Method of making thermoplastic resin composite
AssigneeExxon Research & Engineering Co.
InventorIm K. Park
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A unidirectional fiber reinforced thermoplastic stock material is prepared by passing fibers through a resin solution to coat the fibers. The coated fibers are treated to remove the solvent and thereafter are consolidated into the desired shape.
Claims8
A method for producing a fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin stock having about 10 to 50% by volume of fiber therein comprising continuously passing graphite fiber material as a multiplicity of individual strands through a solution of thermoplastic resin to coat the fiber with resin solution, said resin being an acrylic acid grafted polyolefin and said solution having a viscosity in the range of about 2 to 4000 centipoise while being maintained at a temperature in the range of about 80.degree. C to 145.degree. C;
- treating the solution coated fibers to remove the solvent;
- consolidating said coated fibers into a predetermined cross-sectional shape and size while heating the coated fibers to a temperature sufficient to melt the resin;
- and, thereafter cooling the shaped resin coated fibers under confining pressures to a temperature below the melting point of the resin whereby a continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic stock material is obtained having low fiber loadings between about 10 to 50% by volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.