MUMBAI, India, May 29 -- Intellectual Property India has published a patent application (202641063517 A) filed by Coimbatore Institue Of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, on May 20, for '"method for manufacturing polymer-bonded composite paver blocks using waste foundry sand and recycled thermoplastics".'
Inventor(s) include Dr. Karthikeyan Muthukumarasamy; Mr. Dhinakaran Venkatachalapathy; Mr. Ragul Gandhi Rajalingam; and Mr. Shahid Ubaid.
The application for the patent was published on May 29, under issue no. 22/2026.
According to the abstract released by the Intellectual Property India: "This invention relates to a sustainable method for manufacturing composite paver blocks utilizing waste foundry sand (WFS) and recycled thermoplastic waste. The process addresses environmental challenges associated with the disposal of spent foundry sand and accumulation of non-biodegradable plastic waste. In the proposed method, WFS serves as the primary aggregate material, while recycled thermoplastics comprising grades 1 (polyethylene terephthalate - PET), 2 (high-density polyethylene - HDPE), 4 (low-density polyethylene - LDPE), 5 (polypropylene - PP), and 7 are used as the binding medium, without the addition of cementitious materials or chemical additives. The waste foundry sand is first subjected to compositional analysis to determine its silica and oxide content, followed by drying and sieving to remove moisture and impurities. The processed sand is heated to approximately 200 C, after which recycled plastic pellets are introduced into the heated sand matrix. The elevated temperature softens the thermoplastic phase, allowing partial melting and uniform coating of the sand particles, thereby forming a polymer-bound composite mixture. The prepared mixture is subsequently transferred into a mould of predetermined geometry and compacted under mechanical pressure to achieve the required density and shape of the paver block. Upon cooling under ambient conditions, rigid composite paver blocks are obtained. Experimental evaluation of specimens containing approximately 70% WFS and 30% mixed plastic waste by weight demonstrated compressive strengths of up to 16.14 MPa, indicating suitability for paving and pedestrian applications. The resulting composite exhibits reduced porosity, low water absorption, and improved durability due to effective interfacial bonding between the thermoplastic matrix and silica-rich sand particles. The process eliminates the need for cement or chemical additives, thereby reducing production cost and carbon footprint while enabling decentralized manufacturing. The invention provides an environmentally sustainable approach for converting industrial and plastic waste streams into value-added paving materials."
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