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GB2168361A - Impregnating fibres reinforcement with polymer materials - Google Patents

Impregnating fibres reinforcement with polymer materials Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2168361A
GB2168361A GB08530124A GB8530124A GB2168361A GB 2168361 A GB2168361 A GB 2168361A GB 08530124 A GB08530124 A GB 08530124A GB 8530124 A GB8530124 A GB 8530124A GB 2168361 A GB2168361 A GB 2168361A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
polymer material
fibres
reinforcement
fibres reinforcement
impregnating
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB08530124A
Other versions
GB8530124D0 (en
Inventor
Peter John Ives
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of GB8530124D0 publication Critical patent/GB8530124D0/en
Publication of GB2168361A publication Critical patent/GB2168361A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08JWORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H
    • C08J5/00Manufacture of articles or shaped materials containing macromolecular substances
    • C08J5/04Reinforcing macromolecular compounds with loose or coherent fibrous material

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
  • Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Reinforced Plastic Materials (AREA)

Abstract

Method of impregnating fibres reinforcement with polymer material including the steps of: mixing the polymer material in particle form with a liquid in which the polymer material does not dissolve to form a dispersion; and impregnating the fibres reinforcement with the dispersion. The fibres reinforcement is said to be dried after impregnation with the dispersent. The use of the processes described with any polymer material is disclosed, however, the preferred polymers are said to be thermoplastics materials such as polysulphone, polyethersulphone, polyetheretherketone, polyetherketone, polyetherimide, polystyrene, polyphenelene suphide and polyamides. Any suitable liquid dispersant having a boiling point below the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastics material may be used and water is said to be preferred for the polymers enumerated. The particle size of the polymer used is said to vary in accordance with the characteristics of the fibres reinforcement used but a typical particle size not exceeding 5 microns is disclosed. The specification discloses in addition articles made from a fibres reinforced polymer material as described.

Description

SPECIFICATION Impregnating fibres reinforcement with polymer materials The invention concerns the impregnation of fibres reinforcement with polymer material.
Throughout this specification the term fibres reinforcement encompasses filaments, fibres or tows of filaments or fibres, mats of filaments or fibres or cloths prepared by weaving, knitting, laying-up or the like such filaments, fibres or tows, for use as reinforcement of a polymer material.
The use of thermosetting polymer material with fibres reinforcement to form articles is more extensive than the use of fibres reinforced thermosplastics materials despite the fact that the advantages of using a thermoplastics material are well known.
The production of a basic precursor (i.e. fibres reinforcement impregnated with a thermoplastics material) from which composite article can be made by moulding has proved difficult and costly (especially when the precursor must include 100% of the final desired polymer content).
An extensively used way of impregnating fibres reinforcement with a thermoplastics materials polymer material is to dissolve the polymer material and immerse the fibres reinforcement in the solution; after immersion the fibres reinforcement is dried to drive off all (or a desired part) of the solvent leaving the fibres reinforcement impregnated with the polymer material (or a solution thereof). In using this process difficulties are met in ensuring that all (or the required amount) of the solvent is removed. The presence of the solvent, even at very low levels can affect the further processing of the material (for example leading to the formation of voids in the finished article) and can seriously alter the characteristics of the finished article (for example the strength of the article).
Again, the known precursors tend to be inflexible and difficult to handle in moulding processes I the stiffness of the impregnated fibres reinforcement making them difficult to drape I that is to say difficult to conform to the shape of any mould in which they are placed.
To meet these and other problems we now propose a novel method of impregnating fibres reinforcement with a polymer material in particular a thermoplastic polymer material.
One aspect of the invention provides a method of impregnating fibres reinforcement with polymer material including the steps of: mixing the polymer material in particle form with a liquid in which the polymer material does not dissolve to form a dispersion: and impregnating the fibres reinforcement with the dispersion.
With advantage the polymer material is a thermoplastics material and the dispersent therefor has a boiling point below the glass transition temperature of the thermosplastics material. The polymer material may be an aromatic polymer material selected from the group comprising: polysulphone, polyethersulphone, polyetheretherketone, polyetherketone, polyetherimide, polystyrene, polyphenelene sulphide and a polyamide.
Preferably the dispersent is water.
Desirably the particle size of the polymer material is 5 microns or less.
A second aspect of the invention provides a reinforced polymer material made in accordance with of any of the methods noted above.
A third aspect of the invention provides an article and/or structure made from a fibres reinforced polymer material as noted above.
The impregnation of the fibres reinforcement in the liquid dispersent may be by immersion of the fibres reinforcement therein with together, if necessary, mechanical agitation, kneading or the like.
Drying of the fibres reinforcement after impregnation may be effected by evaporation at room temperature, mechanical drying or by heating to a temperature below the glass transition temperature of the polymer material. For example when the dispersent is water the impregnated fibres reinforcement may be dried rapidly in an oven at a temperature below the glass transition temperature of the polymer material - say 75 to 150"C if the polymer material is polyethersulphone.
The impregnated fibres reinforcement (either taken directly from the dispersion or after partial drying) may readily be laid up in a mould. As the liquid dispersent is not a solvent for the particular polymer material the particles of polymer material in the fibres reinforcement remain relatively mobile enabling the fibres reinforcement to be easily "draped" in a mould. Should the impregnated fibres reinforcement be completely dry (that is to say with all the liquid dispersant driven off) it is possible for the impregnated fibres reinforcement to be re-wetted, e.g. by spraying with the dispersent, should it be necessary to enable it to be readily "draped".
An advantage of the process now described is that impregnated cloths or mats of fibres reinforcement may be draped on a former or shaper for use in a moulding process whilst wet. Further, it is possible for several layers of fabric to be laid up on top of one another to form complex double curvature shapes. Fibres reinforcement impregnated in the described process may be used in vacuum or positive pressure moulding processes.
Pultrusion, filament winding spraying and impregnation of knitted or woven shapes may also readily be accomplished with the present invention.
The dispersion of the polymer material may contain any thermosetting or thermosplastics material; however, we have found that the process is of particular advantage with polymer materials such as polysulphone, polyethersulphone, polyetheretherketone, polyetherketone, polyetherimide, polystyrene, polyphenelene sulphide, polyamides or other thermoplastics material obtainable in fine powder form.
Although water is described as the preferred dispersent it will be appreciated that any other liquid which is not a solvent for the polymer material may be used, for example, various different forms of Freeon may be used either alone or in combina tion.
Although as described the invention is of particular advantage when used with the particular polymer materials recited it will be appreciated that the methods described herein are utilisable with any polymer material having a particle size enabling it to form a dispersion and in that form be impregnated into fibres reinforcement. The maximum particle size will, it will be appreciated, vary in accordance with the polymer used and the physical size of essential requirement is that the size of the majority of the particles be sufficiently small to permit the particles of the polymer to fully pass into the interstices of the fibres reinforcement.
In normal cases it will be desired that all the polymer material be of a size enabling it to percolate between the fibres of the reinforcement, that is to say that all the particles in the dispersion be below the (critical) maximum size for the fibres reinforcement being used - typically 5 Microns for commercially available glass, carbon or quartz fibres however, in some applications it is possible that a proportion of the polymer particles in the dispersion may be above that critical size I providing always that there are sufficient particles in the dispersion below that critical size to enable the fibres reinforcement to be impregnated to the level desired in the particular application under consideration.
It will also be appreciated that the fibres to be impregnated by the methods disclosed in this specification must not have been heavily pretreated (e.g. sized) to an extent preventing the dispersion entering the interstices of the fibres. If in fact the fibres reinforcement have been so pretreated it is necessary for them to be cleaned before they are impregnated by the methods disclosed herein.
It will be'appreciated that the process now described may be modified by the incorporation in the dispersion (and therefore in the finished product) of other desired particles and elements, such as blowing agents, pigments, other additives and/ or fillers having decorative and/or functional characteristics in the final product.

Claims (9)

1. A method of impregnating fibres reinforcement with polymer material including the steps of: mixing the polymer material in particle form with a liquid in which the polymer material does not dissolve to form a dispersion; and impregnating the fibres reinforcement with the dispersion.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fibres reinforcement is at least partially dried after impregnation with the dispersent.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the polymer material is a thermoplastics material and the dispersent therefor has a boiling point below the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastics material.
4. A method as claimed in claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the polymer material is selected from the group comprising polysulphone, polyethersulphone, polyetheretherketone, polyetherketone, polyetherimide, polystyrene, polyphenelene sulphide and a polyamide.
5. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the dispersent is water.
6. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claim wherein the particle size of the polymer material is 5 microns or less.
7. A method of impregnating fibres reinforcement with a polymer material as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as herein described.
8. A fibres reinforced polymer material made in accordance with the method of any one of the preceding claims.
9. An article made from a fibres reinforced polymer material as claimed in claim 8.
GB08530124A 1984-12-07 1985-12-06 Impregnating fibres reinforcement with polymer materials Withdrawn GB2168361A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB848430949A GB8430949D0 (en) 1984-12-07 1984-12-07 Impregnating fibre reinforcements

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8530124D0 GB8530124D0 (en) 1986-01-15
GB2168361A true GB2168361A (en) 1986-06-18

Family

ID=10570840

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB848430949A Pending GB8430949D0 (en) 1984-12-07 1984-12-07 Impregnating fibre reinforcements
GB08530124A Withdrawn GB2168361A (en) 1984-12-07 1985-12-06 Impregnating fibres reinforcement with polymer materials

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB848430949A Pending GB8430949D0 (en) 1984-12-07 1984-12-07 Impregnating fibre reinforcements

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0203985A1 (en)
AU (1) AU5235686A (en)
GB (2) GB8430949D0 (en)
WO (1) WO1986003449A1 (en)

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0275382A1 (en) * 1986-12-22 1988-07-27 General Electric Company Method for preparing composite felt preforms
EP0209391A3 (en) * 1985-07-17 1988-08-31 Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited Resin composition and circuit board moulded from the same
US4792481A (en) * 1986-11-28 1988-12-20 Phillips Petroleum Company Reinforced plastic
EP0272648A3 (en) * 1986-12-20 1989-11-08 Toho Rayon Co., Ltd. Method for producing carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin product
EP0368412A3 (en) * 1988-11-10 1990-09-12 Stamicarbon B.V. Method for the production of flexible, polymer-impregnated reinforcing materials, the polymer-impregnated reinforcing materials produced and shaped articles produced on the basis of these reinforcing materials
WO1993002127A1 (en) * 1991-07-16 1993-02-04 Dsm N.V. Process for making a preimpregnated material
US5480603A (en) * 1994-05-19 1996-01-02 The Dow Chemical Company Method for preparing preforms for molding processes
RU2153981C2 (en) * 1995-02-24 2000-08-10 Биоксид Ой Fibrous polymer prepreg, methods for preparation and utilization thereof
EP2813539A1 (en) * 2013-06-11 2014-12-17 Johns Manville Fiber-reinforced composite articles and methods of making them
WO2017004112A1 (en) * 2015-06-30 2017-01-05 Sabic Global Technologies B.V. Methods of manufacture of prepregs and composites from polyimide particles, and articles prepared therefrom

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4894105A (en) * 1986-11-07 1990-01-16 Basf Aktiengesellschaft Production of improved preimpregnated material comprising a particulate thermoplastic polymer suitable for use in the formation of substantially void-free fiber-reinforced composite article
US4919739A (en) * 1986-11-07 1990-04-24 Basf Aktiengesellschaft Production of improved preimpregnated material comprising a particulate thermosetting resin suitable for use in the formation of a substantially void-free fiber-reinforced composite article
US5128198A (en) * 1986-11-07 1992-07-07 Basf Aktiengesellschaft Production of improved preimpregnated material comprising a particulate thermoplastic polymer suitable for use in the formation of a substantially void-free fiber-reinforced composite article
DE3738749A1 (en) * 1987-11-14 1989-05-24 Basf Ag FIBER COMPOSITES
US4943472A (en) * 1988-03-03 1990-07-24 Basf Aktiengesellschaft Improved preimpregnated material comprising a particulate thermosetting resin suitable for use in the formation of a substantially void-free fiber-reinforced composite article
DE69907907T2 (en) 1998-06-08 2004-03-11 Complastik Corp., Lowell COMPOSITE ITEMS, IN PARTICULAR PREPREGS, PREFORMS, LAMINATES AND SANDWICH MOLDED PARTS, AND METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION THEREOF
AU2002241584A1 (en) 2000-12-06 2002-06-18 Complastik Corporation Hybrid composite articles and methods for their production

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB439884A (en) * 1934-06-07 1935-12-09 Deutsche Celluloid Fabrik Manufacture of textile fabrics coated or impregnated with polymerisation products
GB1253291A (en) * 1968-01-11 1971-11-10 Asahi Glass Kabushiki Kaisha Method of producing mouldable reinforced thermoplastic granular material
US4163742A (en) * 1978-02-09 1979-08-07 E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company Process and product prepared from tetrafluoroethylene resin and graphite fibers

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5750654B2 (en) * 1973-03-28 1982-10-28
US4292105A (en) * 1978-12-28 1981-09-29 Union Carbide Corporation Method of impregnating a fibrous textile material with a plastic resin
US4402780A (en) * 1981-04-27 1983-09-06 Hiroyuki Ogoe Process for preparing laminates with thermoplastic resins
FR2516441A1 (en) * 1981-11-18 1983-05-20 Spie Batignolles PROCESS FOR PRODUCING FIBER-LOADED THERMOPLASTIC RESIN PROFILES, INSTALLATION FOR IMPLEMENTATION, PROFILES OBTAINED AND USE THEREOF
EP0102711A3 (en) * 1982-07-28 1986-01-15 Imperial Chemical Industries Plc Process for producing fibre-reinforced polymer compositions
CA1257157A (en) * 1983-07-12 1989-07-11 Chen-Chi M. Ma Stampable sheets of fiber mat reinforced poly(arylene sulfide) and method of preparation

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB439884A (en) * 1934-06-07 1935-12-09 Deutsche Celluloid Fabrik Manufacture of textile fabrics coated or impregnated with polymerisation products
GB1253291A (en) * 1968-01-11 1971-11-10 Asahi Glass Kabushiki Kaisha Method of producing mouldable reinforced thermoplastic granular material
US4163742A (en) * 1978-02-09 1979-08-07 E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company Process and product prepared from tetrafluoroethylene resin and graphite fibers
GB2014158A (en) * 1978-02-09 1979-08-22 Du Pont Tetrafluroethylene resin compositions and process for their preparation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
NOTE! GB A 2014158 AND US 4163742 ARE EQUIVALENT *

Cited By (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0209391A3 (en) * 1985-07-17 1988-08-31 Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited Resin composition and circuit board moulded from the same
US4792481A (en) * 1986-11-28 1988-12-20 Phillips Petroleum Company Reinforced plastic
EP0272648A3 (en) * 1986-12-20 1989-11-08 Toho Rayon Co., Ltd. Method for producing carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin product
EP0275382A1 (en) * 1986-12-22 1988-07-27 General Electric Company Method for preparing composite felt preforms
EP0368412A3 (en) * 1988-11-10 1990-09-12 Stamicarbon B.V. Method for the production of flexible, polymer-impregnated reinforcing materials, the polymer-impregnated reinforcing materials produced and shaped articles produced on the basis of these reinforcing materials
BE1005106A3 (en) * 1991-07-16 1993-04-20 Dsm Nv PROCESS FOR MAKING A MATERIAL BY VOORGEIMPREGNEERD impregnating a fibrous reinforcement with a dispersion.
WO1993002127A1 (en) * 1991-07-16 1993-02-04 Dsm N.V. Process for making a preimpregnated material
US5480603A (en) * 1994-05-19 1996-01-02 The Dow Chemical Company Method for preparing preforms for molding processes
US5593758A (en) * 1994-05-19 1997-01-14 The Dow Chemical Company Method for preparing preforms for molding processes
RU2153981C2 (en) * 1995-02-24 2000-08-10 Биоксид Ой Fibrous polymer prepreg, methods for preparation and utilization thereof
EP2813539A1 (en) * 2013-06-11 2014-12-17 Johns Manville Fiber-reinforced composite articles and methods of making them
US9855680B2 (en) 2013-06-11 2018-01-02 Johns Manville Fiber-reinforced composite articles and methods of making them
US10780609B2 (en) 2013-06-11 2020-09-22 Jonhs Manville Fiber-reinforced composite articles and methods of making them
WO2017004112A1 (en) * 2015-06-30 2017-01-05 Sabic Global Technologies B.V. Methods of manufacture of prepregs and composites from polyimide particles, and articles prepared therefrom

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8430949D0 (en) 1985-01-16
AU5235686A (en) 1986-07-01
WO1986003449A1 (en) 1986-06-19
GB8530124D0 (en) 1986-01-15
EP0203985A1 (en) 1986-12-10

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