380 results about "Thermoplastic matrix" patented technology

A composite structural panel includes a cover sheet laminated onto a three-layered substrate including a thermoplastic foam core sandwiched between two composite outer layers. Each composite outer layer includes natural fibers embedded in a thermoplastic matrix. The thermoplastic material of all layers is preferably polypropylene, and the core consists of an expanded cellular polypropylene rigid foam. In a method for forming the composite structural panel, a first preheated outer layer is laminated and molded onto the foam core in a first molding step, and then the second preheated outer layer and the cover sheet are laminated and molded onto the foam core in a second molding step, with a cooling-down time allowed between the two molding steps. In this manner, each preheated outer layer provides enough heat to thermally fuse the outer layer onto the foam core, without overheating the foam core to the point of softening or melting the foam core. The low density foam core provides a spacing distance between the strong composite outer layers, and therefore the finished composite structural panel has a high strength and rigidity, and a high strength-to-weight ratio. The structural panel can be molded into any desired three-dimensional contoured configuration during the molding process.

A composite reinforced buffer tube for an optical fiber cable is disclosed. The composite reinforced buffer tube comprises an extruded elongated thermoplastic matrix having an elongated, substantially continuous, reinforcement incorporated therein along its length between its inside and outside walls. The substantially continuous reinforcing is co-extruded with the elongated thermoplastic matrix and bonded to the matrix at interface regions therebetween. The material forming the reinforcement has a higher modulus of elasticity than the material forming the thermoplastic matrix, and the reinforcement material has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is less than the thermoplastic matrix material. The strength properties of the buffer tube can be finely tailored by the size, shape and positioning of the co-extruded reinforcement as well as the number of reinforcements.

The invention relates to thermoplastic matrices reinforced with a mixture of natural and synthetic fibers.

A composite having a first layer and a second layer. The first layer is a nonwoven layer containing high modulus fibers having a modulus of at least 8 GPa and thermoplastic binder fibers, where at least a portion of the high modulus fibers are connected to the binder fibers, and where the first layer has a solidity of between about 10 and 90%. The second layer is a textile layer selected from the group consisting of a knit layer, a woven layer, bidirectional laminates, and a unidirectional layer. The second layer contains high modulus fibers having a modulus of at least 8 GPa in a thermoplastic matrix.

A sandwich laminate for wind turbine blades includes a sandwich core material and an upper laminate part and a lower laminate part, wherein the upper laminate part and the lower laminate part have a thermoplastic matrix material and heating elements. The heating elements are electrically conductive fibres constituting electric circuits in the interior part of the thermoplastic matrix. Further, a wind turbine blade including such a sandwich laminate as well as a method of manufacturing such a sandwich laminate are provided.

A multiple-material golf club and a method for forming said golf club is disclosed herein. The multiple-material golf club preferably is a driver that has a metal face cup and a thin-walled, compression molded, composite aft body with precise IML and OML geometry. The molding composite used to form the compression molded aft body preferably comprises a plurality of randomly oriented, pre-spread carbon fiber bundles and a thermoset or thermoplastic matrix material.

Surface-modified discontinuous glass fibers are provided for incorporation in a thermoplastic matrix to form a fiber-reinforced composite article by injection or compression molding which displays enhanced mechanical properties, including improved tensile strength. Good binding between the discontinuous glass fibers and the thermoplastic matrix is achieved through the presence of finely roughened surfaces on the fibers of nanoparticles of an inorganic material. Such nanoparticles are provided from an alkaline aqueous size composition containing the nanoparticles dispersed therein (as described). The glass fibers are initially provided in continuous form followed by cutting into discontinuous lengths and drying with the retention of the nanoparticles on the surfaces of the fibers. Improved color in the resulting injection or compression molded thermoplastic discontinuous glass fiber-reinforced composite articles is made possible in combination with enhanced mechanical properties.

The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of short or discontinuous lignocellulosic fibre in combination with synthetic fibre filled thermoplastic composites, in which the process consists of preferably, defiberization and dispersion of the cellulosic fibres in the thermoplastic matrix, further consolidation and dispersion of the blended thermoplastic composition, further blending of the same with inorganic fibres to get the moldable thermoplastic composition and further injection or compression or compression injection molded under high pressure ranging from 100 tones to 1000 tones and a temperature range from 170 to 210 degree centigrade into composite products. The said composites have a tensile strength of at least 75 MPa and a flexural strength of at least 125 MPa. The invention also relates to the use of the said composites in automotive, aerospace, furniture and other structural applications.

Various methods and systems of making inorganic fiber / flake reinforced composites having a thermoplastic matrix are disclosed. The methods use systems similar to those used to make inorganic fiber / flake reinforced products having a thermoset matrix, but the systems and methods are modified to use thermoplastic precursor monomer(s) followed by in situ polymerization of the monomer(s) during and / or following forming of the desired shape of the products. These methods permit the manufacture of superior inorganic fiber reinforced thermoplastic matrix composites in large and very large shapes heretofore not possible, or practical.

A method and apparatus for forming a profile that contains at least one layer of continuous fibers and at least one layer of discontinuous fibers. Said method allowing the selective control of features to achieve a profile that has increased transverse strength and flexural modulus. The layer of continuous fibers may be formed from one or more continuous fiber reinforced ribbons (“CFRT”) (12) that contain fibers embedded within a thermoplastic polymer matrix, whereby a void fraction and in turn is minimized and flexural modulus is optimized Further, the ribbon (s) are consolidated so that the continuous fibers remain fixed in alignment in a substantially longitudinal direction (e.g., the direction of pultrusion). In addition to enhancing the tensile properties of the profile, the use of such ribbons also allows an improved handability when placing them into the desired position within the pultrusion die. The discontinuous fibers are also embedded within a thermoplastic matrix, in such a way as to assist in bonding of the layers to achieve the desired strength. At least a portion of the fibers are oriented in the transverse direction to provide increased transverse strength.

A seat back is provided having a composite body having a first end, a center section, and a second end that is thicker than the center section. The first end, the center section, and the second end comprise a plurality of layers of highly aligned fibers in a thermoplastic matrix. The seat back also is provided with a member extending outwardly from the second end and a leg secured along at least a portion of the second end. The leg is positioned along the member to form a cavity defined by the second end, the member, and the leg, the cavity capable of receiving a connecting rod for connecting the seat back assembly to a seat.

The invention discloses a super-hydrophobic film for a thermoplastic matrix, which comprises a thermoplastic film matrix and a super-hydrophobic layer. The super-hydrophobic layer consists of micro-scale powder particles and nano-scale powder particles arranged at intervals and embedded into the film matrix, and the micro-scale powder particles and the nano-scale powder particles form micro-scale protrusions and nano-scale protrusions on the surface of the thermoplastic film matrix and have low surface energy or are modified by low surface energy substances. The super-hydrophobic film has the advantages of simple structure, easy preparation and lower cost; a water contact angle of the super-hydrophobic layer is between150 and 165 degrees, and a roll angle is less than 5 degrees; the super-hydrophobic film also has the advantages of stable performance, low cost and excellent mechanical property, and can be applied to the occasions needing water proofing, pollution prevention, mist resistance, snow cover resistance, ice coating resistance, oxidation prevention and the like; when the thermoplastic film matrix is adopted, the super-hydrophobic film can be flexible to use, can be manufactured into an adhesive tape structure to be adhered on the surface of other matrixes, and is convenient and simple to use; and by adopting a hot pressing method for preparation, the thermoplastic film matrix and the super-hydrophobic layer are firmly combined, and the preparation method is simple and easy to operate and has low manufacturing cost.

The invention relates to a method for producing a composite material (33) consisting of reinforcing elements (29) and a thermoplastic polyamide, said method permitting high-speed production with continuous process control, using simple equipment. The method is characterized by the following steps: the supplied reinforcing elements (29) are impregnated with a lactam melt (11) that is activated for anionic polymerization, at a temperature at which the activated lactam melt (11) does not polymerize; the impregnated reinforcing element (30) is heated and polymerized in a heating unit (17) without passing through a heated die and in an essentially contactless manner; the resultant hot polymerized composite material (31) is cooled in a cooling unit (18). The lactam melt (11) that is activated for anionic polymerization is produced by first melting the lactam or more precisely the mixture of lactams to obtain a monomer melt (3) and a liquid initiator (6) is added to the monomer melt (3) immediately prior to the impregnation process of the reinforcing element (29), said liquid initiator (6) containing simultaneously the activator and the catalyst function in solute form.

Processable rubber compositions contain a vulcanized fluorocarbon elastomer dispersed in a thermoplastic matrix comprising a fully fluorinated polymer and a partially fluorinated polymer. The processing temperature is below the melting point of the fully fluorinated polymer. The compositions are made by combining a curative, uncured fluorocarbon elastomer, a fully fluorinated thermoplastic, and a partially fluorinated thermoplastic material, and heating the mixture at a temperature and for a time sufficient to effect vulcanization of the elastomeric material, while mechanical energy is applied to mix the mixture during the heating step. Shaped articles such as seals, gaskets, O-rings, and hoses may be readily formed from the rubber compositions according to conventional thermoplastic processes such as blow molding, injection molding, and extrusion.

The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of composite materials having lignocellulosic fibres dispersed in a thermoplastic matrix, while generally maintaining an average fibre length not below 0.2 mm. The process comprises defibrillation of the lignocellulosic fibres using a mixer and at a temperature less than the decomposition temperature of the fibres in order to separate the fibres and generate microfibres, crofÊbres, followed by dispersion of the fibres in the thermoplastic matrix by mechanical mixing to get the moldable thermoplastic composition, followed by injection, compression, extrusion or compression injection molding of said composition. The process produces high performance composite materials having a tensile strength not less than about 55 MPa, a flexural strength not less than about 80 MPa, a stiffness not less than about 2 GPa, notched impact strength not less than about 20 J / m, and un-notched impact strength not less than about 100 J / m. The composite materials of the present invention are well-suited for use in automotive, aerospace, electronic, furniture, sports articles, upholstery and other structural applications.

A steering wheel or other component for motor vehicle interiors, is produced by pressure thermoforming an external layer of decorative material, together with an internal structural layer of support material that includes a matrix of thermoplastic material and a plurality of reinforcing fibers for the thermoplastic matrix. The matrix may be of polymer that impregnates the fabric or made of fabrics that are interwoven or mixed with the reinforcing fibers.

The present invention is directed to a rear-projection screen which encompasses 1) a flexible light-diffusive first film having a substantially smooth first surface and an opposing substantially smooth second surface, and comprising a wax-free amorphous thermoplastic matrix having a plurality of light-diffusing particles dispersed therein and which is lens-free; and 2) an opposing flexible light-absorption second film having a first surface and an opposing second surface, and comprising a thermoplastic matrix having a plurality of light-absorbing particles dispersed therein, wherein the first and second films are adapted to be 3) bonded together in direct contact with each other and then, affixed as a laminate to one or more transparent rigid substrates or 4) affixed individually to a transparent rigid substrate.

A moulding material for the production of highly flame resistant articles with a matrix of a thermoplastic and a particulate pigment dispersed therein is characterized in that the pigment is light-sensitive and changes colour under the influence of laser light and in that the pigment is a reaction product of at least one halogen-free flame retardant organic nitrogen base with(i) at least one mixed salt with at least two different cations and / or with(ii) a mixture of salt type compounds which on heating can be transformed into at least one salt type compound with at least two different cations, as in (i);wherein in variations (i) and (ii), at least one of the cations is selected from a group (A) of elements Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ag, Sn, Sb, La, Pr, Ta, W and Ce and at least one further cation is selected from a group (B) of elements from periods 3 and 6 of groups II and III, periods 5 and 6 of group IV and periods 4 and 5 of groups III to VIII and the lanthanides of the periodic table of the elements.

A three-dimensional cellular textile composite structure with energy-absorbing capacities under multiple impacts is provided. The cellular textile composite structure includes a base, and at least one progressively collapsible projection extending from the base for absorbing energies under the multiple impacts. The projection includes a non-woven textile material supported in a thermoplastic matrix material such that the projection is capable of retaining energy-absorption capacity at least after the first impact of the multiple impacts.

A process for simultaneously consolidating to form a fiber reinforced thermoplastic and thermoset structural element that contain, in order; a fiber reinforced thermoplastic member, a tie layer, and a fiber reinforced thermoset member. The fiber reinforced thermoplastic member, contains multiple layers of fibers and a thermoplastic matrix at least partially surrounding the fibers. The fiber reinforced thermoset member contains multiple layers of fibers and a thermoset matrix at least partially surrounding the fibers. The tie layer contains a first polymer and a second polymer.

The invention relates to blended fabric for thermoplastic fiber reinforced composite materials and a preparing method of the blended fabric. The blended fabric is characterized in that a reinforcing fiber and a thermoplastic matrix fiber are doubled in a form of filaments or are mutually uniformly blended to be processed into yarns by a spinning technology, the yarns are taken as warp yarns and weft yarns to be mutually interweaved to form the fabric, and the thermoplastic matrix fibers in the warp yarns and the weft yarns are fused through a subsequent process and are well combined with the reinforcing fibers so as to prepare a composite material product. The reinforcing fiber is one of a carbon fiber, an aramid fiber and a glass fiber. The thermoplastic matrix fiber is one of polyester (PET), polyamide (PA) and polypropylene (PP). The blended fabric is subjected to the subsequent process to enable the thermoplastic matrix fibers in the warp yarns and the weft yarns to be fused and well combined with the reinforcing fiber, thus the composite material product is prepared.

Composite plastic compositions based on the dispersion of selected crosslinked polymers in certain thermoplastic matrices are disclosed. The composite compositions are readily formed and processed by thermal extrusion processes versus conventional casting processes. Preferred composite plastic compositions based on crosslinked poly(alkyl (meth)acrylate) polymers and modified poly(alkyl (meth)acrylate) thermoplastics are especially useful in the preparation of synthetic architectural materials having a mineral-like appearance, such as that of granite.

A cover part for a vehicle, especially an underbody cover, has a porous core layer and at least one cover layer on each side, wherein the porous core layer is constructed such that it has acoustic transparency or an acoustically absorbent effect. Here, the porous core layer is made either from a thermoplastic matrix with embedded reinforcement fibers, especially glass fibers, whose melting point temperature is higher than the melting point temperature of the plastic matrix, or from a foam, which is either open-cell or closed-cell and perforated. The acoustically absorbent porous core layer is occupied on one or both sides with one or more acoustically transparent or absorbent covering layers.

The present invention relates to a thermoplastic flame retardant composition comprising a specific flame retardant system based on phosphinates and melamine derivatives. Such compositions are especially useful in the preparation of articles for use in the field of electrical or electronic connectors.

Disclosed is a polished translucent co-extruded sheet having utility as a light diffusing protective cover or sign face for light emitting diode (LED) light sources and other purposes. The sheet is comprised of (a) a particle layer containing particles having a mean particle size of about 4 to 100 microns and having a particle size distribution of between 1-110 microns, at a loading of 1 to 60% melt blended with a thermoplastic matrix, wherein the particle and matrix have refractive indices that differ by greater than 0.001 units of each other when measured in conformance with ASTM D 542; and (b) at least one substrate layer comprised of thermoplastic compositions, wherein the substrates have a refractive index within 0.2 units of the refractive index of the particle layer matrix when measured in conformance with ASTM D 542.

A surface-modified fibrous material is provided for incorporation in a thermoplastic matrix to form a fiber-reinforced composite article. Good binding between the fibrous material and the thermoplastic matrix is achieved through the presence of finely roughened surfaces on the fibers of nanoparticles of an inorganic material. Such nanoparticles are provided from an alkaline aqueous size composition containing the nanoparticles dispersed therein (as described). The fibrous material may be provided in continuous or discontinuous form. In a preferred embodiment glass fibers are initially provided in continuous form followed by cutting into discontinuous lengths and drying with the retention of the nanoparticles on the surfaces of the fibers. The surface-roughened fibrous material is incorporated in a thermoplastic matrix as fibrous reinforcement with the application of heat whereby the thermoplastic matrix is rendered melt processable. In preferred embodiments injection or compression molding is utilized. Improved long-fiber thermoplastics also may be formed to advantage.