Compositions comprising a fiber material and a thermoplastic binder

Abstract

The invention relates to compositions comprising a fiber material and a specific thermoplastic binder. The thermoplastic binder comprises at least one thermoplastic polyurethane polymer, wherein said thermoplastic polyurethane polymer comprises a reaction product of (i) at least one semi-crystalline polyester polyol, and (ii) at least one polyisocyanate. The molar ratio of the NCO groups of said polyisocyanate (ii) to the sum of OH groups of said polyester polyol (i) is less than 1.00:1 and the thermoplastic polyurethane polymer has (a) a melting enthalpy of at least 20 J/g, (b) a melting point (Tm) of >70° C., and (c) an average number molecular weight (Mn) of 5,000 to 80,000 g/mol. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a fiber-reinforced composite comprising a cured thermosetting polyurethane polymer matrix reinforced by the composition according to the present invention. Moreover, a method for the manufacture of the fiber-reinforced composite according to the present invention and use of the composition or the fiber-reinforced composite in railway vehicles, automotive vehicles, aircraft vehicles, boats, space vehicles, motorbikes, bicycles, sporting goods, helmets, functional clothing, shoes, construction parts in bridges and buildings or wind turbine blades are described.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.