Method of increasing the strength and fatigue resistance of fiber reinforced composites
AssigneeOwens Corning Fiberglas Technology, Inc.
InventorsMartin Charles Flautt, Byron Jeffrey Hulls, David George Miller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of increasing the amount of entrained vapor in fiber-reinforced resin composite materials, and in particular filament wound composites, wherein a particularly effective chemical foaming or blowing agent is incorporated into the resin matrix composition used to form the composites. The foaming agent creates vapor-filled voids throughout the resin matrix of the composite as it cures. The superior composites containing these vapor-filled voids demonstrate high burst strength retention and excellent resistance to cyclic fatigue. The invention also relates to composite materials and articles thereof.
Claims10
A process for making, a fiber reinforced composite article, comprising:
- a) dispersing from about 0.05% to about 1.0% by weight of a foaming agent into a matrix resin composition comprising a thermosetting polymer;
- b) contacting the matrix resin composition with a fibrous reinforcing material to facilitate impregnation thereof;
- c) shaping the resin-impregnated fibrous reinforcing material by a filament winding process;
- and
- d) curing the matrix resin to form a composite.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.