IT8268461A1 - PROCEDURE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FIBER-REINFORCED THERMOPLASTIC MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES OBTAINED THROUGH THIS PROCESS. - Google Patents

Description

DOCUMENTATION

BOUND

DESCRIPTION of the industrial invention entitled:

"Process for the production of thermoplastic materials

reinforced with fibres and structures obtained through this

procedure"

Of; H.R. SMITH (TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT) LIMITED, nationality?

British, New Mill, Crawley Road, Witney, Osfordshire,

0X8 5TF, Great Britain

Designated Inventor: Henry Roy Smith

Filed on: December 13, 1982 68461 ?/82

SUMMARY

The devices described allow the formation

continuous of a fiber-reinforced laminate or an article?

I obtained this by impregnating reinforcing fibers with ?.

?? a mixture of thermoplastic material/solvent, heating >- 4 ?? a do the impregnated fibers and then compressing them (e.g., Cj*

with one or more sets of rollers). The articles are formed 3

S

by reheating the laminate and printing

then the laminate into a desired shape. You can

produce articles of different section, and is given

^ Official Rogi a description of the production of several different

open and closed sections. Closed sections can be

i

filled with expanded thermoplastic materials, and fillers

(e.g. sheaths or metal wires) can be interpo-GS GA/c

between different layers of a multilayer laminate article.

ut?* ** * ** **<

Technical field

The present invention relates to the production

continuous laminates of reinforced thermoplastic materials

with fibers and the manufacture of articles from these,

and concerns in particular, but not exclusively, the

production of continuous material of polyether shapes-

fiber-reinforced sulfone (PES).

Background of the technique

In the production of thermoplastic laminates does it reinforce?

you with fibers, the wetting between the reinforcing fibers and

the thermoplastic material is improved by impregnating

the reinforcing fibers with a thermoplastic solution.

To achieve the desired resin/fiber ratio in the laminate

-A or in the final structure, the impregnated thermoplastic material can be integrated by adding a solid thermoplastic material in the form of a film, powder, monofilament?

you or in any other suitable way.

A problem with the production of laminates by

This process is used to produce a finished article.

high temperatures are required (above 290?C)

2

and high pressures (greater than 75 kg/cm).

When producing discontinuous laminates (for example

example plates), this problem is easily overcome

using traditional compression molding techniques. Conversely, this technique is of little use when

?

a continuous moving laminate is produced (or a

article obtained from the laminate) since it is more difficult

achieve and maintain high temperatures and pressures

?necessary. Furthermore, when they are produced continuously

laminates and articles, problems arise due to the trend

of the thermoplastic material to adhere to any part

with which it comes into contact, and also because of the high

viscosity (and therefore viscous resistance) of the resin

at temperatures higher than their respective temperatures

glass transition.

Description of the invention

According to one aspect of the invention, provision is made

a process for the production of continuous Q. thermoplastic laminate material reinforced with fibres, which consists

in <1 >impregnating the fiber reinforcement with a thermoplastic material in solution, in <1 >drying the impregnated fibers to disperse at least part of the solvent, in

heating and then compressing the thermoplastic material and the fiber reinforcement.

In this specification, and in the appended claims, the term fiber reinforcement includes

reinforcing fibres or fibre rovings or fabrics obtained from such fibres or fibre rovings.

It has been discovered that there is a reduction in the temperate?

glass transition temperature of a thermoplastic material

?

due to the plasticization of the thermoplastic material,

in the presence of a small amount of solvent, and this

effect can be used to promote the production

of continuous laminate - of thermoplastic materials

reinforced with fibers.

Advantageously, the reinforcing fibers are

impregnated with said thermoplastic material making them

pass through a bath containing a solution of

called thermoplastic material.

Preferably, the thermoplastic material is ? pon e?

tene- sulfone and the solvent is N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone or

a mixture of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone with a hydrocarbon

aromatic (such as xylene or toluene).

The thermoplastic material with which the reinforcement

uJ .

3-fiber is combined preferably in the form of a CJ Cj film, sheet or layer.

Heating the thermoplastic material and

fiber reinforcement can be done by groups

for short wavelength infrared heating,

where heating occurs at a temperature at

which thermoplastic material reaches its maximum temperature?

glass transition region.

Another aspect of the invention provides a process

ment to continuously form a material for articles

reinforced with fibres in which a laminate is prepared

according to the procedure indicated above and the laminate

It is then heated and molded to form the article

desired .

Molding to form an article in this

way can be done in any suitable way, e.g.

example with a die mandrel or similar, and use

forming rollers.

In the production of articles according to the invention,

which pipes, bars or similar, can be placed between

the different layers of filler fibre reinforcements (e.g.

example of metal sheaths for reinforcing shields

electric).

<? >Brief description of the drawings

Forms of implementation of the in will now be described?

invention with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a system implemented according to the invention;

Figure 3 illustrates a modification of a part

of the system of figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 illustrates a modification of another part

of the system of figures 1 and 2;

Figure 5 illustrates cross-sections of various products that

can be obtained with the system of figures 1-4;

Figure 6 illustrates a device that can be used

to implement the invention;

?

Figure 7 illustrates cross-sections of manufactured products

with the device according to the invention;

Figures 8, 9 and 10 illustrate further modifications

that can be done to the device according to the invention?

ne ; and

Figure 11 illustrates a mobile field system

for the continuous production and installation of pipes for

petroleum, incorporating the device according to the invention.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the central section

and the pre-impregnation section respectively

In the

device according to the invention. /figure 1, woven sheets

10 of pre-impregnated fiber reinforcement fabric with

a solution of thermoplastic material, are sent

continuously to a pair of gripping cylinders 11, in

where sheets 10 are brought into contact with films

12 of thermoplastic material taken from support rollers

*a<p>'? 13. Are spare rolls of mate film provided?

thermoplastic material for use when any

of reels 13? is exhausted. When a reel 13, or 14,

? exhausted, the other reel 14 (or 13) is arranged for

feed film to cylinders 11 so as to allow

to replenish the exhausted roller. Means are provided

suitable, commercially obtainable (not illustrated), for

ensure that the thermoplastic film 12 is sent

in cylinders 11 in a substantially continuous manner.

After passing through the gripping cylinders 11,

the pairs of 10-fiber reinforced sheet and film

thermoplastic 12 are introduced between series of heating

shortwave infrared generators? 15 that heat them

at a temperature of about 340?C Q. then pass through

- an additional pair of gripping cylinders 16 above

a spring-loaded roller 17 (which serves to keep?

black a tension in the sheets) to a pair of rollers of

collection 18. After passing through the rollers 18, the

stack of sheets of 10 fiber-reinforced material, now

interspersed with thermoplastic material films,

is sent, via a 19-gauge gripping cylinder and cylinders

of driving 20 to an additional shortwave heater

infrared otd 21. Immediately after passing through??<4>? towards the heater 21, the stack is passed

between sets of 22 high pressure rollers to form the

the laminate. The laminate formed in the series of rollers

high pressure 22 is taken from these by means of a

any suitable device, but preferably by means of

a towing device 23^ as illustrated, after

that the formed laminate is passed/through rollers

of driving 25 for further treatment or for imaging?

storage (as illustrated) on a 24 reel.

Rollers 16 serve as compression rollers

low pressure making each film 12 adhere to its

?

associated sheet of fiber reinforcing material 10.

These rollers support the feed and tension rollers

and are individually synchronized with the progress of the

line. They are preferably provided with couplings

motors to hold each strip of fabric/material

plastic under appropriate tension.

To provide safety during operation, they are

gas extractors provided around the heaters

15 and 21 in order to ensure the extraction of possible gases?

explosives from the solvents in which the material is dissolved

thermoplastic .

At the output end of the towing device

23, can means of extraction of the CU C be provided?

powder, preferably water, but possibly

in air.

Figure 2 illustrates one way in which the sheets of

they can

fiber reinforcing material / be pre-impregnated

with thermoplastic material in a continuous process.

The 30 rolls carry continuous lengths of fibre fabric

31 which are sent by guide rollers and

tension 32 and guide rollers 33 to a bath 34 containing

a thermoplastic material in solution 35 (for example

PES,

a bath of / in a solution of NMP. Within the solution

in bath 34 each sheet of fiber reinforcing material

passes around two guide rollers 36 spaced below

?

of the surface of the thermoplastic material solution

and is then passed through guide rollers 37

to a drying tower 38 in which each single sheet

of fabric reinforcement {now coated with a solution

of thermoplastic material) is dried. After passing?

gio through the drying tower 38, the sheets impre?

10 gnats of fiber reinforcing material emerge,

and can be continuously passed through the rollers

11 in the device of figure 1.

Can additional support rollers 39 be provided?

you are in the device of figure 2 on which further rolls

31 of material are arranged to allow for provision?

king at the entrance to bathroom 34 a continuous sheet of material?

reinforced with fibers 31. Means (for example an X machine.

stapler) can be provided to allow joining

i?<j>iA with S4 the end of a roll of material 31 / the beginning of

? another roll 31 of material. aa The feeding of reinforced sheet material

with fibers from rollers 30 and 39? synchronized, so that

never two rolls run out of material 31 at the same time?

mind. This helps the process work better

and allows for the essentially continuous production of sheets

impregnated with thermoplastic material of foil material

to reinforced with fibers.

An extraction duct 40 may be provided

*

for the discharge of harmful gases (i.e. from the solvent in the bath

34).

Each sheet of fiber reinforcing material passes

between two rollers 36 within the thermoplastic material 35 in the

bathroom 34. The path, in practice, that each sheet of

fiber reinforcing material follows within the solution

of thermoplastic material and the time that each part

particular requires to pass through this.^

can it be modified to vary the degree of undertaking?

gnation of fiber reinforcement sheets with material

thermoplastic .

In drying tower 41, the different sections

of fiber reinforcing material impregnated with material

thermoplastic are spaced by any means

suitable^ for example 41 bars. The tower itself can be

1 supply of drying means 42, such as heaters

aluminum plate or infrared wave panels

long with an air movement fan

provided at the base of the tower, or simply a group

of compressor/heater (not shown).

Changes may be made to the provisions

previously described within the scope of the invention.

The preformed sheets of reinforcing material of

The fibers described above can be replaced by coils of single fiber filaments or fiber slivers.

The number of coils can be determined by the width

of the requested strip.

Other single-strand fibers may be

arranged through the direction of feed of the

line, as a weft, to create a "woven" fabric (see

for example the following description with reference to the

figure 3). Single-stranded fibers remain straight

and thus eliminate the weakest mechanical structure of

a "woven" fabric. This process allows for

arrange the weft at any angle to the warp to allow for greater strength

torsion.

The application of thermoplastic film (from

rolls 13 and 14 of figure 1) can be eliminated if

the thermoplastic material:reinforcing fiber ratio

X

I

coming out of bath 34 (of figure 2) can be made sufficiently high. Alternatively the material

/

plastic can be loaded in other ways (for example

by tape extrusion, fluidized powder coating using compressed air, liquid powder dipping - where a powder of the thermoplastic material is used suspended in a solution of water and a

water-soluble solvent - and by means of a curtain of

dust) .

The 22 high pressure compression rollers can

?

be modified or replaced with forming rollers

high pressure. In this arrangement, layers of fabric

of suitable width are sent by loading groups

auxiliaries and can be continuously formed sections

composite .

Can a multi-roll forming process?

be provided at the exit from the towing group 23

{figure 1) or alternatively you can provide a group

cutting, so as to allow the production of any

desired length of laminate.

It is expected that the approximate requirement of the

device described in figures 1 and 2 is between 50 and

74 kilowatts for continuous service.

Figure 3 depicts a modified arrangement

of the device of figures 1 and 2, in which the material

reinforced with fibers, rather than being preformed into sheets,

5i ?

(both flat sheets and fabrics) is formed directly

from single filaments of fiber or from fiber slivers.

In this arrangement, the individual fibers or wicks of

fibers introduced into the device illustrated in 50 are

*

first passed through a pre-impregnation bath in which they are coated with a solution

of thermoplastic material and then through a tower

drying, if deemed necessary.

Warp fibers 51 are taken from the tower

drying to the device 50 and are then provided as a series of generally parallel fibers extending longitudinally to the length of the material which

must be formed. The weft fibers 52^vice versa^are

carried by a reel 53 to a shuttle or slider

54 with reciprocating motion arranged to move alternately across the width of the fibres of

warp 51 and to hook the weft fibre 52 over pins

of 55 tracks arranged on both sides of the machine for

the fabric manufacturing 50. The shuttle 54 is pneumatically operated and hooks the weft fibre 52 onto each

of tracks with pins which then serve to secure

that the weft threads are applied to the warp threads

at a desired distance. Shuttle 54 lays the fiber

:t of weft 52 directly on the warp fibres 51 (or

on an interposed layer of thermoplastic film 56

which can be provided by a roll 57). After the

weft fiber has been laid, the 55 tracks carry

the fabric in the direction of the arrow A between a pair

of 58 short-wave infrared heaters which heat the fabric to a temperature of approximately 340?C. The fabric is then passed between a pair of \?

pressure rollers 60 in which the warp threads are impregnated

and texture (possibly with the intervening layer of

thermoplastic material) are consolidated into a laminate.

?

After passing through the pressure rollers,

knives can be used at the edges of the material to

give the laminate a uniform edge. Next, the

composite laminate can be passed to a group

of load, as described in figure 1, where

it is joined with other similar laminates to form

a_.composite laminate.

The advantage of the device described with reference?

chin to figure 3? that is done so that the head to

alternative movement 54 is carried on a trolley

whose position can be changed in the direction

of the arrows B so that the direction in which the fiber

?

of weft extends with respect to the warp fibers can there be?

be modified. For example, although Figure 3 illustrates ^

the weft fibers that extend orthogonally to the <c>

warp fibers, it is possible, by arranging the carriage 61 j i of the slider with reciprocating movement 54, so that

the weft fibers run through the warp fibers

at any desired angle.

It should be noted that parec can be provided?

who groups such as the one described with reference to the

figure 3 one after the other^so as to allow to produce?

simultaneously more than one layer of tissue. For example

pio, several sets of fibers can be arranged

of plot, at the same angle or at different angles than

*

to the warp fibers, interspersed between various series of threads

of warp.

In this way, is it possible to form lamina structures?

you having high resistances, in continuous form.

Figure 4 illustrates a device by which

can be varied according to its width and thickness

of a laminate that needs to be produced.

In the arrangement of figure 4, it is illustrated

in 70 a semi-finished laminate taken from the device

of towing 23 which must be passed through

a pair of grip rollers 71 between which rollers are

complementary rolls of 72 fabric and ISSI CEG film arranged

t?x. thermoplastic 73 to pass the fabric and/or the *0

?X film on the laminate 70 in positions (and in thicknesses

and widths) determined by the section you want

produce. The laminate 70 and the fabric and/or the film?

the complementary ones pass near one another? Shape plates?

driving tea 74 whose quantity, type and position are

determined by the desired cross-section of the final laminate

which must be produced and therefore between guide rollers 75

to a 76 infrared shortwave heater that is controlled?

thyristor side. After heating, the laminate is composed?

to pass between 77 driven shaped compression rollers

in synchronization with the line feed speed.

Subsequently, the composite laminate can be further

mind warmed up (in 78) and/or passed between further?

shaped compression rollers (in 79), the number of

times when the laminate is reheated and

the number of rollers it passes through varies in

agreement^ with the complexity of the section that must be

re produced.

Various sections that can be formed using

the device illustrated in figure 4, are represented?

you in figure 5.

Figure 6 illustrates an arrangement in which they can

various other section structures be produced.

Figure 6 shows that the laminate produced at u?

the towing device 23 is brought to a

series of cutting elements illustrated in 80 and then ? a. t?6 between a series of short-wave infrared heaters

p<5 tu A 81 placed on both sides of the laminate, in which ci E3 the laminate is heated again. After having passed the heaters 81, the laminate pieces are

passed between forming rollers 82 which curve the

laminate sections to any desired shape.

The laminated material can be subsequently made

switch between additional infrared wave heaters

court 83 and forming rollers 85 before exiting in 87

from the car.

With the arrangement of figure 6, one can

form tubes and the ends of the laminate, after processing,

?

they can be at any desired angle simply-

mind by adjusting the angle of the cutting elements 80.

If the cutting elements lie normally to the laminate,

the cuts they form are at right angles forming

straight ends and butt joints in the final article,

while if the cutting elements are arranged at an angle?

I, you can get clamping joints and for the

produced pieces can be obtained with angled ends.

Examples of the sections that can be produced

using the device as described with reference

in figure 6, - ? ? - - - -- are

represented in figure 7A.

It should be noted that using a combination

3 of the device illustrated in figure 4 and figure

6th? Is it possible to produce complicated laminate structures?

closed section te. In this arrangement, the laminate

is it initially treated in a device such as illu?

layer in figure 4 so as to provide a thickness

variable according to its width^and is therefore <?>treated

in the device as illustrated in figure 6 to be

curved to the desired shape.

It should be noted that with the closed sections illustrated

in figure 7, it is possible, before the final closure

of the section, fill the section with any subject?

desired, for example a foamed plastic material.

? In this way it is possible to manufacture articles with sections

substantially full.

The arrangement of figure 6 allows to produce

structures with complex cross-sections, including aeroquadrata cross-sections.

dynamics and/or section tubes / When desired

produce simple round section tubes (or even pipes)

with a more complex section shape) it is possible to treat

the rolled material exiting the towing device

23 of figure 1 as illustrated in figure 8. In this

device, the laminate 89 is first trimmed in

90, then heated by an infrared heater

short wave 41 and passed through a forming mold

92 in which it is shaped to the desired form. After

exit from the 92 mold, the almost closed laminate can be

reheated, specifically in those areas of the

laminate that you want to join, with means 94, and the laminate?

it is then passed through a closing mould

95. An additional towing device can be provided

96 for the extraction of the finished laminate.

An alternative to the figure arrangement

8 ? illustrated in figure 9, where a material 97

flat or of variable thickness is subjected to new

heating and passed to a mandrel or tube forming glass 98 whose temperature is maintained

ta at a constant value, for example 200?C, and the laminali

to^ is then curved around the mandrel by means of a

plurality of forming rollers 101 interspersed between heating elements?

shortwave infrared transmitters. Examples of the shapes that

can be obtained are illustrated in Figure 7B.

When to use figure arrangements

6, 8 and 9 to form closed section pieces of material

(e.g. tubes), within the tube as it is produced

other materials can be introduced. It has been done

hint at filling the inside of an aerodynamic section?

ca with an expanded thermoplastic material, however it is

It should be noted that other materials may be introduced

in the closed section, for example series of conductors

if the closed section is used to form a sheath for

a reinforced electrical cable.

Figure 10 illustrates another way in which they can

<S &P CAETTAENIGC?RASQSA ?& >? closed sections formed with the devices can be treated

of figures 6, 8 and 9.

In the arrangement of figure 10, a 120 tube

(formed with the device of any of the figures

6, 8 and 9) passes through an opening 121 after being

was coated with a thermo-film bonding agent

plastic 122. The coated tube is then surrounded

with another layer of material fed by a series

of concentrically arranged coils 124. The material from the coils 124 can be any desired material.

122. The tube, with its added coating, then passes to a short wave infrared ring heater whose temperature is controlled to operate at approximately 340°C, and then passes between a pair of pressure rollers which serve to ensure that the added coating on the tube adheres firmly to the tube. It will be seen that a plurality of devices described with reference to FIG. 10 may be arranged to successively operate on a tube formed by any of the devices of FIGS. 6, 8, and 9, each device providing an additional layer on a preformed tube. With such an arrangement, layers of conducting wire may be interleaved with layers of electrically insulating material to construct a coaxial cable of any desired length.

It is further seen that a tube passed through the device illustrated in Figure 10 can be formed on a mandrel or cup and does not need to be produced with the device of Figures 6, 8 and 9. In this way,

the tube winding group of figure 10 (both

?

alone or with others) can be used to produce

*

a tube of any desired section starting from the beginning

or to reinforce and form wall thicknesses

of a preformed tube. It is possible to use such systems

to cover any object/ that can be made

pass through the coil heads^ with a variety?

of materials. When producing pipes from scratch,

the system can be made mobile on land or at sea

to produce and lay on site a continuous pipeline of

any diameter (within the size limitations

of the system). A continuous pipeline can be produced

co?: this system at a speed of 4-5 feet per minute

(1.2 - 1.5 meters/minute) or one mile per day

(1600 m). Possible uses for the pipe produced in this way are, for example, gas pipes or

for petroleum, continuous coating of sections for 5* municipalities

underground or submarine telecommunication installation

or fiber optics, sewer pipes and irrigation pipes.

For each application you intend to use, it is

proposed to choose the particular thermoplastic and

the reinforcing material and/or the conductive materials

interspersed with this, so as not to have a harmful influence?

you on the environment or on the product that the hose is intended to transport.

21.

*

The integrity of the material formed with any

of the devices described above can be controlled

?

immediately after the tube is produced by passing it

through an automatic testing system, using

X-rays, visible rays or radio waves that allow the

internal testing of the material. Furthermore, it is possible to have

a probe within a cup or forming mandrel when

the tube is manufactured from scratch. In this way,

? made it possible to produce continuous lengths of

material, of any desired length, without the

need to weld or otherwise join different pieces

of piping. With the provisions that have been described,

It is possible to quickly increase the speed at which

pipes and/or repeaters for telephone communications

they are produced and put into position.

Figure 11 schematically illustrates an arrangement

what can be expected to use a gj pipe?

on the ground. ?|

A digging machine 200 digs a ditch 201

where a pipe needs to be deposited. The excavator?

ce 200 can also be used to arrange guides on

both sides of ditch 201, guides which are in pieces

202. After the excavator 200, on the guides 200,

there is a modified vehicle 203 for heavy goods that

It carries various sections. The first section 204 is a warehouse

of material that directly feeds a second section

*

205 in which reinforcing fibres are impregnated with a

solution of a thermoplastic material (as described

with reference to figure 2). The impregnation section

205 ? isolated from the material warehouse 204 and from the rest

of the vehicle to eliminate fire hazards. It is in

alternatively it is possible to foresee that the materials are

impregnated with a solution of a thermoplastic material?

stico before being loaded onto the vehicle, although such

solution reduces the effectiveness of the proposal.

After impregnation and drying (for which

the heat is partially supplied by the exhaust heat

from the vehicle's engine and mainly from a source

of hot air burning diesel oil 'j the impregnated fiber s is passed to a mate forming section?

flat floor and tube 206 which can be according to the arrangement?

positive of figure 1 modified in accordance with the provisions?

you of figures 6, 8, 9 or 10. At the exit from the rear of the

Section 206 of flat material and tube formation,

the completed pipe illustrated in 210 is laid in the

ditch dug for it. The sections of the guide on which

runs the vehicle can be lifted from the rear of the

vehicle and placed in front of it.

In each of the provisions described above

you, is the heating provided by heaters?

short wave infrared tors that are controlled by

thyristor! so as to operate at the optimum temperature,

that is for the PES^ at a temperature of about 340?C. This

temperature may vary if other materials are used

\

thermoplastics .

Is it expected that a laminate formed according to the invention?

tion is taken from the rollers (or from the next section

(heating) by means of a conveyor group

towing, whose energy requirements allow movement

of the reinforcing fibers through the solvent bath/but?

thermoplastic material, and fiber and sheet reinforcements

thermoplastics through heaters and rollers.

It should be noted that^ to increase resistance

of a laminate, it is expected that a

plurality of layers of fiber reinforcement, the direction

of the extension of the fibres of the various layers being different.

a<CASE &JiA >fiHS<Tlt>-Do the fibers that reinforce a laminate material stretch?

not all in one direction, the laminate has a high

tensile strength in that direction, but a low

tensile strength, for example, in one direction that

extends transversely to that. Providing fibers

in the different layers of reinforcement that extend in directions

different from each other (for example orthogonal?

mind), the strength of the laminate is increased. The

the way this is done, it also eliminates a problem

of the worked reinforcing fabrics, that is, the single fibres

they are bent when they cross with other fibres, for example

example warp fibers curved when they cross each other

weft fiber in a woven material, thus providing

single pockets in the laminate with tensile strength

lower than the normal value in which the material matrix?

the thermoplastic surrounding the fibers can be less

thicker than elsewhere and where the fibres can tend to

to

straighten (and therefore lengthen) if the material is

subjected to a tensile force according to the length

of single fibers.

The present invention also allows the formation

continuously of various articles, such as plans

aerodynamic profile, pipes, coaxial cables and the like.

The desired shapes can be, as indicated

above, of complex sections, even U or V-shaped sections, or: !

1 closed pipes of different cross-sections. <??&HL.>

you With all the provisions described above,

it is preferably provided that the ratio between NMP and

aromatic hydrocarbon is not less than 2:1 and that the

concentration of PES in solution is preferably

between 15 and 30% by weight.

With the desired solvent or solvent system,

the reinforcing fibers pass through the solvent until

which gives the required resin content. For values

high <? >resin content, for example higher

at 50% by volume, it is desirable to let the fibers pass through

of reinforcement through the solution several times and

partially dry the reinforcing fibers after each

passage. Is this drying operation desired?

preferably carried out at a temperature slightly above

below the boiling point of the primary solvent

(for example with NMP a temperature between

70 and 180?C), so that a small amount of solvent

residue is left in the PES resin impregnated on the

fiber. After the requested report has been obtained, what returns?

na/fiber, the material is partially dried again?

cato (at similar temperatures) so that a certain quantity?

{aL? of the solvent is left in the resin. The solvent

residue left in the resin serves as a plasticizer for the resin allowing the layers of reinforcing fibers to form

impregnated to melt together into laminates or articles

of the required shape at temperatures below tempering?

normal glass transition temperature or at the softening point?

ment of the PES.

When printing the fibers, a

adequate ventilation to ensure that solvent vapors are removed.

you issued are eliminated.

Rolling or forming operation?, as

indicated above, continued until the desired result is achieved

the desired shape and all residual solvent has been

*

eliminated from the polyether sulfone. To obtain the complete

elimination of residual solvent, it is desirable that

the material is heated to a temperature just

above its glass transition temperature

normal resin (with PES slightly above

220?C). After additional heating, it can be

required a final pass through a light between

rollers at a temperature of? 220<D>C to ensure that the

laminated section has the desired shape. At this point,

if desirable, they can be joined to the surface

of the laminate thermoplastic resins at higher temperatures,

such as polyether-ether-cement (P.E.E.K.), polyether-

ketone (P.E.K.), P.E.S. copolymers and other EL materials? AC compatible .

Suci Although the use of N-methyl- has been described above

2-pyrrolidone and xylene or toluene, it should be noted that other solvents and other aroma hydrocarbons may be used?

tici .

It should be noted that numerous changes can be made

changes to the provisions described above

without departing from the scope of the present invention.

For example, when forming a tube to be used for

transport viscous fluids (e.g. waste water),

Claims (14)

1. Process for the production of continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastic laminate material, which consists of impregnating the fibre reinforcement with a matei i . thermoplastic material in solution, in drying the fibers impregnated in such a way as to disperse at least part of the solvent you, in heating and then compressing the material thermoplastic and fiber reinforcement. 2. Process according to claim 1, wherein layers of fiber reinforcement are interspersed with other thermoplastic material in the form of sheets, films or layers before heating. 3. Process according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the reinforcing fibres are impregnated with said thermoplastic material by passing it through a bath containing a solution of said thermoplastic material? stico, and are then dried. 4. Proceeding under any of the claims? tions 1-3, in which the thermoplastic material is polyethersol- phone and the solvent? N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone or a mixture of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone with a hydrocarbon aroma? tico. <??' ?>??<I>r<*>c<c >-g 5. Proceeding under any of the claims? tions 1-4, in which the heating of the thermoplastic material? stic and fiber reinforcement is carried out with groups ?i of, short-wave infrared heating and in which the heating occurs at a temperature at which the thermoplastic material reaches its temperature of glass transition. <1 >i <? >I r ? I I ' ' 6. Process according to any of the claims previous actions, in which a plurality of reinforcements fibers are brought into mutual contact with a single one t of a plurality of films, sheets or layers of material thermoplastic, the pairs of fiber and material reinforcements? the thermoplastics are then individually heated and then gathered and passed through a pair of rollers by which they are compressed to form a laminate I continue. 7. Process according to claim 6, wherein the reinforcing fibers of different fiber reinforcements are extend in different directions. 8. Process for the continuous production of an arti? reinforced neck <? >with fibers which consists in forming a laminate<" >fiber-reinforced thermoplastic according to a any of the preceding claims, e.nel heats t c c re then and molds the laminate to form the article. c* j 9. Process according to claim 8, wherein -i the heating of the laminate is carried out by means of infrared heating groups, short wave. 10. Process according to claim 8 or 9, in which other layers comprising a metal foil and/or? metal wires are placed between layers of reinforcement of fibres or are provided with these on the outside. 11. ?'. Process according to any of the claims-; uncle' I ni<1> <1 >8, 9, 10,<? >in which the laminate is heated and curved around a mandrel to form a length f continue of tube in order to obtain a tube or a sheath < for a cable passing through the spindle. 12. Tube or sheath formed according to the process of claim 11, wherein said additional layers are formed by wrapping metal foil or wires over the surface of the said tube and then wrapping these other layers on it reinforced with fibers impregnated with thermoplastic material in solution. 13. Closed section article formed according to a qual- any of claims 8-12, wherein, before closing, the section is filled with a thermoplastic material expanded.'? * 14. Article formed according to the procedure of a \ d any of claims 1-13. FOR ASSIGNMENT