Curable compositions, processes for using such compositions to prepare composites and processes for preparing composites having superior surface finish and high fiber consolidation
AssigneeHenkel IP & Holding GmbH
InventorsAlex Chor-Yiu Wong, Xinyu Du, Wei Helen Li, Raymond S. Wong, Noel Fuentes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Curable compositions, such as oxazine-based ones, are useful in applications within the aerospace industry, such as for example as a thermosetting resin composition for use as a matrix resin in processes, such as resin transfer molding, vacuum assisted transfer molding, resin film infusion, prepregging and towpregging, where the composites or laminates so prepared have superior surface finish and high fiber consolidation.
Claims43
A resin transfer molding process, steps of which comprise:
- (a) providing a thermosetting resin composition into a closed mold containing a preform, optionally with an agent capable of expanding;
- (b) exposing the interior of the mold to a first elevated temperature and elevated pressure sufficient to wet the preform with the thermosetting resin composition;
- and
- (c) curing the thermosetting resin composition-impregnated preform within the mold at a second elevated temperature to form a resin transfer molded product, wherein the thermosetting resin composition comprises (i) a thermosetting resin comprising at least one of epoxy, episulfide, oxazine, oxazoline, cyanate ester, maleimide, nadimide, itaconimide, phenolic and thiophenolic, and wherein at least one of the thermosetting resin composition or the preform includes the agent capable of expanding.
(canceled)
A resin transfer molding preform comprising:
- (a) a plurality of fabric plies or unidirectional plies,
- (b) a heat curable binder composition, tacked to the plurality of fabric plies or unidirectional plies, wherein the heat curable binder composition comprises (i) an oxazine component, and (ii) at least one of epoxy, episulfide, oxazoline, cyanate ester, maleimide, nadimide, itaconimide, phenolic and thiophenolic, and
- (c) an agent capable of expanding volume, wherein the agent is present with or in at least one of (a) or (b), respectively.
A vacuum assisted resin transfer molding process, steps of which comprise:
- (a) providing a preform into a mold, wherein the preform optionally includes an agent capable of expanding;
- (b) providing a thermosetting resin composition into the mold under a first elevated temperature and under vacuum for a time sufficient to allow the composition to wet the preform, where the resin composition;
- and
- (c) exposing the mold containing the composition wetted-preform to a second elevated temperature while under vacuum sufficient to cure the thermosetting resin composition-wetted preform within the mold to form a resin transfer molded product, wherein the thermosetting resin composition comprises (i) an oxazine component and (ii) at least one of epoxy, episulfide, oxazoline, cyanate ester, maleimide, nadimide, itaconimide, phenolic and thiophenolic, and wherein at least one of the preform or the thermosetting resin composition includes an agent capable of expanding.
(canceled)
A vacuum assisted resin transfer molding preform comprising:
- (a) a plurality of fabric plies or unidirectional plies, optionally with an agent capable of expanding and
- (b) a heat curable binder composition, optionally with an agent capable of expanding, tacked to the plurality of fabric plies or unidirectional plies, wherein the heat curable binder composition comprises (i) an oxazine component and (ii) at least one of epoxy, episulfide, oxazoline, cyanate ester, maleimide, nadimide, itaconimide, phenolic and thiophenolic, and wherein at least one of the plurality of fabric plies or unidirectional plies or the heat curable binder composition includes an agent capable of expanding.
(canceled)
A resin film infusion process, steps of which comprise:
- (a) providing a preform into a closed mold containing a thermosetting resin composition in film form each of which is an agent capable of expanding;
- (b) exposing the interior of the mold to a first elevated temperature and optionally vacuum, while the exterior of the mold is exposed to an elevated pressure, for a time sufficient to infuse the preform with the thermosetting resin composition;
- and
- (c) curing the thermosetting resin composition-infused preform within the mold at a second elevated temperature to form a resin transfer molded product, wherein the thermosetting resin composition comprises (i) an oxazine component and (ii) at least one of epoxy, episulfide, oxazoline, cyanate ester, maleimide, nadimide, itaconimide, phenolic and thiophenolic, and wherein at least one of the preform or the thermosetting resin composition in film form includes an agent capable of expanding.
(canceled)
A prepreg comprising fibers infused with a thermosetting resin composition, comprising a resin component comprising (i) an oxazine component and (ii) at least one of epoxy, episulfide, oxazine, oxazoline, cyanate ester, maleimide, nadimide, itaconimide, phenolic and thiophenolic, at least one of the fibers or the resin component includes an agent capable of expanding.
A prepreg process comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of fibers;
- providing a thermosetting resin composition comprising a resin component comprising (i) an oxazine component and (ii) at least one of epoxy, episulfide, oxazoline, cyanate ester, maleimide, nadimide, itaconimide, phenolic and thiophenolic;
- providing an agent capable of expanding wherein at least one of the fibers or the agent capable of expanding onto or about the layer of fibers.
A process for producing a prepreg, steps of which comprise:
- (a) providing a layer of fibers;
- (b) providing a thermosetting resin composition in liquid form;
- (c) passing the layer of fibers through the liquid thermosetting resin composition to infuse the layer of fibers with the thermosetting resin composition thereby forming a prepreg assembly;
- and
- (d) removing excess thermosetting resin composition from the prepreg assembly, wherein thermosetting resin composition comprises (i) an oxazine component and (ii) at least one of epoxy, episulfide, oxazoline, cyanate ester, maleimide, nadimide, itaconimide, phenolic and thiophenolic, and wherein at least one of the layer of fibers or the thermosetting resin composition includes an agent capable of expanding.
A film comprising:
- a. a release liner;
- b. a resin component comprising (i) an oxazine component and (ii) at least one of epoxy, episulfide, oxazine, oxazoline, cyanate ester, maleimide, nadimide, itaconimide, phenolic and thiophenolic;
- and
- c. an expandable agent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.