GB2177101A - Improved fibre-reinforced plastics material - Google Patents
Improved fibre-reinforced plastics material Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2177101A GB2177101A GB08616390A GB8616390A GB2177101A GB 2177101 A GB2177101 A GB 2177101A GB 08616390 A GB08616390 A GB 08616390A GB 8616390 A GB8616390 A GB 8616390A GB 2177101 A GB2177101 A GB 2177101A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- frp
- fabric
- monomer
- reinforced plastics
- nylon
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
- C08J—WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H
- C08J5/00—Manufacture of articles or shaped materials containing macromolecular substances
- C08J5/04—Reinforcing macromolecular compounds with loose or coherent fibrous material
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
- C08J—WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H
- C08J2377/00—Characterised by the use of polyamides obtained by reactions forming a carboxylic amide link in the main chain; Derivatives of such polymers
- C08J2377/02—Polyamides derived from omega-amino carboxylic acids or from lactams thereof
Landscapes
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
- Materials Engineering (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
- Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
- Organic Chemistry (AREA)
- Reinforced Plastic Materials (AREA)
Abstract
A fibre-reinforced plastics (FRP) material comprises a woven fabric, preferably several plies of woven fabric, embedded in a monomer-cast nylon thermoplastic polymer. The FRP is produced by impregnating the fabric with a molten nylon monomer or monomer mixture that polymerises in situ. The low viscosity of the molten monomer or monomer mixture facilitates impregnation of the fabric plies to the extent that substantially no voids remain in the FRP structure. The FRP may contain a relatively high proportion of fibre, which may be of glass, carbon or aromatic polyamide.
Description
SPECIFICATION
Improved fibre-reinforced plastics materials
This invention is concerned with improvements in fibre-reinforced plastics (FRP) materials.
Itis known to reinforce plastics materials with fib- rous material of various kinds - very short fibres knownas chopped fibres, non-woven fabrics, knitted fabrics and woven fabrics. The plastics materials may vary from solutions ofthermosetting polymers (which lose solvent after they have been used to im pregnate the fibrous material) to molten polymers and to monomericoroligomericrawmaterialswhich polymerise in situ afterthe impregnation ofthefibrous material. Fibre-reinforced plastics materials wherein the polymer is polymerised in situ are described in a paper entitled "Nylon 6 RIM" by R.M.Hedricketal. ofthe Monsanto Company, published in the
American Chemical Society Symposium Series 270, 1985, pages 135-162.One example disclosed therein isan FRPcomprising a reinforcing matofheavycontinuous or long fibre impregnated with a nylon-based polymer. The material is produced by placing the mat in a mould and injecting a reactive stream of caprolactam and optionally polyol monomers which polymerise in situ.
It is known that an FRP has the best mechanical properties when the fibrous material is a woven fabric laid more or less parallel to the surface ofthe FRP and the FRP has no voids in its structure, that is the impregnation ofthefabric by the plastics material is complete and no air pockets remain. This has proved a difficult structure to make with non-solventcontaining polymers and especially with thermoplastic polymers, particularly when several plies ofthe fabric are used.
According to the present invention an FRP comprises woven fabric embedded in a monomer-cast nylon thermoplastic polymer.
An FRP according to the invention is produced by impregnating awovenfabricwith a molten monomer mixture that polymerises in situ to form the nylon thermoplastic polymer. The molten monomer mixture has a lower viscosity than the corresponding
molten polymer and therefore the present invention hastheadvantagethatthefabriccan bemorefully impregnated with the thermoplastic polymer, which reduces the number of voids in the FRP structure so that it can be substantially void-free. The use of a monomer-cast polymer is particularly advantageous where the FRP comprises several plies or layers of woven fabric, as the higher number of layers makes the structure more difficult to impregnate with aviscous molten thermo plastic polymer.The present invention also has the advantagethata relatively high
proportion offibre can be incorporated in the FRP.
The use of a woven fabric allows the fibres to be
packed in an arrangement higherdenistythan,for example, in afibrous mat where the fibres are in a random arrangement, and the use of a monomer-cast thermoplastic polymer enables the more densely
packed fibres to be fully impregnated with the polymer. By increasing the proportion offibre in the FRP its mechanical properties, such as stiffness and tough- ness, are improved.
The fabric is preferably of glass: alternatives in cludecarbon and an aromaticpolyamide,forexam- ple 'Kevlar' (Registered Trade Mark). It is preferred that the fabric occupies at least 30 per cent, more preferably at least 40 per cent, and often at least 50 per cent of the volume of the FRP.Examples of suitablefabrics include a 2x2twill weave ofglassfibre having a weight per unit area of 420 g2; a 5-shaft satin weave of carbon fibre having a weight per unit arena of 280gum~2; and a plain weave of Kevlarfibre having a weight per unit area of 230gm2. The fabric may also comprise two or more different materials, for example a mixture of glass and carbon fibres. Thefabric may carry a finish to ensure efficient wetting ofthe fabric by the matrix polymer; such a finish is preferably chemically reactive with the glass and/orthe polymer, and is then of the class of finishes known as "coupling agents".
The FRP according to the invention may contain only one layer of woven fabric, although preferably a plurality of plies or layers, usually between 10 and 20, are incorporated. The layers may all comprise the same fabric or may comprise two or more different fabrics, for example alternate layers of glass fibre fabric and carbon fibre fabric. Preferably the layers or plies are substantially parallel to the surface ofthe FRP.
The monomer-cast nylon process is well-known.
The moulding and polymerisation process are simul taneous when molten caprolactam monomer, containing any of several well-known initiators of the polymerisation of caprolactam, is fed, drawn or injected into the mould. As mentioned above, the low viscosity ofthe molten monomer mixture allows the ready impregnation ofthe fabric in making the FRP of the present invention, to the extent that substantially no voids remain in the FRP structure.
The FRP according to the invention may comprise a homopolymeric nylon 6 made with caprolactam as the sole monomer or a block copolymer of nylon 6 and polyalkylene ethers as disclosed, for example, in
European Patents Nos. 67,693,67,694 and 67,695.
Instead of, or in addition to such polymers, the FRP may comprise other nylons such as nylon 7, nylon 11 or nylon 12, suitable monomers for use in the monomer-cast process being lactams of7-amino enanthicacid,11-amino-undecanoicacidand 12 amino-dodecanoicacid respectively.
The conditions normally used for making the FRP comprising a homopolymeric nylon 6 are to blend the initiator with molten caprolactam at about 170"C and to chargethe mould, in which the fabric plies have already been laid, with the fluid melt. Usuallythe charge is in a condition to be removed after it has occupied the mould for about ten minutes. The FRP may then be conditioned by immersing it in waterto achieve rapidly the equilibrium moisture content which in other circumstances it would acquire more slowly. The FRP having an equilibrium moisture content is tougherthan its anhydrous counterpart.
For a block nylon 6 polyether copolymer, the initial melt of caprolactam and polyether usually requires a temperatureofonlyabout 130 Cand a mouldoccu- pancy of abouttwo minutes. No conditioning is nor mally needed to develop its mechanical properties.
We preferto use the block copolymer in making the
FRP ofthis invention.
The FRP according to the invention may be used in a wide variety of applications where a moulded part is required. The material is capable of withstanding a wide temperature range and is chemically and mechanically resistant, having a relatively high im pactand tensile strength and modulus.TheFRPis particularly suitable for automotive applications, such at vehicle panels, as the material is able to withstand the stoving temperatures used in painting the panels. Other applications include instrument panels, heating and air-conditioning housings, panels for containers, mechanical components such as gears, cogs and sprockets, and the like.
Claims (8)
1. Afibre-reinforced plastics material comprising a woven fabric embedded in a monomer-cast nylon thermoplastic polymer.
2. A material according to claim 1 wherein the woven fabric occupies at least 30 per cent of the volume ofthe material.
3. A material according to claim 2 wherein the fabric occupies at least 40 per cent ofthevolu me of the material.
4. A material according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a plurality of plies or layers of woven fabric are embedded in the polymer.
5. A material according to claim 4wherein the plies or layers are substantially parallel to the surface of the mateial.
6. A material according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the fabric contains glass, carbon or an aromatic polyamide or any mixture thereof.
7. A material according to any one ofthe preceding claims wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a block co-polymer of a nylon and a polyalkylene ether
8. A woven-fabric-reinforced plastics material substantially as hereinbefore described.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB858517041A GB8517041D0 (en) | 1985-07-05 | 1985-07-05 | Fibre reinforced plastics |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB8616390D0 GB8616390D0 (en) | 1986-08-13 |
| GB2177101A true GB2177101A (en) | 1987-01-14 |
| GB2177101B GB2177101B (en) | 1988-12-14 |
Family
ID=10581844
Family Applications (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB858517041A Pending GB8517041D0 (en) | 1985-07-05 | 1985-07-05 | Fibre reinforced plastics |
| GB08616390A Expired GB2177101B (en) | 1985-07-05 | 1986-07-04 | Improved fibre-reinforced plastics materials |
Family Applications Before (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB858517041A Pending GB8517041D0 (en) | 1985-07-05 | 1985-07-05 | Fibre reinforced plastics |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (2) | GB8517041D0 (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1997022760A1 (en) * | 1995-12-16 | 1997-06-26 | Envirolite Holdings Limited | Manhole cover |
| CN103509336A (en) * | 2012-10-18 | 2014-01-15 | 中国科学院化学研究所 | Monomer casting (MC) nylon composite material and preparation method thereof |
-
1985
- 1985-07-05 GB GB858517041A patent/GB8517041D0/en active Pending
-
1986
- 1986-07-04 GB GB08616390A patent/GB2177101B/en not_active Expired
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1997022760A1 (en) * | 1995-12-16 | 1997-06-26 | Envirolite Holdings Limited | Manhole cover |
| CN103509336A (en) * | 2012-10-18 | 2014-01-15 | 中国科学院化学研究所 | Monomer casting (MC) nylon composite material and preparation method thereof |
| CN103509336B (en) * | 2012-10-18 | 2015-09-23 | 中国科学院化学研究所 | MC nylon composite materials and preparation method thereof |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB8517041D0 (en) | 1985-08-14 |
| GB2177101B (en) | 1988-12-14 |
| GB8616390D0 (en) | 1986-08-13 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US4925729A (en) | Fiber reinforced thermoplastic articles and process for the preparation thereof | |
| US4931358A (en) | Fiber-reinforced thermoplastic panels | |
| US4695509A (en) | Polyamide fiber reinforcement in thermoset polyurethane composites | |
| US4770926A (en) | Hybrid fiber-reinforced plastic composite material | |
| KR101278761B1 (en) | Composite polyamide article | |
| KR910002089B1 (en) | Impact resistant composites with elastomeric fibers | |
| KR880013692A (en) | Fiber Reinforced Polymerization Molded Body | |
| EP0057908B1 (en) | Fiber-reinforced composite materials | |
| Patel et al. | Influence of processing and material variables on resin‐fiber interface in liquid composite molding | |
| Bledzki et al. | Impact properties of natural fiber-reinforced epoxy foams | |
| US4968555A (en) | Composite material and process for the production thereof | |
| US20160115300A1 (en) | Thermoplastic composite material comprising a reinforcing component and a poly(phenylene) polymer and process to make said thermoplastic composite material | |
| EP0318160B1 (en) | Melt-stable poly(arylene thioether-ketone) prepregs and molded or formed products thereof | |
| FI96750C (en) | Process for Continuous Production of Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastics, Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastics and Their Use | |
| GB2177101A (en) | Improved fibre-reinforced plastics material | |
| WO2014138967A1 (en) | Compositions and methods for making thermoplastic composite materials | |
| JPH04353525A (en) | Blended yarn for composite and formed product thereof | |
| EP0318616B1 (en) | Fiber-reinforced composite materials and resin composition therefor | |
| US4010306A (en) | Processes for impregnating and coating triaxial weave fabrics | |
| Saha et al. | Tensile behaviour of unidirectional polyethylene-glass fibres/PMMA hybrid composite laminates | |
| Shonaike et al. | A preliminary investigation of tensile properties of glass-mat woven-fabric-reinforced thermoplastic elastomer composites | |
| Hollaway | 2 Polymer, fibre and composite material properties and manufacturing techniques | |
| WO1993002127A1 (en) | Process for making a preimpregnated material | |
| CN110099949A (en) | Structural body | |
| US4511690A (en) | Reinforced composites |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |