# US 11,999,113 B2 · Composite parts and processes of manufacture

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- Number: US 11,999,113 B2
- Document ID: US11999113B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/059,631
- Filed: 2019-05-30
- Published: 2021-09-09
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2018-05-31
- Assignees: Victrex Manufacturing Limited
- Applicants: Victrex Manufacturing Limited
- Inventors: Masakazu Tanaka; Stuart Green; Peter Niedermann
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11999113B2

## CPC

- B29C 70/003: {characterised by the matrix material, e.g. material composition or physical properties}
- B29C 70/44: using isostatic pressure, e.g. pressure difference-moulding, vacuum bag-moulding, autoclave-moulding or expanding rubber-moulding
- B32B 5/12: characterised by the relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of {different layers, e.g. the fibres or filaments being parallel or perpendicular to each other}
- B32B 27/20: using fillers, pigments, thixotroping agents
- B32B 27/285: {comprising polyethers}
- B32B 37/003: {to avoid air inclusion}
- B32B 37/0084: {Point bonding}
- B32B 37/06: characterised by the heating method
- B32B 37/15: with at least one layer being manufactured and immediately laminated before reaching its stable state, e.g. in which a layer is extruded and laminated while in semi-molten state
- C08G 65/4012: {Other compound (II) containing a ketone group, e.g. X-Ar-C(=O)-Ar-X for polyetherketones}
- C08L 71/00: Compositions of polyethers obtained by reactions forming an ether link in the main chain (of polyacetals C08L59/00; of epoxy resins C08L63/00; of polythioether-ethers C08L81/02; of polyether-sulfones C08L81/06); Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
- B29K 2071/00: Use of polyethers {, e.g. PEEK, i.e. polyether-etherketone or PEK, i.e. polyetherketone or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material
- B29K 2105/0881: {unidirectional}
- B32B 2260/023: Two or more layers
- B32B 2260/046: Synthetic resin
- B32B 2262/0238: Vinyl halide, e.g. PVC, PVDC, PVF, PVDF
- B32B 2262/10: Inorganic fibres
- B32B 2262/101: Glass fibres
- B32B 2262/106: Carbon fibres, e.g. graphite fibres
- B32B 2305/076: Prepregs
- B32B 2371/00: Polyethers, e.g. PEEK, i.e. polyether-etherketone; PEK, i.e. polyetherketone
- B32B 2605/18: Aircraft
- C08G 2650/40: containing ketone groups, e.g. polyarylethylketones, PEEK or PEK
- 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)
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- C08G: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS
- C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06)
- 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

The disclosure relates to polymer-containing composite materials and to unusually low-pressure consolidation methods for forming composite parts from such materials. More specifically, for example, the disclosure relates to use of a certain “PEEK-PEDEK” copolymer in low-pressure consolidation methods, using as little as 1 bar pressure (or using atmospheric pressure acting on a consolidation that is held under vacuum) to provide composite parts that are substantially void-free.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for forming a composite part, the process comprising:
selecting a composite material comprising a polymeric material having a repeat unit of formula (I):
—O-Ph-O-Ph-CO-Ph- (I)
and a repeat unit of formula (II):
—O-Ph-Ph-O-Ph-CO-Ph- (II)
wherein Ph represents a phenylene moiety and wherein the polymeric material has a shear viscosity, SV, measured by a Standard method as defined in ISO11443:2014, is in a range from 100 Pa·s to 200 Pa·s, at 400° C., at a shear rate of 1000 s−1;
and unidirectional fibres,
wherein the unidirectional fibres are submerged in a dispersion of particles of the polymeric material to form a pre-impregnated tape; then
arranging the pre-impregnated tape into a laminate comprising a plurality of layers of pre-impregnated tape to form a kitted stack; and
heating the kitted stack at a consolidation temperature of at least 305° C. for at least 15 minutes at a consolidation pressure of less than 10 bar.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, comprising heating the kitted stack at a consolidation temperature of at least 340° C.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the consolidation pressure is between atmospheric pressure and 8 bar.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the kitted stack is held under vacuum within a flexible membrane allowing atmospheric pressure to consolidate the stack.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the process further comprises arranging the pre-impregnated tape using hand lay-up.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the process further comprises arranging the pre-impregnated tape using automated fibre placement.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The process according to claim 6, wherein the process further comprises in-situ consolidation of the part.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of layers of pre-impregnated tape is arranged such that a direction of the pre-impregnated tape in a subsequent layer is positioned at 45 degrees to a direction of the pre-impregnated tape of a preceding layer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein in the arranging step, a subsequent layer of pre-impregnated tape is spot-welded to a preceding layer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the heating step is carried out using a hot iron to tack the layers together.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the process further comprises arranging at least one functional layer within the kitted stack, wherein the at least one functional layer is selected from the following: an electrical isolating layer, an aesthetic layer such as a decorative layer, and a UV-protective layer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 3)

The process according to claim 3, wherein the consolidation pressure is between atmospheric pressure and less than 5 bar.

### Claim 13 (depends on 3)

The process according to claim 3, wherein the consolidation pressure is between atmospheric pressure and less than 3 bar.

### Claim 14 (depends on 3)

The process according to claim 3, wherein the consolidation pressure is 1 bar.