Process of producing fibre-reinforced shaped articles
AssigneeImperial Chemical Industries PLC
InventorsGeoffrey R. Belbin, Frederic N. Cogswell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process of producing a fibre-reinforced shaped article comprising extruding a composition comprising a settable fluid as a carrier for fibres at least 5 mm in length through a die so that relaxation of the fibres causes the extrudate to expand to form an open fibrous structure with randomly dispersed fibres as the extrudate leaves the die characterized in that the porous extrudate is compressed while the carrier is in a fluid condition into a shaped article. The process enables moulded articles to be formed having a random distribution of fibres the majority of which are at least 5 mm long.
Claims5
A process of producing a fibre reinforced shaped article comprising extruding a composition consisting of a settable fluid as a carrier for resilient fibres at least 5 mm in length through a die having a die diameter greater than the die length wherein the viscosity of the settable carrier is sufficiently high to carry the fibres through the die but low enough to allow movement of the fibres as they relax on passing through the die and the composition is extruded at a sufficient rate through the die to prevent relaxation of the fibres before the composition reaches the die whereby relaxation of the fibres causes the extrudate to expand to form an open fibrous structure with randomly dispersed fibres as the extrudate leaves the die characterized in compressing the porous extrudate, while the carrier is in a fluid condition until at least a surface skin of non-foamed material is consolidated from the material of the porous extrudate, into a shaped article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.