A substantially lattice-like composite material having a large percentage of open spaces and method of making it

摘要

A method of making a substantially lattice-like composite material having a large percentage of open spaces comprises the steps of disposing generally elongate and flexible strips (10) in a randomly-oriented chaotic mass (16); atomizing a liquid bonding substance into the mass (16); carrying out a mass-forming process involving volume reduction to make a lattice-like structure of a large percentage of open spaces, in a desired shape; hardening the bonding substance. Thus a substantially lattice-like material having a high percentage of open spaces is achieved, which is formed of a plurality of generally elongate and flexible strips (10) disposed in a randonly-oriented chaotic mass (16), the strips (10) being bonded to each other at discrete points in the mass (16). This material can be manufactured to advantage starting from waste materials, such as paper and wood chips, and it can be formed into sheets (18) and panels of flat shape or of different conformations to make packages and the like.