US Patent 7160496 Thermoplastic compositions containing metal material

Thermoplastic compositions containing metal materials and a method for preparing the same. The compositions are formed into particles having diameters suitable for a rotational thermoforming processing. The compositions are particularly applicable for use in slush molding processes where efficient heat transfer to the material is desired to form improved surface quality thermoplastic skin. A preferred method for preparing thermoplastic compositions containing metal material into a slush moldable powder comprises melt compounding the composition to form pellets, and further processing the pellets by cryogenic pulverization. A preferred method for forming micropellets uses an extruder having a gear pump to increase the melt pressure.