Appeal No. 2000-0343
Application 08/849,008
exemplified temperatures above 100ºC, preferably 140-160ºC
(col. 4, lines 5-7; col. 5, lines 3-8). The unsaturated
carboxylic acid or anhydride “simultaneously or consecutively
adducts or reacts with the thermoplastic polymer and
esterifies and forms hydrogen bonds with the filler containing
hydroxyl groups”, thereby linking the thermoplastic polymer
and filler together (col. 5, lines 49-54). The thermoplastic
polymer-encapsulated filler is mixed with a thermoplastic
polymer which may be the same as or different than that used
to coat the filler, thereby producing a thermoplastic polymer
composition having improved mechanical properties such as
tensile strength, impact strength and flexural modulus (col.
1, lines 63-68; col. 5, lines 35-45).
Gaylord ‘230 teaches that it was known in the art that
“when a cellulosic material, such as wood flour or cotton
fibers, is used as a filler in polymers containing methylol
groups such as phenolic, urea or melamine resins, a reaction
occurs between the methylol groups and the hydroxyl groups on
the cellulosic filler” (col. 1, lines 26-30). Gaylord ‘230,
however, does not disclose that the filler in his method can
be a cellulosic filler. Gaylord ‘230 also does not disclose
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Last modified: November 3, 2007