, folding, creasing, thermo forming, vacuum forming, and adhesive steps. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container is characterized as moisture resistant. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container is configured as an open container. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container is configured as a closed container.