Hybrid self-reinforced composite material
AssigneesKatholieke Universiteit Leuven, University of Leeds
InventorsMark J. BONNER, Larissa GORBATIKH, Peter J. HINE, Yentl SWOLFS, Ignaas VERPOEST, Ian M. WARD
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides novel hybrid self-reinforced composites, combining an oriented brittle fibre and an oriented thermoplastic polymeric ductile fibre (as reinforcement phase) in the same thermoplastic polymeric matrix phase. The hybrid self-reinforced composites are strong and stiff, but in case of impact or crash they have high strain to failure and absorb a lot of energy. The present invention also relates to methods to produce said hybrid self-reinforced composites by a hot compaction technique.
Claims25
1-25. (canceled)
A fibrous self-reinforced composite (SRC) material comprising:
- (i) a thermoplastic polymer as matrix phase, and a reinforcement phase comprising
- (ii) a first oriented polymeric ductile fibre having the same type as the matrix phase and
- (iii) a second high stiffness, brittle fibre, wherein said brittle fibres make up less than 30 vol % of the composite material and
- wherein said brittle fibres are highly dispersed within said composite material by the ductile fibres and the brittle fibres being organised in an intralayer configuration, and/or the ductile fibres and the brittle fibres being organised in an interlayer configuration wherein alternatingly a layer of ductile fibres and a layer of brittle fibres is introduced and wherein the thickness of the layer of brittle fibres is smaller than 125 μm times the square root of the ratio (230 GPa/stiffness of the brittle fibre), and/or the ductile fibres and the brittle fibres being organised in an intrayarn configuration.
A method for manufacturing a fibrous self-reinforced composite material, the method comprising providing a thermoplastic polymer as matrix phase, and a reinforcement phase comprising a first oriented polymeric ductile fibre having the same type as the matrix phase and a second high stiffness, brittle fibre, wherein said brittle fibres make up less than 30 vol % of the composite material, wherein said providing comprises providing said brittle fibres in a highly dispersed within said composite material by
- organising the ductile fibres and the brittle fibres in an intralayer configuration, or
- organising the ductile fibres and the brittle fibres in an interlayer configuration wherein alternatingly a layer of ductile fibres and a layer of brittle fibres is introduced and wherein the thickness of the layer of brittle fibres is smaller than 125μπι×square root of (230 GPa/stiffness of the brittle fibre), or
- organising the ductile fibres and the brittle fibres in an intrayarn configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.