Fiber reinforced thermoplastic articles and process for the preparation thereof
AssigneePhillips Petroleum Company
InventorJames E. O'Connor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Processes for preparing fiber reinforced thermoplastic articles are provided, for example, thermoplastic fibers and reinforcement fibers can be intermingled to produce a composite yarn, which is used to weave a fabric. then the fabric heated to produce a reinforced article. As another example, thermoplastic yarn and reinforcement yarn can be woven together to produce a composite fabric, which, upon heating, produces a reinforced article.
Claims39
A hybrid, low-twist yarn comprising a blend of individual continuous filaments of a poly(arylene sulfide) and individual continuous filaments of a fibrous reinforcement.
A fabric containing a hybrid, low-twist yarn formed from a blend of individual continuous filaments of a poly(arylene sulfide) and individual continuous filaments of a fibrous reinforcement.
A woven fabric for conversion into a laminate, said fabric being produced by:
- (a) combining carbon fibers and poly(arylene sulfide) fibers into yarn;
- (b) controlling the quantity of said carbon fibers during said combining to be within the range of from about 40 to 80 weight percent on total weight of said yarn;
- and,
- (c) weaving said yarn into a fabric.
A woven fabric for conversion into a laminate, said fabric being produced by:
- (a) combining graphite continuous carbon fibers and continous poly(arylene sulfide) fibers into yarn;
- and
- (b) weaving said yarn into a fabric.
A process comprising subjecting a fabric comprised of a hybrid, low twist yarn formed from a blend of individual continuous filaments of poly(arylene sulfide) and individual continuous filaments of a fibrous reinforcement to a temperature and to a concurrently applied pressure sufficient to cause intimate contact between the thermoplastic and the reinforcement, said temperature being at least as high as the melting point of said poly(arylene sulfide), said subjecting being maintained for a time from about 1 to 60 minutes.
A process for the preparation of a fiber reinforced thermoplastic article, said process comprising:
- (a) intermingling continuous filaments of a poly(arylene sulfide) and continuous filaments of at least one reinforcement material to produce a composite yarn;
- (b) weaving said composite yarn into a fabric;
- and
- (c) heating said fabric to a temperature at least as high as the melting point of said poly(arylene sulfide) while maintaining a pressure sufficient to allow intimate contact between said poly(arylene sulfide) and said fibrous reinforcement material for a time of from about 1 to 60 minutes.
A process for producing laminates from a plurality of carbon fibers, and a plurality of poly(arylene sulfide) fibers comprising:
- (a) combining said carbon fibers and said poly(arylene sulfide) fibers into yarn;
- (b) controlling the quantity of said carbon fibers during said combining step to be within the range from about 40 to 80 weight percent based on total weight of said yarn;
- (c) weaving said yarn into a fabric;
- (d) placing from 2 to 10 plies of said fabric together in a mold cavity;
- and,
- (e) heating said plies under pressure to melt said poly(arylene sulfide) and produce a shaped, carbon-poly(arylene sulfide) laminate.
A process for producing laminates from a plurality of individual continuous carbon fibers, and a plurality of individual continuous poly(arylene sulfide) fibers, comprising:
- (a) combining said carbon fibers and said poly(arylene sulfide) fibers into yarn;
- (b) weaving said yarn into a fabric and placing from 2 to 10 plies of said fabric together in a mold cavity;
- and,
- (c) heating said plies under pressure to melt said poly(arylene sulfide) and produce a shaped carbon-poly(arylene sulfide) laminate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.