PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING A SHAPED ARTICLE FROM A COMPOSITE MATERIAL COMPRISING A SOLID FILLER AND A THERMOPLASTIC BINDER BY CONTROLLED COOLING

The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing a shaped article from a composite material comprising a solid filler and a thermoplastic binder, said process comprising the following subsequent steps: (a) feeding a solid filler and a thermoplastic binder to a kneading device; (b) mixing the solid filler and the thermoplastic binder in the kneading device, wherein the pressure exerted on the mixture of the solid filler and the thermoplastic binder is in the range of about 100 kPa to about 1500 kPa to obtain a composite material; (c) forming the composite material as obtained in step (b) into a shaped article; and (d) cooling the shaped article as obtained in step (c), wherein the shaped article is cooled at a cooling rate of at least about 5° C./min to about 120° C./min. The shaped article is preferably a slab which can very suitable be used in the decoration of floors, kitchen work surfaces, kitchen tops, bathrooms, internal and external cladding and other two-dimensional shapes by extrusion and or injection moulding techniques.