High performance fiber ribbon product, high strength hybrid composites and methods of producing and using same

Method of preparing a molding compound with high performance reinforcing fibers by filament winding, comprising:

• (a) placing a polymeric film on the mandrel of a filament winding apparatus to assure release of the material from the mandrel,
• (b) applying to the mandrel an effective amount of a matrix compatible polymer,
• (c) applying to the polymer on the mandrel a fiberous mat having a thickness in the range of about 0.01 inch to about 0.05 inch (0.025-0.13 cm),
• (d) rolling the mat in the polymer to impregnate the mat with the polymer,
• (e) rotating the mandrel to wind one or more layers of one or more high performance reinforcing fibers,
• (f) rotating the mandrel to wind on top of the layer of high performance fiber one or more layers of reinforcing fiberous strand, coated with matrix compatible polymer, and
• (g) removing the polymer impregnated mat, high performance fiber layer or layers and reinforcing fiberous strand layer or layers as a molding compound with a polymeric film covering.

A molding compound, comprising:

• (a) a fiberous mat,
• (b) an effective amount of matrix compatible polymer impregnating the mat, where the mat impregnated with the matrix compatible polymer is suitable for contacting with high performance reinforcing fibers,
• (c) one or more high performance continuous reinforcing fibers in the form of one or more layers with a layer in contact with the impregnated mat, whereby the high performance reinforcing fibers have improved alignment,
• (d) one or more layers of general reinforcing mat selected from filament wound reinforcing fiberous strand, continuous strand mat chopped strand mat high glass reinforcement and woven strand mat, contacting the last layer of high performance continuous reinforcing fibers, and
• (e) matrix polymer for the one or more layers of general reinforcing mats selected from saturated and unsaturated polyesters, 1,2- and 1,3-epoxy polymers and vinyl esterpolymers, polybutylene terephthalate, polysulfone, polyether sulfone, nylon, polyphenylene sulfide and polyamide-imide forming molding compounds with the general reinforcing mat selected from the group consisting of bulk molding compounds, sheet molding compounds, high glass reinforcing molding compounds and thick molding compounds.

A molding compound, comprising:

• (a) a fiberous mat having a thickness in the range of about 0.01 to about 0.05 inch and a weight up to one ounce per square foot (0.03 grams/cm.sup.2) wherein the fiberous material in the mat is one or more continuous monofilaments selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, organic fibers, or high performance fibers,
• (b) an effective amount of matrix compatible polymer impregnating the mat, wherein the mat impregnated with the matrix compatible polymer is suitable for contacting with high performance reinforcing fibers,
• (c) one or more high performance continuous reinforcing fibers in the form of one or more layers with a layer in contact with the impregnated mat, wherein the one or more high performance continuous reinforcing fibers have a coating of the matrix compatible polymer on a substantial portion of their surfaces to thoroughly wet the fibers, and where the fibers are present in a unidirectional orientation in each layer, and wherein the amount of the continuous monofilament fiberous mat that is present is in the range of about 1 to about 35 weight percent of the fiberous mat plus the matrix compatible polymer of (b), and plus the high performance continuous reinforcing fibers of (c), and where the amount of the high performance reinforcing continuous fibers is about 5 to about 85 weight percent of the monofilament fiberous mat plus matrix compatible polymer of (b), and high performance fibers of (c), and where the matrix compatible polymer is present in an amount of about 1 to about 20 weight percent of the monofilament mat of (a), plus the matrix compatible polymer of (b) and the high performance continuous fibers of (c),
• (d) one or more layers of molding compound selected from the group consisting of bulk molding compounds, sheet molding compounds and high glass reinforcement molding compounds and filament wound molding materials formed from one or more layers of general reinforcing mat selected from filament wound reinforcing fiberous strand, continuous strand mat, chopped strand mat, high glass reinforcement, and woven strand mat and a matrix polymer for the one or more layers of general reinforcing mats selected from saturated polyesters, unsaturated polyesters, 1,2- and 1,3-epoxy polymers, vinyl ester polymers, polybutylene terephthalate, polysulfone, polyether sulfone, nylon, polyphenylene sulfide and polyamideimide, wherein the molding compound contacts the last layer of high performance continuous reinforcing fibers,
• (e) a fiberous mat having a thickness in the range of about 0.01 to about 0.05 inch and a weight up to one ounce per square foot (0.03 grams/cm.sup.2) wherein the fiberous material in the mat is one or more continuous monofilaments of glass fibers, organic fibers, or high performance fibers that is in contact with the last layer of molding compound,
• (f) an effective amount of matrix compatible polymer impregnating the mat of (e), wherein the mat impregnated with the matrix compatible polymer is suitable for contacting with high performance reinforcing fibers, and
• (g) one or more high performance continuous reinforcing fibers in the form of one or more layers in contact with the impregnated mat, wherein the one or more high performance continuous reinforcing fibers have a coating of the matrix compatible polymer on a substantial portion of their surfaces to thoroughly wet the fibers, and where the fibers are present in a unidirectional orientation in each layer, and wherein the amount of continuous monofilament mat that is present is about 1 to about 35 weight percent of the mat of (e), the matrix compatible polymer of (f), and the high performance continuous reinforcing fibers of (g), and where the amount of the high performance reinforcing continuous fibers in the monofilament mat is about 5 to about 85 weight percent of the monofilament mat of (e), matrix compatible polymer of (f), and high performance fibers of (g) and where the matrix compatible polymer is present in an amount of about 1 to about 20 weight percent of the monofilament mat of (e), the matrix compatible polymer of (f) and the high performance continous fibers of (g).

Method of producing a molded article with increased physical properties at desired locations in the article, comprising:

• (a) placing in a compression mold a molding compound selected from sheet molding compound, high reinforcement content sheet molding compound, bulk molding compound, thick molding compound, filament wound molding compound or mixture thereof, or heated thermoplastic molding compounds,
• (b) placing in the mold with the molding compound one or more segments of a tape of aligned high performance reinforcing fibers having attached to the fibers a fiberous mat which is impregnated with a matrix compatible polymer,
• (c) arranging the segments of tape to be at the locations in the molding article, where the higher physical properties are desired, and
• (d) activating the compression molding device to close to mold the article,
• (e) activating the compression molding device to open, and
• (f) recovering the molded article having high performance fiber reinforcement that is substantially aligned as the tape was placed in the mold at the desired location.