Molding material, molding method using same, method for producing molding material, and method for producing fiber-reinforced composite material

A molding material comprising:

• a composite of 1 to 50 wt % of a continuous reinforcing fiber bundle (A) and 0.1 to 30 wt % of a poly(phenylene ether ether ketone) (B′);
• and
• 20 to 98.9 wt % of a thermoplastic resin (C) adhering to the composite,
• wherein the component (B′) is a poly(phenylene ether ether ketone) obtained by polymerizing a poly(phenylene ether ether ketone) oligomer (B) having a melting point of not higher than 270° C. using a polymerization catalyst (D).

A method for producing a molding material, comprising the steps of:

• (I) drawing and continuously feeding a reinforcing fiber substrate (A′);
• (II) combining the component (A′) with a poly(phenylene ether ether ketone) oligomer (B) to form a composite;
• (III) polymerizing the component (B) into a poly(phenylene ether ether ketone) (B′);
• and
• (IV) cooling and taking up the composite of the component (A′) and the component (B′), wherein the component (B) has a melting point of not higher than 270° C.

A method for producing a fiber-reinforced composite material, comprising the steps of:

• (I-1) placing a reinforcing fiber substrate (A′) in a mold;
• (II-1) heat-melting a poly(phenylene ether ether ketone) oligomer (B) to form a melt solution;
• (III-1) injecting the melt solution obtained in the step (II-1) into the mold of the step (I-1) to impregnate the component (B) into the component (A′);
• and
• (IV-1) thermally polymerizing the component (B) into a poly(phenylene ether ether ketone) (B′),
• wherein the component (B) used in the step (II-1) has a melting point of not higher than 270° C.

A method for producing a fiber-reinforced composite material, comprising the steps of:

• (I-2) drawing and continuously feeding a reinforcing fiber substrate (A′);
• (II-2) heat-melting a poly(phenylene ether ether ketone) oligomer (B) in an impregnation bath to form a melt solution;
• (III-2) passing the component (A′) continuously through the impregnation bath of the step (II-2) to impregnate the component (B) into the component (A′) and winding the resulting composite around a mandrel;
• and (IV-2) thermally polymerizing the component (B) into a poly(phenylene ether ether ketone) (B′),
• wherein the component (B) used in the step (II-2) has a melting point of not higher than 270° C.

A method for producing a fiber-reinforced composite material, comprising the steps of:

• (I-3) drawing and continuously feeding a reinforcing fiber substrate (A′);
• (II-3) heat-melting a poly(phenylene ether ether ketone) oligomer (B) in an impregnation bath to form a melt solution;
• (III-3) passing the component (A′) continuously through the impregnation bath of the step (II-3) to form a composite of the component (B) and the component (A′) impregnated therewith;
• and
• (IV-3) pultruding the composite obtained continuously through a mold to thermally polymerize the component (B) into a poly(phenylene ether ether ketone) (B′),
• wherein the component (B) used in the step (II-3) has a melting point of not higher than 270° C.