# US 10,864,657 B2 · Fiber-reinforced composite

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- Number: US 10,864,657 B2
- Document ID: US10864657B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/556,828
- Filed: 2016-03-10
- Published: 2018-02-15
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2015-03-10
- Assignees: Fibre Reinforced Thermoplastics B.V.
- Applicants: Fibre Reinforced Thermoplastics B.V.
- Inventors: Gerard de Weerd; Rinus Prins
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864657B2

## CPC

- B29B 15/122: {with a matrix in liquid form, e.g. as melt, solution or latex}
- B29B 15/14: of filaments or wires
- B29B 15/12: of reinforcements of indefinite length
- B29C 70/20: oriented in a single direction, e.g. roofing or other parallel fibres {(B29C70/083, B29C70/226 take precedence)}
- B29C 70/506: {and impregnating by melting a solid material, e.g. sheet, powder, fibres (B29C70/508 takes precedence)}
- C08J 5/244: {using glass fibres}
- D01D 11/02: Opening bundles to space the threads or filaments from one another
- D02J 1/18: Separating or spreading
- D04H 3/004: Glass yarns or filaments
- D04H 3/011: Polyesters
- B29K 2023/065: {HDPE, i.e. high density polyethylene}
- B29K 2023/12: {PP, i.e. polypropylene}
- B29K 2077/00: Use of {PA, i.e.} polyamides, e.g. polyesteramides {or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material
- B29K 2309/08: Glass
- B29B: PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29)
- D01D: MECHANICAL METHODS OR APPARATUS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS
- D02J: FINISHING OR DRESSING OF FILAMENTS, YARNS, THREADS, CORDS, ROPES OR THE LIKE (curling or crimping D02G; by treatment with liquids, gases or vapours D06B; finishing other than by liquid treatment, of yarns in warp or sheet form D06C; for chemical matters, see D06L, D06M, D06P, D06Q; treatment during rope-making, apparatus for treating ropes auxiliary to rope-making D07B)
- D04H: MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL (weaving D03; knitting D04B; braiding D04C; net-making D04G; sewing D05B; tufting D05C; finishing non-woven fabrics D06); FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING {; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION}(non-woven fabrics having an intermediate or external layer of a different kind, e.g. of woven fabric, B32B)
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS

## Abstract

Disclosed is a fiber-reinforced composite (200). Some fiber-reinforced composites include a matrix material (204) including a thermoplastic material and a non-woven fibrous region (202) having a plurality of continuous fibers dispersed in the matrix material, wherein the width and the length of the non-woven fibrous region are substantially equal to the width and the length, respectively, of the fiber-reinforced composite, wherein the non-woven fibrous region has a mean relative area fiber coverage (RFAC) (%) of from 65 to 90 and a coefficient of variance (COV) (%) of from 3 to 20, and wherein each of the plurality of continuous fibers (206) is substantially aligned with the length of the fiber-reinforced composite.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fiber-reinforced composite comprising a matrix material including a thermoplastic material and a non-woven fibrous region comprising a plurality of continuous fibers dispersed in the matrix material, wherein the fiber-reinforced composite includes 40% to 65% by volume of the plurality of continuous fibers, the fiber-reinforced composite including a first polymeric-rich region and a second polymeric-rich region, each having less than 10% by volume of the plurality of continuous fibers and having a width and a length that are substantially equal to the width and the length, respectively, of the fiber-reinforced composite, wherein the non-woven fibrous region is disposed between the first and second polymeric-rich regions; and
wherein the sum of the thickness of the first polymeric-rich region and the thickness of the second polymeric-rich region is from 15% to 25% of the thickness of the fiber-reinforced composite,
wherein the width and the length of the non-woven fibrous region are substantially equal to the width and the length, respectively, of the fiber-reinforced composite;
wherein the non-woven fibrous region has a mean relative fiber area coverage (RFAC) (%) of from 75 to 90 and a coefficient of variance (COV) (%) of from 3 to 8; and
wherein each of the plurality of continuous fibers is substantially aligned with the length of the fiber-reinforced composite, wherein the fiber-reinforced composite includes less than 1% by volume of voids.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fiber-reinforced composite of claim 1, wherein the mean RFAC (%) is approximately 80.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The fiber-reinforced composite of claim 1, wherein:
the thermoplastic material comprises polypropylene;
the plurality of continuous fibers comprises glass fibers; and
the mean RFAC (%) is approximately 82 and the COV (%) is approximately 4.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The fiber-reinforced composite of claim 1, wherein:
the thermoplastic material comprises high-density polyethylene;
the plurality of continuous fibers comprises glass fibers; and
the mean RFAC (%) is approximately 80 and the COV (%) is approximately 7.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The fiber-reinforced composite of claim 1, wherein:
the thermoplastic material comprises polyamide 6;
the plurality of continuous fibers comprises glass fibers; and
the mean RFAC (%) is approximately 69 and the COV (%) is approximately 8.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The fiber-reinforced composite of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic material comprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a polycarbonate (PC), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), poly(1,4-cyclohexylidene cyclohexane-1,4-dicarboxylate) (PCCD), glycol modified polycyclohexyl terephthalate (PCTG), poly(phenylene oxide) (PPO), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethyleneimine or polyetherimide (PEI) or a derivative thereof, a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), a terephthalic acid (TPA) elastomer, poly(cyclohexanedimethylene terephthalate) (PCT), a polyamide (PA), polysulfone sulfonate (PSS), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), acrylonitrile butyldiene styrene (ABS), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyether sulfone (PES), a co-polymer thereof, or a blend thereof.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The fiber-reinforced composite of claim 1, wherein the plurality of continuous fibers comprises glass fibers, aramid fibers, polyester fibers, polyamide fibers, basalt fibers, steel fibers, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The fiber-reinforced composite of claim 1, wherein the matrix material includes a coupling agent to promote adhesion between the thermoplastic material and the plurality of continuous fibers, an antioxidant, a heat stabilizer, a flow modifier, a flame retardant, a UV stabilizer, a UV absorber, an impact modifier, a cross-linking agent, a colorant, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The fiber-reinforced composite of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the first polymeric-rich region is substantially equal to the thickness of the second polymeric-rich region.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The fiber-reinforced composite of claim 1, wherein the fiber-reinforced composite includes 45% to 55% by volume of the plurality of continuous fibers.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A laminate comprising a first fiber-reinforced composite of claim 1 and a second fiber-reinforced composite of claim 1.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

An article of manufacture comprising a fiber-reinforced composite of claim 1.