CN117203048A

CN117203048A - In-line lamination process for producing thermoplastic composite panels with textured film layers

Info

Publication number: CN117203048A
Application number: CN202180090406.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 魏利青
Original assignee: Hanhua Azdale Co ltd
Current assignee: Hanhua Azdale Co ltd
Priority date: 2020-11-12
Filing date: 2021-11-12
Publication date: 2023-12-08
Also published as: CN117120264A

Abstract

In-line systems and in-line methods are described that can be used to provide lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite articles that include a textured film layer. The textured film layer may provide one or more of water repellency, flame retardancy, desired surface roughness, or other desired characteristics. Lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite articles comprising a textured film layer can be used in construction applications, recreational vehicle applications, and other applications where desired.

Description

In-line lamination process for producing thermoplastic composite panels with textured film layers

Priority application

The present application claims priority from U.S. application Ser. No.63/112,914, filed 11/12/2020, U.S. application Ser. No.63/145,073, filed 2/3/2021, and U.S. application Ser. No.63/188,358, filed 5/13/2021. The entire disclosure of each of these applications is incorporated herein by reference. .

Technical Field

Certain configurations described herein relate to an in-line (in-line) lamination process that can produce thermoplastic composite panels that include a textured film layer. In some embodiments, the panels may be used in construction applications, recreational vehicles, and other fields where waterproof panels may be desirable.

Background

The production of decorative panels can be time consuming and cumbersome. In many cases, the different components of the panel are produced in different processes or at different locations.

Disclosure of Invention

Certain aspects, constructions, embodiments, and examples describe in-line processes that can be used to produce panels that include textured film layers that can be used in recreational vehicles, construction applications, wet environment applications, and other fields.

In one aspect, an in-line process for producing thermoplastic composite articles using an in-line system is described. In certain embodiments, the in-line process includes combining the reinforcing material and the thermoplastic material in an aqueous solution; disposing an aqueous solution having a combined reinforcing material and thermoplastic material onto a moving support; removing moisture from the deployed aqueous solution on the moving support to form a web comprising an open cell structure formed of a reinforcing material and a thermoplastic material; drying the web on the moving support to provide a porous core layer; heating the dried porous core layer on the moving support to melt the thermoplastic material of the heated porous core layer; a first textured film layer is disposed on a first surface of a heated porous core layer on a moving support and pressure is applied to the heated porous core layer to provide a thermoplastic composite article, the porous core layer comprising the first textured film layer disposed on the moving support.

In certain configurations, the porous core layer is heated at a first temperature that is above the melting point of the thermoplastic material and below the melting point of the reinforcement material. In some examples, the method includes adding foam to an aqueous solution having a combination of reinforcing material and thermoplastic material. In other examples, the method includes adding a leavening agent to an aqueous solution having a combination of a reinforcing material and a thermoplastic material. In some embodiments, the method includes configuring the first textured film layer as a polyolefin film. In certain examples, the method includes configuring the polyolefin film to include a maximum height surface roughness (Rt) of at least 8 microns (as measured using a stylus profilometer).

In further examples, the first textured film layer further comprises a pattern. In certain embodiments, the pattern comprises one or more of the following: wood grain patterns, marble patterns, tile patterns, random scatter patterns, windmill patterns, herringbone patterns, building block patterns, offset staggered brickwork patterns, staggered patterns, grid patterns, vertically stacked patterns, french patterns, woven basket patterns, diamond patterns or zigzag patterns.

In certain embodiments, the thermoplastic material comprises a polyolefin and the reinforcing material comprises inorganic fibers.

In other embodiments, the method includes stretching the first textured film layer prior to disposing the first textured film layer on the first surface of the heated porous core layer on the moving support.

In further embodiments, the first textured film layer is stretched in the machine direction (machine dierction).

In some embodiments, the first textured film layer is disposed on the heated porous core layer without using any adhesive between the first textured film layer and the heated porous core layer.

In some embodiments, the method includes disposing a skin layer on a second surface of the heated porous core layer on the moving support.

In certain embodiments, the method includes disposing an adhesive on the second surface of the heated porous core layer prior to disposing the skin layer on the second surface.

In some embodiments, the method includes configuring the thermoplastic composite article to meet a class B standard from 2009 ASTM E84 test standard.

In other embodiments, the method includes configuring the thermoplastic composite article to meet a class a standard from 2009 ASTM E84 test standard.

In certain embodiments, the method includes compacting the heated porous core layer prior to disposing the first textured film layer on the first surface. In certain examples, the method includes heating the thermoplastic composite article to increase the overall thickness of the thermoplastic composite article after compacting the thermoplastic composite article.

In other embodiments, the method includes printing a pattern onto the first textured film layer after disposing the first textured film layer on the first surface of the heated porous core layer.

In further embodiments, the method includes embossing the first textured film layer after disposing the first textured film layer on the first surface of the heated porous core layer.

In some examples, the method includes disposing a non-porous layer on the first surface of the heated porous core layer prior to disposing the first textured film layer.

In another aspect, an in-line system configured to produce a thermoplastic composite article is described. In certain embodiments, the in-line system includes a fluid reservoir configured to receive the aqueous solution, the thermoplastic material, and the reinforcement material, wherein the fluid reservoir is configured to mix the thermoplastic material and the reinforcement material in the aqueous solution to provide a uniform dispersion of the thermoplastic material and the reinforcement material in the aqueous solution. The in-line system may further include a mobile support fluidly connected to the fluid reservoir and configured to receive the uniform dispersion from the fluid reservoir and to retain the uniform dispersion on the mobile support; the moving support may comprise two or more separate portions or segments, if desired. In some examples, the in-line system may also include a pressure device configured to remove moisture from the uniform dispersion on the moving support to provide a web comprising an open-cell structure formed of the reinforcing material and the thermoplastic material. The in-line system may further include means configured to dry and heat the web on the moving support to provide a porous core layer on the moving support; the in-line system may further include a first supply configured to receive the first film material, wherein the first supply is configured to provide the first film material as a first film layer onto a first surface of the porous core layer on the moving support; the in-line system may further include a compaction device configured to compact the heated porous core layer and the disposed first film layer by applying pressure to the heated porous core layer and the disposed first film layer, thereby providing a substantially planar thermoplastic composite article.

In certain embodiments, the first supply is configured to receive a roll of the first film material.

In other embodiments, the in-line system may include a texturing device configured to impart texture to the first film layer prior to disposing the first film layer on the heated porous core layer.

In certain embodiments, the in-line system may include a texturing device configured to impart texture to the first film layer after the first film layer is disposed on the heated porous core layer.

In some examples, the online system may also include a compacting device.

In some examples, the in-line system may include a second heating device positioned after the compaction device, wherein the second heating device is configured to heat the thermoplastic composite article to increase the overall thickness of the compacted thermoplastic composite.

In some examples, the in-line system may include a sprayer fluidly connected to the fluid reservoir, wherein the sprayer is configured to spray the uniform dispersion onto the moving support.

In some embodiments, the in-line system may include a second supply configured to receive the supply material or the non-porous material, wherein the second supply is configured to provide the non-porous material as a non-porous layer onto the first surface of the porous core layer on the moving support prior to disposing the first membrane layer onto the heated porous core layer.

In some embodiments, the in-line system may include a printer configured to print a pattern on the first film layer after the first film layer is disposed on the second surface of the heated porous core layer.

In some configurations, the in-line system may include an embosser configured to provide a pattern on the first film layer.

In some embodiments, the online system may include a processor configured to control movement of the moving support and, optionally, other components of the online system.

In another aspect, a Recreational Vehicle (RV) roof includes a first laminated lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite article including a porous core layer, a first skin layer on a first surface of the porous core layer, and a patterned and textured film layer on a second surface of the porous core layer. The RV ceiling may also include a support structure coupled to the first skin. For example, the support structure may comprise a tubular structure or a mesh structure.

In certain embodiments, the RV top plate includes an outer faceplate connected to the support structure. In other embodiments, the outer panel comprises fiberglass or aluminum.

In some embodiments, the RV ceiling includes a foam layer connected to the first skin layer and positioned between the first laminated lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite article and the support structure.

In some embodiments, the textured and patterned film layer comprises a polyolefin film. For example, the polyolefin film may comprise one or more of polypropylene, polyethylene, or blends or copolymers thereof.

In certain examples, the porous core layer in the first laminated lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite article comprises a mesh comprising an open cell structure formed of reinforcing fibers bonded together by a thermoplastic material. In other embodiments, the thermoplastic material in the porous core layer comprises a polyolefin. In some embodiments, the reinforcing material in the porous core layer comprises glass fibers. In further embodiments, the recreational vehicle roof panel is waterproof.

In another aspect, a recreational vehicle includes a roof, a side wall connected to the roof, and a floor connected to the side wall, thereby providing an interior space within the recreational vehicle, wherein the roof of the recreational vehicle includes a textured film layer as described herein. In some examples, the RV includes wheels that allow for towing of recreational vehicles.

In a further aspect, a waterproof panel includes a first laminated lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite article including a porous core layer, a first skin layer on a first surface of the porous core layer, and a textured and patterned film layer on a second surface of the porous core layer, and a substrate connected to the first laminated lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite article by the first skin layer.

In certain embodiments, the waterproof panel meets the class B standard of 2009 ASTM E84 test. In other embodiments, the waterproof panel meets the class a standard of 2009 ASTM E84 test.

In some embodiments, the waterproof panel includes a non-porous layer between the second surface of the porous core layer and the textured and patterned film layer.

In some examples, the textured and patterned film layer includes a microprojection structure on a surface of the film layer that is coupled to the first surface of the porous core layer to increase adhesion of the textured and patterned film layer to the first surface of the porous core layer.

In certain embodiments, the textured and patterned film layer has a basis weight of between 80gsm (g/m ² ) And 250 gsm. In other embodiments, the textured and patterned film layer includes more than one film layer.

In some examples, the waterproof panel includes a thermoset top coating on the textured and patterned film layer, e.g., a thermoset coating on the textured and patterned film layer.

In some embodiments, the waterproof panel is cellulose free.

In another aspect, a shower panel includes a lightweight reinforced thermoplastic article including a textured film layer as described herein, for example, the article includes a porous core layer, a first skin layer on a first surface of the porous core layer, and a textured and patterned film layer on a second surface of the porous core layer, and optionally a substrate connected to the first laminated lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite article by the first skin layer.

In another aspect, a shower enclosure includes a shower tray, a back wall connected to the shower tray, and a side wall connected to the shower tray and the back wall, wherein at least one of the shower basin, the back wall, and the side wall includes a lightweight reinforced thermoplastic article including a textured film layer as described herein, e.g., at least one of the side, the back wall, or the tray includes a porous core layer, a first skin layer on a first surface of the porous core layer, and a textured and patterned film layer on a second surface of the porous core layer, optionally, further including a substrate connected to the first laminated lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite article by the first skin layer.

Additional aspects, configurations, embodiments, and examples will be described below.

Drawings

Some specific schematics are described below to aid in a better understanding of the techniques described herein by referring to the figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram illustrating a recreational roof panel according to some embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing certain steps of an online process that may be used in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing certain components that may be used to add materials to a mixing tank, according to certain examples;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are illustrations of a mobile support according to some embodiments;

FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C are schematic diagrams of a drying apparatus according to certain embodiments;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams illustrating the application of a textured film layer and/or skin layer to a core layer, according to some embodiments;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an adhesive layer reservoir that may be used to apply adhesive to a surface of a core layer according to some examples;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are diagrams illustrating rollers that may be used in an in-line process, according to some examples;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a cutting device that may be used to cut a moving composite article into individual composite articles according to certain embodiments;

10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E, 10F, 10G, 10H, 10I, 10J, 10K, 10L, 10M, 10N, and 10O show different patterns that may be present on a textured film layer according to some examples;

11A, 11B, 11C, and 11D are illustrations of systems that may be used to perform an in-line process according to some embodiments;

FIG. 12 is an illustration of a Recreational Vehicle (RV) roof according to some embodiments;

FIG. 13 is a diagram of a recreational vehicle that may include an RV roof as described herein, according to some examples;

Fig. 14A and 14B are illustrations of a shower stall according to some embodiments;

15A and 15B are illustrations of side panels and roof panels, respectively, according to some embodiments;

FIG. 16 is a table showing the various films and materials present in the LWRT article tested;

17A, 17B, 17C, 17D, 17E, 17F, 17G, 17H and 17I are schematic views of different patterns and textures of a film surface;

FIG. 18 is a table showing LWRT articles tested;

FIG. 19 is a table showing surface roughness measurements;

FIG. 20 is a table showing a flame retardancy test; and

fig. 21 and 22 are tables showing measurement characteristics of the test samples.

Detailed Description

Those of ordinary skill in the art, with the benefit of the present disclosure, will recognize that the various panel layers described herein are not necessarily shown to scale. Any panel layer need not be limited to a particular material unless specifically noted in the description relating to a particular configuration. The thickness, arrangement and end use of the decorative panels may vary.

In certain embodiments, the methods described herein may be used to produce panels for building applications, vehicles such as recreational vehicles, wet environment applications, and other uses. Recreational Vehicles (RV), including motor home and trailer vehicles, may incorporate lightweight fiberglass reinforced thermoplastic composite panels into roof panels or other components to reduce weight. Polymer composites have many advantages over traditional wood composites (i.e., plywood), such as better durability, absence of formaldehyde, lighter weight to increase fuel efficiency, improved acoustic properties, water or water resistance, mold resistance, and flame retardancy, which benefit from the high degree of functional integration of glass and thermoplastic resin matrices. In some configurations, reinforcing fibers, such as glass fibers, may impart a favorable modulus of elasticity to the resin matrix, thereby enhancing performance with minimal weight gain. The properties of the resulting composite depend at least in part on the formulation of the core (fiber/resin ratio), the weight per unit area (areal density), the thickness of the panel application, and the textured film layer.

In some examples, the outer surface of the panel may include a "deep" or textured film layer having a high surface roughness. For example, the textured film may adhere to the underlying mesh or core layer during in-line processing, and thus the textured film is generally not separable from the composite core. The resulting composite article may exhibit a strong tensile strength, which eliminates the problem of delamination of the decorative layer/core layer at the interface between the layers within the RV roof structure. The textured film may also increase the bending stiffness of the panel, especially in the longitudinal direction. The textured panel may also have a grade a flame retardant rating of ASTM E84, 2009 edition or a grade B flame retardant rating of ASTM E84, 2009 edition, depending on the film used. Class a generally means a flame spread index of-25 and an aerosol generation index of no more than 450. Class B generally means a flame spread index of 26-75 and an aerosol generation index of no more than 450. In some embodiments, the textured film and other layers may provide a waterproof panel that may be used as a shower wall, a shower tray, or for other humid environment applications (e.g., as a roof or roof panel). In some embodiments, the FMVSS 302 standard may also be used to measure fire resistance or flame retardancy. The FMVSS 302 test is sometimes referred to as SAE J369 test standard. These tests are typically equivalent for determining a burn rate measurement. Briefly, the test uses a horizontal flame chamber, fume hood, hand bag large enough to handle samples of about 12 inches, water supply, timer, lighter, and ruler. The sample size is about 4 inches by about 12 inches and 5 or more samples are typically tested. The adhesive side of the sample is typically affected by the flame. For the FMVSS 302 test, the fume hood is typically open enough to provide an airflow of about 150 cubic feet per minute. For example, for SAE J369 testing, the fume hood may be opened to provide the same airflow, or the fume hood may be fully opened. The FMVSS 302 test may be interchanged with the SAE J369 test, unless otherwise indicated herein. The results of these tests can be categorized in a number of ways, including DNI, SE/0, SE/NBR, SE/B, B, and RB. DNI refers to a specified distance during or after 15 seconds of ignition where the material does not support combustion and/or where the material does not propagate a flame front to any surface. SE/0 refers to a material that fires at a surface, but the flame self-extinguishes before moving to a specified distance. By SE/NBR is meant that the material stops burning before it continues for 60 seconds from the time of start of burning and does not burn more than about 50 mm from the time of start of burning. SE/B refers to the forward flame front advancing a specified distance but self-extinguishing before reaching the second distance. B means that the material burns over the whole distance. RB refers to a material that burns at a rate that is too fast to time the burn rate. One or more of the distance burned, the time burned, the rate burned, and whether it is a self-extinguishing material may also be measured. If the flame propagation speed is less than about 102 millimeters per minute, the sample may be considered to "meet" or "pass" the FMVSS 302 or SAE J369 test. If the sample burn rate exceeds 102 millimeters per minute, the sample may fail the test.

In certain embodiments, articles described herein may comprise a textured film on an outer surface. In some embodiments, the textured film may include a pattern, embossment, or other feature that generally provides a depth to the film and results in a roughened surface. The total basis weight of the film may be from about 50 grams per square meter (gsm or g/m) ² ) Varying from about 300gsm, especially from about 100gsm to aboutAbout 250 gsm. The film thickness may vary from about 0.1mm to about 0.5mm, more particularly from about 0.15mm to about 0.30 mm. The surface roughness value can be used as a measure of the depth of the film. For example, the maximum height surface roughness (Rt) on at least one surface of the film, as measured by stylus profilometer according to ISO 4287:1997 standards, may be 8 microns or more, 10 microns or more, 15 microns or more, or more than 20 microns in the longitudinal and transverse directions. In other cases, the maximum height (Rt) measured by stylus profiler according to ISO 4287:1997 standards may be greater than 30 microns in the longitudinal and transverse directions. In other embodiments, the maximum height (Rt) measured by stylus profiler according to ISO 4287:1997 standards may be greater than 40 microns in the longitudinal and transverse directions. In certain embodiments, the maximum height (Rt) measured by stylus profiler according to ISO 4287:1997 standards may be greater than 50 microns in the longitudinal and transverse directions. In some embodiments, the maximum height (Rt) measured by stylus profiler according to ISO 4287:1997 standards may be greater than 60 microns in the longitudinal and transverse directions. In other embodiments, the maximum height (Rt) measured by stylus profiler according to ISO 4287:1997 standards may be greater than 70 microns in the longitudinal and transverse directions. In some cases, the microprojection structure (or other non-planar structure) on the surface of the film layer that is bonded to the first surface of the porous core layer can increase the adhesion of the textured film layer to the first surface of the porous core layer.

In certain embodiments, the textured film side of the LWRT articles described herein can have low or zero water absorption, as measured by Cobb test. The water absorption or retention is typically a measure of the mass of water absorbed by a particular area of the LWRT article in contact with water over a particular period of time. For example, the water absorption can be measured by punching a disc of material and sandwiching the punched disc so that the textured film side faces upward. The clamp may surround the top surface of the disk to form a cylindrical wall that may receive water. The water was then poured into a cylinder, after waiting 1 minute, the water was removed and the sample was weighed to determine how much water was absorbed (e.g., to determine the percentage of weight gain). If the surface layer is porous or not waterproof, water can penetrate and infiltrate the sample, which will result in higher water retention or increased weight percentage. In certain embodiments, the water absorption of the textured film side of the LWRT may be less than 1%, more specifically, may be less than 0.5% or even 0%. As used herein, percent refers to the percentage of weight gain after exposure to water. For example, the textured film side of the LWRT article may be water resistant, so that no or substantially no water or moisture can penetrate the surface. As noted in more detail below, the textured film layer may be used in combination with a non-porous layer or a non-porous coating to further enhance the water resistance of the LWRT article.

In some examples, the materials used in the film may be different, and typically the film is produced using a polyolefin or a combination of polyolefins. For example, the film may include one or more of polyethylene, polypropylene, a combination of polyethylene and polypropylene, and a copolymer of polyethylene and polypropylene. In some embodiments, the textured film may be a homopolymer film, while in other embodiments, the textured film may comprise two or more different polymers, including, for example, a copolymer film. If desired, different regions of the textured film may comprise different polymeric materials. The textured film may also contain colorants, additives, fibers, or other materials as desired.

In certain embodiments, the textured film may also include a pattern or embossment on the surface of the textured film. The pattern or embossing may be provided before the film is disposed on the core layer or after the film is disposed on the core layer. The pattern may be printed, embossed, etched, pressed, or otherwise applied to the surface of the textured film in a number of different ways. Exemplary patterns include, but are not limited to, square patterns, wood grain patterns, marble patterns, tile patterns, random scatter patterns, windmill patterns, chevron patterns, building block patterns, offset staggered brickwork patterns, offset patterns, grid patterns, vertically stacked patterns, basket weave patterns, diamond patterns, zigzag patterns, french patterns, fabric patterns, light-colored patterns, dark-colored patterns, coarse patterns, or other patterns.

In other embodiments, the textured film may be used in combination with a top coating of material sprayed, coated, or otherwise added to the outer surface of the textured film. While the top coat material may be varied, including thermoplastic materials and thermoset materials, typical top coat materials include, but are not limited to, epoxy resins, acrylic resins, polyester resins, polycarbonate resins, melamine formaldehyde resins, polyurethane resins, and other thermoset or thermoplastic resins. In some cases, the resin may comprise a polymer crosslinked by use of an aminoplast. Such resins are commercially available and exemplary resins/coatings are described, for example, in U.S. patent publication No. 20030055145. The exact thickness of the top coat may vary, but is typically much thinner than the entire film thickness. The top coat is typically optically clear, but may be tinted if desired. In some embodiments, the top coating may also provide some wear resistance according to the ISO 9352:2012 standard "determination of wear resistance by plastic-using grinding wheel method" (ISO 9352:2012, plastics-Determination of resistance to wear by abrasive wheels).

In some configurations, the textured film may also provide some chemical resistance. For example, the textured film may allow for cleaning of composite articles including the textured film using conventional household cleaners (e.g., mild bleach, quaternary amines, alcohols, etc.) without damaging the textured film, e.g., without removing texture and/or any color or design. In certain embodiments, a lightweight reinforced thermoplastic (LWRT) composite may be used as the RV top panel or RV top panel. Fig. 1 shows an example in which RV 100 includes a top plate comprising a core layer 110, a textured film 130, and a skin layer 120. As described in more detail below, textured film 130 generally faces the interior space of RV 100, and skin 120 may be connected to other components of RV 100. The RV may include other layers or components. For example, RV sidewall structures typically include an outer wall material, a foam insulation material (e.g., PET, EPS, or honeycomb foam), and an inner wall layer, all of which are laminated or bonded together and then mounted to the roof and floor to provide strength to the overall vehicle unit. The roof or roof panel may include the panel shown in fig. 1 in combination with one or more foam layers, structural components of the RV, and the like. As described below, the core layer 110 may include a porous mesh in combination with a textured film layer and optional additional skin layers. In a conventional production process, the material may be adhered off-line (off-line) to a substrate (typically plywood) and used for the roof of a recreational vehicle. However, over the past few years, concerns about formaldehyde emissions, poor plywood durability, and the high cost of the off-line lamination process using Polyurethane (PUR) glue to bond the material to plywood have prompted interest in developing products by laminating textured films on-line to durable composite panels. Depending on the design/pattern, the on-line laminated textured film composite panel may provide a similar or better quality surface, gloss and color than an off-line laminated plywood.

In certain embodiments, an in-line process for producing panels with textured films may include a number of steps that are typically controlled in an automated manner using a processor or computer, as will be described in more detail below. Certain steps of the process, as well as the various materials used/produced for each step, are shown by the block diagram in fig. 2. The LWRT layer is prepared by combining a thermoplastic material (TP) (e.g., thermoplastic resin) and a Reinforcing Material (RM) to form a dispersion or mixture (202). The mixture may then be deposited onto a suitable moving support to provide a web 204 formed of reinforcing material and thermoplastic resin. The resulting web 204 may include an open cell structure of reinforcing fibers held in place by a thermoplastic material. The resulting web 204 may be heated and dried to soften or melt the thermoplastic resin and form the porous core layer 206. One or more layers (e.g., a textured film layer) may then be applied to the surface of the formed and heated porous core layer 206. For example, a textured film may be applied to form the LWRT composite article 208. Although not shown, an impermeable layer or coating may be applied between the core layer 206 and the textured film to further render the assembly water or water resistant. The resulting LWRT composite material may be consolidated into a planar sheet 210, and the planar sheet 210 may be used to form an RV roof or other composite panel. For example, a planar sheet 210 on a moving support may be cut to provide individual LWRT composite articles 212. Various examples of process conditions, steps, and materials are described in more detail below.

As shown in fig. 3, thermoplastic material may be present in the reservoir 302 and reinforcing fibers (or other reinforcing material) may be present in the second reservoir 304. Each of the thermoplastic material and the reinforcing fibers may be quantitatively, sprayably, or otherwise introduced into an aqueous solution in the mixing tank 306, where the mixing tank 306 contains water, a liquid, or an aqueous solution. If desired, foam or other additives (described below) may be present in the mixing tank 306. The thermoplastic material and reinforcing fibers may be mixed at a suitable temperature for a suitable time to provide a substantially uniform aqueous dispersion of the fibers and thermoplastic material. For example, the materials may be mixed at room temperature (e.g., about 25 degrees celsius), or the materials may be above or below room temperature by heating or cooling the mixing tank. In some embodiments, material may be continuously added to the mixing tank 306 to allow for continuous deposition of the dispersion onto a moving support as described below. The exact mixing time may vary depending on the materials used, but exemplary mixing times include from 10 seconds to about 10 minutes, more particularly from about 30 seconds to about 5 minutes. However, as described above, where materials are continuously added to the mixing tank 306, mixing is continued. The mixing tank 306 may include a paddle mixer, impeller, or other device that facilitates mixing.

In certain embodiments, referring to fig. 4A, the dispersion in the mixing tank 306 may be sprayed, dropped, or otherwise deposited onto the moving support 410. Although the mobile support 410 is shown as a single part in some of the figures described herein, the mobile support 410 may be divided into two or more separate parts as desired. The mixing tank 306 may be fluidly coupled to a plurality of spray heads 402, and the spray heads 402 may spray the dispersion onto the surface of the moving support 410. As shown in fig. 4B, the moving support 410 may be porous or include a mesh that may receive a dispersion. The exact deposition rate may vary depending on the amount of material to be deposited per square meter. The moving support 410 may be moved at a continuous and constant speed to allow continuous spraying of the dispersion along the top surface of the moving support 410. During the deposition of the dispersion, the area of the moving support 410 under the showerhead may be heated, cooled, or at room temperature. As described below, different regions of the moving support 410 may have different temperatures. The exact dimensions of the moving support 410 may vary, typically the moving support is about 4 feet wide, and the mesh or aperture of the moving support 410 has dimensions of about 60 openings per square inch to about 80 openings per square inch. The moving support 410 allows for receiving the dispersion and moving the received dispersion to other stations or stations of the in-line system. At the end of the moving support 410, the formed LWRT article may be cut and stacked. Moving support 410 allows continuous formation of LWRT articles. In some embodiments, the mobile support 410 may be divided into two or more separate portions or segments. For example, a wet slab may be formed on a forming belt and then transferred, e.g., manually or automatically, to a separate drying belt where it may pass through an oven or other drying device.

In certain embodiments, referring to fig. 5A, a moving support 410 with a dispersion of thermoplastic material and reinforcing fibers may be transferred to a drying apparatus 510. Alternatively, as described above, the drying device 510 may be positioned adjacent to a separate drying belt that may receive the shaped mat. The drying device 510 may provide heat and/or negative pressure (vacuum) to remove moisture from the web 502 on the moving support 410 and leave the reinforcing fibers and thermoplastic material on the moving support 410. This process may form a core layer 512 (see fig. 5B) with high porosity, the core layer 512 comprising an open cell structure formed of reinforcing fibers held in place by a thermoplastic material. Other materials may also be present in the core layer or sprayed onto the core layer 512, if desired. For example, adhesive from the reservoir may be sprayed on the surface of the formed core layer 512. In other cases, a coating may be sprayed onto the core layer 512 to act as a non-porous layer and enhance the water repellency of the final LWRT article. The exact temperature used to heat the web 502 and/or the core 512 may vary, but it is desirable that the temperature be above the melting point of the thermoplastic material and below the melting point of the reinforcing fibers. In some examples, the moving support 410 itself may be heated, while in other examples, the drying device 510 may include a heating element or be configured as an oven or other heating device. Although not shown, heated or cooled air may be blown across the top surface of the web 502 or the core 512. Both the drying device 510 and the moving support 410 may provide heat to the web 502 on the moving support 410, if desired. In some cases, the moving support 410 may include a thermally conductive material that may retain heat from the drying device 510 to help maintain the core layer 512 in a softened state during application of the texture layer or other material. In some examples, a pressure device 520 separate from the drying device 510 may be provided (see fig. 5C). For example, a vacuum may be applied to the web 502 to remove moisture from the web 502 and leave the reinforcing material and thermoplastic material behind. The pressure device 520 is generally upstream of the drying device 510, and the pressure device 520 is designed to remove at least 40% by volume of moisture from the web 502, in particular about 60% by volume of moisture from the web 502. If desired, another pressure device (not shown) may be downstream of the pressure device 520 or downstream of the drying device 510.

In certain embodiments, one or more skin layers may be applied to the surface of the core layer in an automated fashion as the core layer 512 exits the drying apparatus 510. As described herein, the outer skin layer typically takes the form of a textured film to impart some surface roughness and/or pattern, embossing, etc. to the outer surface of the LWRT article. Referring to fig. 6A, a diagram illustrating the application of a texture layer 610 to a core layer 512 as the core layer 512 leaves the moving support 410 is shown. For example, the textured film layer 610 may be present as a roll of film layer material 605, with the roll of film layer material 605 being unwound and applied to one surface of the core layer 512 in a continuous manner. Although not shown in fig. 6A, the textured film material 605 may be stretched or elongated prior to application of the film 610 to the surface of the core layer 512. In some examples, the textured film material 605 may be stretched in a longitudinal direction, e.g., in a direction of movement of a moving support, or the textured film material 605 may be stretched in a transverse direction, e.g., in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Although the degree of stretching depends on the particular material present in the textured film layer material 605, in some embodiments, the film layer material 605 may be stretched by applying a stretching force of about 60N to about 250N, thereby stretching the film. The exact forces applied may vary, while thicker films generally require the use of greater forces to stretch the film. The stretching force should be selected to be less than the breaking force that causes tearing of the elongation under application of the stretching force so that the film will not tear during stretching. If desired, the film layer material 605 may be stretched between a plurality of rollers prior to application to the core layer 512. The textured film 610 may be applied at room temperature even though the core layer 512 may still be heated, or the core layer 512 may be present on the moving support 410 at a temperature above room temperature.

In some embodiments, the final LWRT article includes a textured film layer 610 on the surface of the core layer 512. A non-porous layer or material may be present between the surface of the core layer 512 and the textured film layer 610. For example, the porosity of the non-porous layer may be less than 5% or even less than 1% or equal to 0% to provide an LWRT article that is substantially waterproof and useful in a wet environment, such as for shower walls, showers, RV shower walls, roof panels, exterior panels or siding or other building applications and vehicle applications where the article may be exposed to water.

As shown in fig. 6B, a second skin 620 may be applied to the second surface of the core 512 from a second web 615 comprising a second skin material. The skin 620 may be applied at room temperature even though the core 512 may still be heated, or the core 512 may be present on the moving support 410 at a temperature above room temperature. Alternatively, the webs 605, 615 or the layers 610, 620 or both the webs and layers may be heated prior to application to the surface of the core layer 512. The layers 610, 620 may generally be applied in a continuous manner to form a thermoplastic composite article that includes a core layer 512, a textured film layer 610, and an optional second skin layer 620. Although not shown, a similar process may be used to apply additional skin layers on top of skin layer 620, while textured film layer 610 is often the outer layer of the LWRT article that faces the environment of use. However, if desired, another layer, such as a second textured film layer, may be applied on top of the textured film layer 610.

In some embodiments, it may be desirable to apply an adhesive layer to core layer 512 prior to applying layer 610 to core layer 512. In this case, an adhesive reservoir 720 (see fig. 7) may be present, the adhesive reservoir 720 being used to spray adhesive on the surface of the core layer 512 prior to applying the film layer 610, so that an adhesive layer 722 is present on the surface of the core layer 512. The adhesive specifically used may be a thermoplastic adhesive, a thermosetting adhesive, or a combination thereof. Although not shown, an adhesive may also be applied to the opposite surface of the core layer 512 prior to the application of the skin layer 620 to the core layer 512. Exemplary adhesives include polyolefin adhesives, polyurethane adhesives, and combinations thereof.

In certain embodiments, the resulting thermoplastic composite article may be compacted by applying pressure to the surface of the composite article. For example and referring to fig. 8A, the composite article may be passed between rollers 810, 812 to densify the composite article and strengthen the bond of the layers 610, 620 and the core layer 512. The exact distance or gap between the rollers 810, 812 may vary depending on the desired pressure to be applied and depending on the desired final thickness of the composite article. Typically, the overall thickness of the composite article decreases after passing through rollers 810, 812. The rollers 810, 812 may operate at room temperature, above room temperature, or below room temperature. Further, the rollers 810 may be maintained at a temperature lower or higher than the temperature of the rollers 812. For example, it may be desirable to heat the roller 810 to enhance bonding of the film layer 610 to the surface of the core layer 512 while cooling the roller 812 to maintain the core layer 512 in a more hardened or cured state. There may be more than one set of rollers 810, 812 if desired. For example and referring to fig. 8B, a second set of rollers 820, 822 is shown. The gap between the different sets of rollers may be different. For example, the first set of rollers 810, 812 may include a first gap that is less than the gap between the rollers 820, 822. The gap between the individual rollers may be fixed or may vary. For example, it may be desirable to compact certain areas of the composite article to a greater extent such that the thickness at these compacted areas is lower. In some cases, the edges of the composite article may be compressed more, such that the thickness at the side edges of the composite article is smaller. If desired, there may be three, four or more sets of rollers. If desired, the rollers may be positioned within an oven or heating device to maintain the core layer in a softened state during compaction of the composite article. Alternatively, the temperature of each individual roller may be independently controlled to provide heat or cool a particular surface of the article.

In certain embodiments, once the composite article is compacted, a continuous sheet of compacted composite article may be cut or severed into individual sheets using a cutting device 910 (see fig. 9). The resulting individual composite articles may be stacked or palletized, for example, on a tray 915, for transport, as shown by stack 920. The dimensions of the composite article in fig. 9 are purposely exaggerated to show the stacking situation, as the composite article tends to stack as a single thin sheet having a thickness of, for example, from 1mm to about 30 mm. The exact dimensions of the individual composite articles may be from about 2 feet wide to about 8 feet wide, and from about 4 feet long to about 16 feet long. In some embodiments, the individual composite article may be about 4 feet wide and about 8 feet long, so it has dimensions similar to plywood commonly used in recreational vehicles and construction applications.

In some constructions, the core layer produced using the in-line process may include reinforcing fibers bonded to a thermoplastic resin. For example, the core layer may be formed of a random arrangement of reinforcing fibers held in place by a thermoplastic resin material. For example, the core layer typically comprises a large number of open cell structures such that void spaces exist in the layer. In some cases, the void fraction or porosity of the porous core layer may be: 0-30%, 10-40%, 20-50%, 30-60%, 40-70%, 50-80%, 60-90%, 0-40%, 0-50%, 0-60%, 0-70%, 0-80%, 0-90%, 10-50%, 10-60%, 10-70%, 10-80%, 10-90%, 10-95%, 20-60%, 20-70%, 20-80%, 20-90%, 20-95%, 30-70%, 30-80%, 30-90%, 30-95%, 40-80%, 40-90%, 40-95%, 50-90%, 50-95%, 60-95%, 70-80%, 70-90%, 70-95%, 80-90%, 80-95%, or any exemplary value within these exemplary ranges.

In certain embodiments, the thermoplastic materials used to form the core layers described herein may include one or more of the following plasticized and unplasticized materials: polyolefin (e.g., one or more polyethylenes,Polypropylene, etc.), polystyrene, acrylonitrile styrene, butadiene, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene tetra-chlorate, and polyvinyl chloride, as well as mixtures of these materials with each other or with other polymer materials. Other suitable thermoplastics include, but are not limited to, polyarylene ethers, polycarbonates, polyestercarbonates, thermoplastic polyesters, polyimides, polyetherimides, polyamides, copolyamides, acrylonitrile-butyl acrylate-styrene polymers, amorphous nylons, polyarylene ether ketones, polyphenylene sulfides, polyarylsulfones, polyethersulfones, liquid crystal polymers, commercially availablePoly (1, 4-phenylene) compounds of (A) and high temperature resistant polycarbonates (e.g. Bayer ++>) High temperature nylon and silicone, and copolymers, alloys and blends of these materials with each other or with other polymeric materials. The thermoplastic material used to form the core layer may be used in powder form, resin form, rosin form, particulate form, fibrous form, or other suitable form. Various forms of exemplary thermoplastic materials are described herein, and are also described, for example, in U.S. patent publications US20130244528 and US 20120065283. The exact amount of thermoplastic material present in the core layer may vary, with exemplary amounts ranging from about 20% to about 80% by weight, e.g., 30-70% or 35-65% by weight, based on the total weight of the core layer. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the sum of the weight percentages of all materials used in the core layer is 100 weight percent.

In other embodiments, the reinforcing fibers of the core layer may include glass fibers, carbon fibers, graphite fibers, synthetic organic fibers, particularly high modulus organic fibers, such as para-aramid fibers and meta-aramid fibers, nylon fibers, polyester fibers, high melt index resins suitable for use as fibers (e.g., MFI of 100 g/10 min or more), mineral fibers such as basalt, mineral wool (e.g., rock wool or slag wool), wollastonite, alumina silicate, and the like, or mixtures thereof, metal fibers, metallized natural and/or synthetic fibers, ceramic fibers, yarn fibers, or mixtures thereof. In certain embodiments, the fibers used may be cellulose-free to avoid or reduce the likelihood of mold or other microorganism growth. In some embodiments, the fibers in the core may be bicomponent fibers, such as core-sheath fibers, for example as described in U.S. patent publication No.20180162107 published on 2018, 6, 14. In some embodiments, any of the above fibers may be chemically treated prior to use to provide desired functional groups or to impart other physical properties to the fibers, e.g., chemical treatments may be performed so that the fibers may react with the thermoplastic material, the bulking agent, or both. The fiber content in the core layer may be from about 20% to about 90% by weight of the core layer, more particularly from about 30% to about 70% by weight of the core layer. The particular size and/or orientation of the fibers used may depend, at least in part, on the thermoplastic material used and/or the desired properties of the core layer. For example, the fibers may be randomly oriented or may have a particular selected orientation as desired. In one non-limiting example, the fibers dispersed in the thermoplastic material and optional other additives to provide the core layer may generally have a diameter of greater than about 5 microns, more particularly, from about 5 microns to about 22 microns, and a length from about 5mm to about 200mm, more particularly, the fiber diameter may be from about 2 microns to about 22 microns and the fiber length may be from about 5mm to about 75mm.

In certain embodiments, other additives may also be present in the mixture comprising the thermoplastic resin and the reinforcing fibers. For example, leavening agents, flame retardants, colorants, smoke suppressants, surfactants, foam, or other materials may be present. In some examples, the core layer may be substantially halogen-free or halogen-free to meet the restrictions of a particular application on hazardous material requirements. In other cases, the core layer may comprise a halogen-based flame retardant, such as a halogen-based flame retardant comprising one or more of F, cl, br, I and At, or a compound comprising such a halogen, such as tetrabromobisphenol-a polycarbonate or a monohalo-, dihalo-, trihalo-or tetrahalo-polycarbonate. In some cases, the thermoplastic material used in the core layer may contain one or more halogens to impart some flame retardancy without the addition of another flame retardant. In the case of the halogen-based flame retardant, the flame retardant is desirably present in a flame retardant amount, which may vary depending on the other components present. For example, the halogen-based flame retardant may be about 0.1% to about 15% by weight (based on the weight of the core layer), more particularly about 1% to about 13% by weight, such as about 5% to about 13% by weight, based on the weight of the core layer. If desired, two different halogen-based flame retardants may be added to the layer. In other cases, non-halogen based flame retardants may be added, such as flame retardants comprising one or more of N, P, as, sb, bi, S, se and Te. In some embodiments, the non-halogenated flame retardant may include a phosphating material, whereby the layers may be more environmentally friendly. In the case of non-halogen or substantially halogen-free flame retardants, the flame retardant is desirably present in a flame retardant amount that can vary depending on the other components present. For example, the substantially halogen-free flame retardant may be about 0.1% to about 15% by weight (based on the weight of the layer), more particularly about 1% to about 13% by weight, such as about 5% to about 13% by weight, based on the weight of the core layer. If desired, two different substantially halogen-free flame retardants may be added to one or more of the core layers described herein. In some cases, one or more core layers described herein may comprise one or more halogen-based flame retardants and one or more substantially halogen-free flame retardants. When two different flame retardants are present, the combination of the two flame retardants may be present in a flame retardant amount, which may vary depending on the other components present. For example, the total weight of flame retardant present may be about 0.1% to about 20% by weight (based on the weight of the layer), more particularly about 1% to about 15% by weight, such as about 2% to about 14% by weight, based on the weight of the core layer. The flame retardant used in the layers described herein may be added to the mixture comprising thermoplastic material and fibers (prior to disposing the mixture on a wire mesh or other processing component) or may be added after the layers are formed. In some examples, the flame retardant material may include one or more of an expandable graphite material, magnesium hydroxide (MDH), and aluminum hydroxide (ATH).

In some embodiments, the skin layers 610, 620 may be the same or may be different. For example, each of the layers 610, 620 may be a textured film layer, or one of the layers 610, 620 may be a textured film layer while the other layer may be a material or layer other than a textured film layer. In one example, the skin 610 is a decorative, embossed, or patterned film layer, and the skin 620 may be a decorative layer or a pattern layer or other type of skin. In the case where one or both of the skins 610, 620 include a pattern, the pattern may be the same or different in different areas of the skin. In some embodiments, the textured film layer or skin layer may include one or more of the following patterns: wood grain pattern (fig. 10A), marble pattern (fig. 10B), tile pattern (fig. 10C), random scatter pattern (fig. 10D), windmill pattern (fig. 10E), herringbone pattern (fig. 10F), building block pattern (fig. 10G), offset staggered bricking pattern (fig. 10H), offset pattern (fig. 10I), grid pattern (fig. 10J), vertically stacked pattern (fig. 10K), woven basket pattern (fig. 10L), diamond pattern (fig. 10M), zigzag pattern (fig. 10N) or french pattern (fig. 10O). Other patterns are also possible. In some embodiments, when the textured film material or skin material is on the web 605 or 615, the pattern may already be present on the textured film material or skin material. In other cases, the pattern may be printed or embossed onto the film or skin layer prior to applying the film or skin layer to the core layer. A diagram of a system that may include a printer for printing a pattern on a surface layer is described in more detail below. Where one of the layers 610, 620 includes a pattern or embossment, the other layer may be, for example, a thermoplastic film, a polyolefin film, an elastomeric film, a support cloth, an inorganic glass fiber reinforced plastic, a mesh, or the like. In certain configurations, where the other layer is in the form of a thermoplastic film, the thermoplastic film comprises at least one polyolefin (e.g., polyethylene or polypropylene), at least one poly (etherimide), at least one poly (ether ketone), at least one poly (ether-ether ketone), at least one poly (phenylene sulfide), poly (arylene sulfone), at least one poly (ether sulfone), at least one poly (amide-imide), poly (1, 4-phenylene), at least one polycarbonate, at least one nylon, and at least one silicone. In other examples, the other layer may be, for example, a fabric (film+support cloth (scrim)), a support cloth (e.g., a fiber-based support cloth), a foil, a woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, or the other layer may be present as an inorganic coating, an organic coating, or a thermosetting coating. In other cases, other skin layers may contain a limiting oxygen index of greater than about 22, as measured according to the 1996 ISO 4589 standard. When the fiber-based support cloth is present as (or as part of) another skin layer, the fiber-based support cloth may comprise at least one of glass fibers, aramid fibers, graphite fibers, carbon fibers, inorganic mineral fibers, metal-composite fibers, and metallized inorganic fibers. If desired, the support cloth may comprise a material or fiber made of one or more of the thermoplastic materials described above in connection with the core layer. When the thermosetting coating is present as (or as part of) another skin layer, the coating may comprise at least one of an unsaturated polyurethane, a vinyl ester, a phenolic resin, and an epoxy resin. In the case where the inorganic coating is present as (or as part of) another surface layer, the inorganic coating may comprise a mineral containing cations selected from Ca, mg, ba, si, zn, ti and Al or may comprise at least one of gypsum, calcium carbonate and mortar. Where the nonwoven fabric is present as (or as part of) another skin layer, the nonwoven fabric may comprise thermoplastic materials, thermosetting binders, inorganic fibers, metal fibers, metallized inorganic fibers, and metallized synthetic fibers. Other skins may also include bulking agents, expandable graphite materials, flame retardant materials, fibers, etc., if desired. As described herein, when the LWRT article is intended for wet environmental applications, it may be desirable to select another skin layer that is free of cellulose to avoid microbial growth.

In certain embodiments, the composite articles described herein may have desired surface characteristics on at least one surface. For example, the core layer of the articles described herein may have some inherent roughness due to the presence of reinforcing fibers. This roughness can be increased by selecting suitable fibers having a suitable length. The bottom surface roughness of the core layer may be used in combination with the surface roughness of the textured film layer to impart an overall roughness to the surface of the LWRT article. While surface roughness can be measured in a variety of ways, three roughness parameters, average arithmetic deviation (Ra) of profile, root mean square average (Rq) of profile height, and maximum height (Rt) can be used to measure surface roughness. Ra is the average distance from the contour to the midline, rq is the root mean square average value of the height of the contour, rt is the vertical distance between the highest point and the lowest point of the contour. See, for example, literature: mummery (1990) Surface texture analysis: the handbook Hommellwerke, page 106. The surface roughness can be measured with a stylus profilometer, generally meeting the following criteria: JIS (JIS-B0601-2001, JIS-B0601-1994, JIS B0601-1982), VDA, ISO 4287:1997,and ANSI. The parameters (Ra, rq, rz and Rt) can be characterized by ISO 4287:1997.

In certain embodiments, the surface roughness (Ra) of at least one surface of the LWRT composite article (e.g., the surface comprising the patterned layer) may be greater than 7 microns in both the longitudinal and transverse directions, as measured using a stylus profilometer according to ISO 4287:1997 standards. In other embodiments, the surface of the thermoplastic composite article comprising the textured film layer has a surface roughness (Ra) of greater than 10 micrometers in both the longitudinal and transverse directions, as measured by a stylus profilometer according to ISO 4287:1997 standards. In other examples, the average RMS profile height (Rq) of at least one surface of the composite article (e.g., the surface comprising the textured film layer) may be greater than 1 micron in both the machine direction and the transverse direction, as measured by a stylus profiler according to the ISO 4287:1997 standard. In other embodiments, the thermoplastic composite article has a surface comprising a textured film layer having an average RMS profile height (Rq) of greater than 4 microns in both the machine direction and the transverse direction, as measured by a stylus profilometer according to ISO 4287:1997 standards. In other examples, at least one surface of the composite article (e.g., the surface comprising the textured film layer) may have a maximum height (Rt) in both the longitudinal and transverse directions of greater than 10 microns or greater than 20 microns, as measured by a stylus profilometer according to ISO 4287:1997 standards. In other embodiments, the maximum height (Rt) of the surface of the thermoplastic composite article comprising the textured film layer is greater than 30 microns or greater than 40 microns in both the longitudinal and transverse directions, the maximum height (Rt) measured by a stylus profilometer according to ISO 4287:1997 standards.

In some configurations, the system may be used to implement an in-line process. A schematic of the system components is shown in fig. 11A. The system 1100 includes reservoirs 1102, 1104. The reservoir 1102 may contain thermoplastic material and the reservoir 1104 may contain reinforcing fibers. The reservoirs 1102, 1104 may provide material to a mixing tank 1106. The mixing tank 1106 may be fluidly connected to a spray head or nozzle 1108 to spray the mixed dispersion onto a moving support 1110. The web 1115 on the moving support 1110 may be moved through a vacuum or other pressure device 1120, and the vacuum or other pressure device 1120 may remove liquid from the web 1115 to form the core 1122. The core 1122 may be dried and heated by a drying device 1125. The textured film layer 1130 and the skin layer 1140 may be applied to opposite surfaces of the core layer 1122 from a supply or roll 1135, 1145, respectively, to provide a composite article. The composite article may be passed through a set of rollers 1160, 1162 to consolidate the composite article. As the moving sheet of consolidated thermoplastic composite product passes through the cutting device 1170, the consolidated composite product may be cut into individual products by the cutting device 1170. The processor 1180 is shown as controllable: such as movement of the moving support 1110, spraying material onto the moving support 1110, and other equipment and parameters used by the system 1100.

In some examples, the system 1100 may include other components that may be present before or after the cutting device 1170. For example, the system 1100 may include another cutting station 1175 (fig. 11B) designed to cut a tongue at one edge of the composite article and a groove at an opposite edge of the composite article. Such a cut allows the different individual panels to mate with one another in use, so that there is some overlap of the panels at the seam. In wet environment applications, seam overlapping may be particularly beneficial so that water is prevented from penetrating behind the panel surface. In other cases, the system 1100 may include another heating device 1185 (fig. 11C) that may be used to bulk or increase the thickness of the composite article. The heating device 1185 may be positioned before or after the cutting device 1170 as desired. An optional adhesive reservoir 1190 (fig. 11D) may be provided to provide adhesive to the core layer prior to application of skin 1130. A second adhesive reservoir (not shown) may also be provided to provide adhesive to the core layer prior to application of the skin layer 1140. If desired, the surface of the composite article may be physically treated, for example, the textured film layer may be sanded, polished, etched or embossed to alter the surface roughness or impart a desired pattern or texture to the film layer.

In some embodiments, the system may include multiple sets of rollers. Different rollers may be present at different temperatures or provide different gap thicknesses to compact the composite article before it exits from the moving support. In some cases, the rollers may be used to compress the edges of the composite article to a higher degree such that the overall thickness at the edges of the composite article is lower than the overall thickness at the central region of the composite article. The thickness at the different edges may be the same or different.

In other embodiments, the system may include a printer that may print a pattern onto the skin layer prior to applying the skin layer to the core layer. The printer may spray, print, or deposit ink and other materials, such as fibers, particles, powders, etc., onto the surface of the skin layer either before the skin layer is applied to the core layer or after the skin layer is applied to the core layer. For example, a printer may be positioned adjacent to web 1135 of the film layer to print a pattern onto the surface of skin 1330 as skin 1130 is unwound from web 1135. Alternatively, the printer may print a pattern onto the skin 1130 after the skin 1130 is applied to the surface of the core layer. The exact pattern provided by the printer may vary and may vary in different areas of the skin. For example, the pattern printed on the skin layer may be one or more of the following patterns: wood grain patterns, marble patterns, tile patterns, random scatter patterns, windmill patterns, herringbone patterns, building block patterns, offset staggered brickwork patterns, staggered patterns, grid patterns, stacked vertical patterns, french patterns, woven basket patterns, diamond patterns or zigzag patterns. In other cases, an embosser may be provided and used to apply a pattern or texture to the film layer. For example, an embosser may be used after the LWRT article exits the moving support. The LWRT article may be extruded between a plurality of sheets to impart a pattern from the sheets to one or more surfaces of the LWRT article.

In certain embodiments, the in-line processes and in-line systems described herein can be used to produce a top plate. The roof panel may be present in recreational vehicles or other vehicles, commercial and residential structures, or other environments. One example is shown in fig. 12, where RV ceiling panel 1200 includes a first laminated lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite article 1210 comprising a porous core layer 1212, a first skin layer 1214 on a first surface of porous core layer 1212, and a patterned second skin layer 1216 on a second surface of porous core layer 1212. The textured film 1216 is generally positioned such that it faces the interior portion of the space formed by the RV. RV ceiling 1200 may also include an optional foam layer 1220, with foam layer 1220 being connected to first laminated lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite article 1210 at a first surface of foam layer 1220. For example, the foam layer 1220 may be connected to the first laminated lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite article 1210 by a first skin layer 1214 of the first laminated lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite article 1210, so that a textured film layer 1216 is present on the inner surface of the RV top plate 1200. RV top plate 1200 also typically includes a support structure 1230, which may take the form of a chassis, tube, cage, or other structure. The support structure 1230 typically comprises a metallic material, such as steel, aluminum, or other metal. The support structure 1230 may be coupled to the second surface of the foam layer 1220 at the first surface of the support structure 1230. An optional second laminate lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite article 1240 can be attached to the second surface of the support structure 1230. The second laminate lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite article 1240 includes a porous core layer 1242, a first skin layer 1244 on a first surface of the porous core layer 1242, and a second skin layer 1246 on a second surface of the porous core layer 1242. The outer panel 1250 may be connected to a second laminated lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite article 1240 to form an RV ceiling 1200. Alternatively, LWRT article 1240 may be omitted and outer panel 1250 may be directly connected to support structure 1230. In some examples, the outer panel 1250 includes fiberglass or aluminum.

As described herein, the textured film layer 1216 may include one or more of the following patterns: wood grain patterns, marble patterns, tile patterns, random scatter patterns, windmill patterns, herringbone patterns, building block patterns, offset staggered brickwork patterns, staggered patterns, grid patterns, stacked vertical patterns, french patterns, woven basket patterns, diamond patterns or zigzag patterns. In certain embodiments, the first skin 1214 of the first laminated lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite article 1210 comprises a support cloth. In certain examples, the porous core layer 1212 in the first laminated lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite article 1210 can include a mesh comprising an open cell structure formed of reinforcing fibers bonded together by a thermoplastic material as described above. In some examples, the porous core layer 1242 in the second laminated lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite article includes a mesh including an open cell structure formed of reinforcing fibers bonded together by a thermoplastic material. In some constructions, the thermoplastic material in each porous core layer 1210, 1240 independently comprises a thermoplastic material as described herein, such as a polyolefin, e.g., polypropylene, polyethylene, etc. In some embodiments, the reinforcing material in each porous core layer comprises reinforcing fibers, such as glass fibers, as described herein.

In some embodiments, the RV roof may be present in an RV that includes a roof, a sidewall coupled to the roof, and a floor coupled to the sidewall, thereby providing an interior space within the recreational vehicle. An example is shown in fig. 13, where RV 1300 includes an RV top plate 1312, which may be similar to RV top plate 1200 described above. RV 1300 also includes sidewalls 1313, 1314 and floor 1316.RV 1300 may include wheels 1352, 1354 to allow traction of the RV and/or may include an engine, motor, or other power source to allow independent movement of the RV.

In certain embodiments, panels comprising the textured film layers described herein may be particularly suitable for wet environment applications where the panels will be exposed to water. The water may be present in an internal environment, such as in a shower or RV shower, or the water may be present in an external environment, such as in an external environment that is a roof panel, building wall panel, or the like. One example of a shower is shown in fig. 14A, where a shower 1410 may be configured as a compartment comprising one or more panels including a LWRT panel comprising a textured film as described herein. The shower 1410 has three panels, any one or more of which may be LWRT panels that include a textured film. Although not shown, the shower enclosure 1410 is typically used with a shower tub or enclosure that together form a substantially waterproof shower enclosure suitable for use in residential applications. If desired, the shower may be configured as a single unitary piece of material as shown in figure 14B. The enclosure 1450 has an integrated tub or container, side walls and rear wall. Any one or more surfaces of the housing 1450 may be produced using LWRT articles having textured films as described herein. In certain RV applications with a wet bathroom, the shower enclosure 1450 may also include a toilet or be designed to mount a toilet.

Referring to fig. 15A, a side view of a side panel 1500 is shown. The panel 1500 may include a core 1510 in combination with a textured film layer 1520 and a skin 1530. In some examples, the side panel 1500 may be configured with a flame retardant material or be substantially flame retardant. For example, the side panel 1500 includes a flame spread index of less than 25 and an aerosol generation index of less than 150 as tested according to astm e84 standard in 2009. In some cases, there may be butt joints, lap joints, etc., so that two panels may be locked to each other horizontally.

In some cases, any one or more of the LWRT panels described herein with textured films can be configured as roof panels or roof tiles for attachment to a building, such as a residential or commercial building. Roof panels may be used, for example, to cover attic spaces, to connect to roof trusses, or to cover flat roofs common in commercial buildings. If desired, the roof panel may be attached to another substrate, such as oriented strand board, plywood, or even solar cells attached to the roof and functioning to cover the roof. Referring to fig. 15B, a perspective view of a roof panel 1560 attached to a house 1550 is shown. In some examples, roof panel 1560 includes a flame retardant material, or is itself flame retardant, and roof panel 1560 is connected to an underlying roof substrate. If desired, the roof panel 15601560 can include a flame spread index of less than 25 and an aerosol generation index of less than 150 as tested according to 2009 ASTM E84 standard. Roof panel 1560 may alternatively be configured as roof tiles that may be nailed to or otherwise connected to an underlying roof substrate. In some cases, there may be butt joints, lap joints, etc., so that two roof panels or roof tiles may be locked to each other horizontally.

In some examples, the online methods and online systems described herein may be controlled using one or more processors, which may be part of the online system or otherwise electrically connected to the online system through associated devices (e.g., computers, notebook computers, mobile devices, etc.). For example, a processor may be used to control the mixing speed of the materials, the speed of the moving support, the pressure used to remove the liquid from the dispensed dispersion, the temperature of the heating device, the pressure applied to the materials, and other parameters of the process and system. Such a process may be performed automatically by the processor without user intervention or the user may enter parameters through a user interface. In some configurations, the processor may reside in one or more computer systems and/or general-purpose hardware circuits including, for example, a microprocessor and/or suitable software for operating the system, e.g., to control various fluid reservoirs, mixing tanks, pressure devices, speeds, temperatures, etc. The processor may be integrated into the online system or may reside on one or more accessory boards, printed circuit boards, or a computer electrically connected to components of the online system. The processor is typically electrically connected to one or more memory units to receive data from other components of the system and to allow for the need or desire to do so Various system parameters are adjusted. The processor may be part of a general-purpose computer, such as a Unix, intel Pentium-type processor, intel Core based processor ^TM Processor, intel Xeon ^TM Processor, AMD Ryzen ^TM Processor, AMD Athlon ^TM Processor, AMD FX ^TM Processors, motorola PowerPC, sun UltraSPARC, hewlett-Packard PA-RISC processors, apple Inc. designed processors (including Apple A14 Bionic processor, A13 Bionic processor, A12 processor, apple A11 processor, etc.), or any other type of processor. One or more of any type of computer system may be used in accordance with various embodiments of the present technology. Furthermore, the system may be connected to a single computer or may be connected to a plurality of computers distributed among the computers connected through a communication network. If desired, the various components of the online system may be controlled by a respective processor or computer that is separate from the processors or computers used to control the other components of the online system. It should be appreciated that other functions (including network communications) may also be performed, and the technique is not limited to having any particular function or set of functions. The various aspects may be implemented as dedicated software executing in a general-purpose computer system. The computer system may include a processor connected to one or more storage devices, such as a disk drive, memory, or other device for storing data. Memory is typically used to store programs, temperatures, moving support speeds, and other values used in an in-line process. The components of the computer system may be connected by an interconnection device, which may include one or more buses (e.g., between components integrated within the same machine) and/or networks (e.g., between components located on separate, discrete machines). The interconnect devices provide communication (e.g., signals, data, instructions) exchanged between components of the system. Computer systems may typically receive and/or issue commands within a processing time, which may be, for example, a few milliseconds, microseconds, or less, to allow for rapid control of the system. The processor is typically electrically coupled to a power source, which may be, for example, a DC power source, an AC power source, a battery, a solar cell, a fuel cell A battery or other power source or combination of power sources. The power supply may be shared by other components of the system. The system may also include one or more input devices, such as a keyboard, mouse, trackball, microphone, touch screen, manual switch (e.g., overlay switch), and one or more output devices, such as a printing device, display screen, speaker. In addition, the system may contain one or more communication interfaces (in addition to or in lieu of interconnecting devices) that connect the computer system to a communication network. The system may also include suitable circuitry to convert signals received from the various electrical devices present in the system. Such circuitry may reside on a printed circuit board or may reside on a separate board or device electrically coupled to the printed circuit board through a suitable interface, such as a serial ATA interface, ISA interface, PCI interface, USB interface, fibre channel interface, firewire interface, m.2 connector interface, PCIE interface, mdata interface, etc., or one or more wireless interfaces such as bluetooth, wi-Fi, near field communication or other wireless protocols and/or interfaces.

In certain embodiments, the storage systems used in the systems described herein generally comprise a computer readable and writable non-volatile recording medium in which software code may be stored that may be used by a program executed by a processor or by information stored on or in a medium for processing by the program. The medium may be, for example, a hard disk, a solid state drive, or a flash memory. The programs or instructions to be executed by the processor may be located locally or remotely and may be retrieved by the processor via an interconnection mechanism, communication network or other means as desired. Typically, in operation, the processor causes data to be read from the non-volatile recording medium into another memory that allows the processor to access information faster (as compared to the medium). The memory is typically a volatile random access memory, such as Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) or static memory (SRAM). It may be located in a storage system or a memory system. The processor typically operates on data in integrated circuit memory and copies the data to the medium after processing is complete. Various mechanisms are known for managing data transfer between a medium and an integrated circuit memory element, and the technique is not limited thereto. Nor is the technique limited to a particular storage system or storage system. In some embodiments, the system may also include specially programmed special purpose hardware, such as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a microprocessor unit (MPU), or a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), or a combination thereof. Aspects of the technology may be implemented in software, hardware or firmware, or any combination thereof. Furthermore, such methods, acts, systems, system elements and components thereof may be implemented as part of the systems described above or as stand-alone components. While a particular system is described by way of example as one type of system that implements aspects of the present technology, it should be appreciated that these aspects are not limited to implementation on the described systems. The various aspects may be implemented on one or more systems having different architectures or components. The system may comprise a general-purpose computer system that is programmable using a high-level computer programming language. These systems may also be implemented using specially programmed, dedicated hardware. In systems, the processor is typically a commercially available processor such as the well known microprocessors available from Intel, AMD, apple and other companies. Many other processors are also commercially available. Such processors typically execute the following operating system: for example, the Windows 7, windows 8, or Windows 10 operating system available from Microsoft corporation, the MAC OS X available from apple corporation, such as the Snow Leopard, lion, mountain Lion, mojave, high Sierra, el Capitan, or other versions, the Solaris operating system available from Sun Microsystems, or the UNIX or Linux operating system available from various sources. Many other operating systems may be used, and in some embodiments a simple set of commands or instructions may be used as the operating system.

In some examples, the processor and operating system may together define a platform for which applications may be written in a high-level programming language. It should be appreciated that the techniques are not limited to a particular system platform, processor, operating system, or network. Furthermore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art, given the benefit of this disclosure, that the present technology is not limited to a particular programming language or computer system. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that other suitable programming languages and other suitable systems may be employed. In some examples, the hardware or software may be configured to implement a cognitive architecture, neural network, or other suitable implementation. If desired, one or more portions of the computer system may be distributed over one or more computer systems coupled to a communications network. These computer systems may also be general purpose computer systems. For example, aspects may be distributed among one or more computer systems configured to provide services (e.g., servers) to one or more client computers, or to perform overall tasks as part of a distributed system. For example, aspects may be performed on a client-server or multi-tier system that includes components distributed among one or more server systems that perform various functions in accordance with various embodiments. These components may be executable, intermediate (e.g., IL) or interpreted (e.g., java) code that communicate over a communication network (e.g., the internet) using a communication protocol (e.g., TCP/IP). It should also be appreciated that the techniques are not limited to being performed on any particular system or group of systems. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that the techniques are not limited to any particular distributed architecture, network, or communication protocol.

In some cases, various embodiments may be programmed using an object-oriented programming language, which may be, for example, SQL, smallTalk, basic, java, javascript, PHP, C ++, ada, python, iOS/Swift, ruby on Rails, or C# (C-Sharp). Other object-oriented programming languages may also be used. Alternatively, a functional, scripting, and/or logical programming language may be used. Various configurations may be implemented in a non-programming environment (e.g., documents created in HTML, XML, or other formats, which when viewed in a window of a browser program, present aspects of a Graphical User Interface (GUI) or perform other functions). Some configurations may be implemented as programmed or unprogrammed elements, or any combination thereof. In some cases, the system may include remote interfaces, such as those found on mobile devices, tablet computers, portable computers, or other portable devices that may communicate through wired or wireless interfaces and allow the online system to operate remotely as desired.

In some examples, the processor may also include a database of information about the particular item to be produced, or the processor may have access to the database. For example, specific parameters for producing a core layer having a desired thickness and composition may be retrieved from a database and used by an on-line system. The instructions stored in the memory may execute software modules or control routines of the system, which may in fact provide a controllable model of the online system. The processor may use information accessed from the database along with one or more software modules executing in the processor to determine control parameters or values for different components of the system, e.g., different temperatures, different pressures, different compaction equipment, etc. The processor may actively control the system using the input interface to receive control instructions and the output interface to link to different system components in the system.

Some specific examples of LWRT articles produced and tested using an in-line process are discussed below

Example 1

LWRT articles are prepared by adding chopped glass fibers (e.g., 30-70% by weight) to a polypropylene (PP) resin matrix as reinforcement to form a web or core in an in-line process as described herein. The LWRT article was formed by laminating the skin layer to the core layer using an in-line process and in-line calendering, adding a textured film layer to one surface of the core layer, and adding a second skin layer (23 gsm waterproof black support cloth) to the opposite surface. Various properties of the film and LWRT article are shown in table 1 of fig. 16. Six different textured films were used, ranging in basis weight from 110gsm to 166gsm. Film thicknesses varied from 0.17 mm to 0.30 mm. Different films include different decorations/textures.

Film #1 included printing and embossing and a random square pattern (see fig. 17A). Film #2 included deep embossing and a white wood grain pattern (see fig. 17B). Film #3 included printing and embossing and a dark wood grain pattern (see fig. 17C). Film #4 included a deep embossed, uneven/roughened protrusions on the back of the film and a dark fabric pattern (see fig. 17D (a or front surface) and fig. 17E (B or back surface)). Film #5 included a print and shallow embossing and a gray fabric pattern (see fig. 17F (a or front surface) and fig. 17G (B or back surface)). Film #6 included printing and shallow embossing with a roughened fabric and pattern (see fig. 17H (a or front surface) and fig. 17I (B or back surface)). In the case where the top thermosetting coating (film 3) is indicated in table 1, the top thermosetting coating may be one or more of epoxy resin, acrylic resin, polyester resin, polycarbonate resin, melamine-formaldehyde resin, or polyurethane resin. As a representative film, film #3 was tested for its ability to meet indoor air quality testing. Film #3 passed the indoor air quality test for total volatile organic compounds, toluene and formaldehyde.

These films were used with a 23gsm water resistant support cloth and a polypropylene glass fiber core (45% by weight PP and 55% by weight glass fiber) to provide a basis weight of 960g/m ² As shown in table 2 in fig. 18.

Example 2

Surface roughness (Rt) measurements were made on various LWRT articles of example 1 and the films used in example 1. The results are shown in table 3 of fig. 19. The longitudinal direction refers to the same direction of movement as the moving support, the transverse direction being perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Roughness may indirectly indicate the level of retention of embossing depth, with high Rt values indicating deeper texture. Depending on whether the film is embossed alone or "embossed + top coat", some texture depths may be better maintained, i.e., film #2 and ST-13636, while other patterns may lose 50% of the texture depth, such as film #4, film #5, and film #6. Accordingly, various levels of texture depth may be employed depending on the application and preference. Films #1-4 provided a relatively deeper/coarser texture compared to films #5 and #6.

Example 3

Flame retardancy measurements of the various samples were made according to the FMVSS 302 standard. FMVSS 301 is similar to ASTM E84. During testing, the textured film surface was facing the flame.

The results are shown in table 4 of fig. 20. In contrast, a similar core material using 23gsm support cloth on both sides had a burn rate value of 2.1 inches/minute according to standard FMVSS 302. Only sample ST-13928 has a higher burn rate than the reference support cloth/core/scrim/board, indicating that most film-bearing boards have better or better flame retardancy than the reference board. These results are consistent with LWRT articles meeting ASTM E84 class a or class B standards.

Example 4

Additional properties of the sheet material of the present article were also measured, including ash, thickness, basis weight, density, support cloth adhesion, film adhesion, peak bending load, bending stiffness, water retention, surface energy, and peak horizontal tensile load. The results are shown in tables 5 and 6 of fig. 21 and 22.

The presence of a textured film generally increases the stiffness of the LWRT plate. The film surface has high water repellency, while the support cloth surface also provides good water repellency. The results of the horizontal tensile test indicate that these in-line laminates are much stronger than EPS or other insulating foams, indicating that these in-line laminates do not fail before the foam fails.

The adhesive (hot melt) layers of films #1-3 may help them bond well with the LWRT composite core. Deep embossed type films, such as film #4 (ST-13799), also aid in mechanical bonding to the LWRT composite core. The back sides of film #5 and film #6 were free of hot melt adhesive layers and the embossing type was a shallow embossing. Thus, the film/core adhesion was not as good as the other 4 samples.

When introducing elements of the examples disclosed herein, the articles "a," "an," "the," and "said" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms "comprising," "including," and "having" are intended to be open-ended and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Those of ordinary skill in the art, with the benefit of this disclosure, will recognize that the various components of an embodiment may be interchanged or substituted with the various components of other embodiments.

While certain aspects, configurations, examples and embodiments have been described above, those of ordinary skill in the art will, in light of the benefit of this disclosure, appreciate that additions, substitutions, modifications and variations to the disclosed exemplary aspects, configurations, examples and embodiments are possible.

Claims

1. An in-line method of producing a thermoplastic composite article using an in-line system, the in-line method comprising:

combining a reinforcing material and a thermoplastic material in an aqueous solution;

disposing an aqueous solution having a combined reinforcing material and thermoplastic material on a moving support;

removing moisture from the aqueous solution disposed on the moving support to form a web comprising an open cell structure formed of the reinforcing material and the thermoplastic material;

Drying the web on a moving support to provide a porous core layer;

heating the dried porous core layer on the moving support to melt the thermoplastic material of the heated porous core layer;

disposing a first textured film layer on a first surface of a heated porous core layer on a moving support; and

pressure is applied to a heated porous core layer comprising a first textured film layer disposed on a moving support to provide a thermoplastic composite article.

2. The in-line process of claim 1, wherein the porous core layer is heated at a first temperature above the melting point of the thermoplastic material and below the melting point of the reinforcing material.

3. The in-line method of claim 1, further comprising adding foam to the aqueous solution having the combined reinforcing material and thermoplastic material.

4. The in-line process of claim 1 further comprising adding a leavening agent to the aqueous solution having the combined reinforcing material and thermoplastic material.

5. The in-line method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the first textured film layer as a polyolefin film.

6. The in-line process of claim 5, further comprising configuring the polyolefin film to include a maximum height surface roughness (Rt) of at least 8 microns, the maximum height surface roughness (Rt) measured using a stylus profiler.

7. The in-line method of claim 6, wherein the first textured film layer further comprises a pattern.

8. The online method of claim 7, wherein the pattern is one or more of the following patterns: wood grain patterns, marble patterns, tile patterns, random scatter patterns, windmill patterns, herringbone patterns, building block patterns, offset staggered brickwork patterns, staggered patterns, grid patterns, vertically stacked patterns, french patterns, woven basket patterns, diamond patterns or zigzag patterns.

9. The in-line process of claim 7, wherein the thermoplastic material comprises a polyolefin and the reinforcing material comprises an inorganic fiber.

10. The in-line method of claim 1, further comprising stretching the first textured film layer prior to disposing the first textured film layer on the first surface of the heated porous core layer on the moving support.

11. The in-line method of claim 9, wherein the first textured film layer is stretched in the machine direction.

12. The in-line method of claim 1, wherein the first textured film layer is disposed on the heated porous core layer without using any adhesive between the first textured film layer and the heated porous core layer.

13. The in-line method of claim 1, further comprising disposing a skin layer on a second surface of the heated porous core layer on the moving support.

14. The in-line method of claim 12, further comprising disposing an adhesive on the second surface of the heated porous core layer prior to disposing the skin layer on the second surface.

15. The in-line method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the thermoplastic composite article to meet a class B standard according to 2009 ASTM E84 test standard.

16. The in-line method of claim 14, further comprising configuring the thermoplastic composite article to meet a class a standard according to 2009 ASTM E84 test standard.

17. The in-line method of claim 1, further comprising compacting the heated porous core layer prior to disposing the first textured film layer on the first surface.

18. The in-line method of claim 16, further comprising heating the thermoplastic composite article to increase the overall thickness of the thermoplastic composite article after compacting the thermoplastic composite article.

19. The in-line method of claim 1, further comprising printing a pattern onto the first textured film layer after disposing the first textured film layer on the first surface of the heated porous core layer.

20. The in-line method of claim 1, further comprising embossing the first textured film layer after disposing the first textured film layer on the first surface of the heated porous core layer.

21. The in-line method of claim 1, further comprising disposing a non-porous layer on the first surface of the heated porous core layer prior to disposing the first textured film layer.

22. An in-line system configured to produce thermoplastic composite articles, the in-line system comprising:

a fluid reservoir configured to receive an aqueous solution, a thermoplastic material, and a reinforcement material, wherein the fluid reservoir is configured to mix the thermoplastic material and reinforcement material in the aqueous solution to provide a uniform dispersion of the thermoplastic material and reinforcement material in the aqueous solution;

a moving support fluidly connected to the fluid reservoir and configured to receive the uniform dispersion from the fluid reservoir and to retain the uniform dispersion on the moving support;

a pressure device configured to remove moisture from the uniform dispersion on the moving support to provide a web comprising an open-cell structure formed of a reinforcing material and a thermoplastic material;

means configured to dry and heat the web on the moving support to provide a porous core layer on the moving support;

A first supply configured to receive a first film material, wherein the first supply is configured to provide the first film material as a first film layer onto a first surface of the porous core layer on the moving support; and

a compaction device configured to compact the heated porous core layer and the disposed first film layer by applying pressure to the heated porous core layer and the disposed first film layer, thereby providing a substantially planar thermoplastic composite article.

23. The in-line system of claim 21, wherein the first supply is configured to receive a roll of the first film material.

24. The in-line system of claim 21, further comprising a texturing device configured to texture the first film layer prior to disposing the first film layer on the heated porous core layer.

25. The in-line system of claim 21, further comprising a texturing device configured to texture the first film layer after disposing the first film layer on the heated porous core layer.

26. The on-line system of claim 21, further comprising a compacting device.

27. The in-line system of claim 25, further comprising a second heating device positioned after the texturing device, wherein the second heating device is configured to heat the thermoplastic composite article to increase the overall thickness of the compacted thermoplastic composite.

28. The in-line system of claim 21, further comprising a sprayer fluidly connected to the fluid reservoir, wherein the sprayer is configured to spray the uniform dispersion onto the moving support.

29. The in-line system of claim 21, further comprising a second supply configured to receive the supply material or the non-porous material, wherein the second supply is configured to provide the non-porous material as a non-porous layer onto the first surface of the porous core layer on the moving support prior to disposing the first membrane layer onto the heated porous core layer.

30. The online system of claim 21, further comprising:

a printer configured to print a pattern on the first film layer after the first film layer is disposed on the second surface of the heated porous core layer; or alternatively

An embosser configured to provide a pattern on the first film layer.

31. The online system of claim 21, further comprising a processor configured to control movement of the moving support.

32. A recreational vehicle roof panel, comprising:

a first laminated lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite article comprising a porous core layer, a first skin layer on a first surface of the porous core layer, and a textured and patterned film layer on a second surface of the porous core layer; and

An optional support structure is attached to the first skin layer.

33. The recreational roof panel of claim 31, wherein the support structure comprises a tubular structure or a mesh structure.

34. The recreational roof panel of claim 31, further comprising an exterior panel coupled to the support structure.

35. The recreational roof panel according to claim 33, wherein the exterior panel includes fiberglass or aluminum.

36. The recreational roof panel according to claim 31, further comprising a foam layer connected to the first skin layer and positioned between the first laminated lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite article and the support structure.

37. The recreational roof sheet according to claim 31, wherein the textured and patterned film layer comprises a polyolefin film, and wherein the polyolefin film comprises polypropylene, polyethylene, or blends or copolymers thereof.

38. The recreational roof panel according to claim 31, wherein the porous core layer in the first laminated lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite article includes a mesh including an open cell structure formed of reinforcing fibers bonded together by thermoplastic material.

39. The recreational roof panel according to claim 37, wherein the thermoplastic material in the porous core layer comprises a polyolefin.

40. The recreational roof panel of claim 38, wherein the reinforcing material in the porous core layer comprises fiberglass.

41. The recreational vehicle roof panel according to claim 39, wherein said recreational vehicle roof panel is waterproof.

42. A recreational vehicle comprising a roof, a side wall connected to the roof, and a floor connected to the side wall, thereby providing an interior space within the recreational vehicle, wherein the roof of the recreational vehicle comprises the roof of any one of claims 31-40.

43. The recreational vehicle of claim 41, further comprising wheels that allow traction of the recreational vehicle.

44. A waterproof panel, comprising:

a substrate connected to the first laminated lightweight reinforced thermoplastic composite article by a first skin layer.

45. The waterproof panel of claim 43, wherein the waterproof panel meets a class B standard according to 2009 ASTM E84 test standard.

46. The waterproof panel of claim 43, wherein the waterproof panel meets class a standards according to 2009 ASTM E84 test standard.

47. The waterproof panel of claim 43, further comprising a non-porous layer between the second surface of the porous core layer and the textured and patterned film layer.

48. The waterproof panel of claim 43, wherein the textured and patterned film layer comprises a microprojection structure on a surface of the film layer, the microprojection structure being attached to the first surface of the porous core layer to increase adhesion of the textured and patterned film layer to the first surface of the porous core layer.

49. The waterproof panel of claim 43, wherein the textured and patterned film layer has a basis weight between 80gsm and 250 gsm.

50. The waterproof panel of claim 43, wherein the textured and patterned film layer comprises more than one film layer.

51. The waterproof panel of claim 43, further comprising a thermoset top coating on the textured and patterned film layer.

52. The waterproof panel of claim 43, wherein the waterproof panel is cellulose free.

53. A shower plate comprising a lightweight reinforced thermoplastic article having a textured film layer according to the description herein.

54. A shower enclosure comprising a tub, a back wall connected to the tub, and a side wall connected to the tub and the back wall, wherein at least one of the tub, the back wall, and the side wall comprises a lightweight reinforced thermoplastic article comprising a textured film layer according to the description herein.