Process for producing a woven carbon reinforcing fabric with a high cover factor
AssigneeToray Industries, Inc.
InventorsHajime Kishi, Nobuyuki Odagiri, Tokuo Tazaki, Hideo Nagata, Takeshi Terashita, Akira Nishimura, Hiroyasu Kato
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Method of making a reinforcing fabric comprising warps and woofs which are multifilament yarns made of carbon fibers. The widths W (mm) and finenesses D (d:denier) of the warps and woofs satisfy the equation: W=k.multidot.(D/.rho.).sup.5/9 wherein k represents 3.5.times.10.sup.-2 to 10.0.times.10.sup.-2 (mm.multidot.d.sup.-5/9) and .rho. represents specific gravity of the carbon fibers. The woven fabric has a cover factor K.sub.c of 90.0 to 99.8%. The fabric is made by treating a precursor fabric with water jets.
Claims3
A process for producing a woven reinforcing fabric comprising the following steps:
- a) providing a woven fabric having warps and woofs made of multi-filament yarns of carbon fiber wherein said warps and woofs are twisted to no more than 5 turns/meter and wherein the width of the mesh opening formed by the warps and woofs is at least 1/5 the width of the warps;
- b) continuously feeding the woven fabric in the warp direction while treating the fabric with a plurality of water jets arranged in the weft direction, the spacing between adjacent water jets being no more than 1/3 of the spacing of the warps, the punching force of each of said water jets at the surface of said fabric being 0.1 to 3 grams-force, wherein said water jets originate from nozzles having an inner diameter of 0.05 to 0.5 mm;
- wherein said reinforcing fabric has a cover factor of 90.0 to 99.8 percent and wherein the warps and woofs of said reinforcing fabric satisfy the following equation:
- W=k.multidot.(D/.rho.).sup.5/9
- wherein k is a constant in the range of 3.5.times.10.sup.-2 to 10.0.times.10.sup.-2 ;
- .rho. is the specific gravity of the carbon fibers;
- and W and D are the width and denier respectively of the warp or woof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.