Thermosetting resin containing irradiated thermoplastic toughening agent
AssigneeHexcel Composites Limited
InventorsJohn L. Cawse, Stephen Mortimer, Chrisopher J. Wade
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Abstract
Thermosetting resins are provided that are toughened with an irradiated thermoplastic toughening agent and which have reduced levels of solvent-induced micro crack formation. The thermoplastic toughening agent is treated with a sufficient amount of high-energy radiation (e.g. electron beam or gamma rays) to cause a reduction in solvent-induced micro crack formation in the cured resin when compared to the same toughened thermosetting resin in which the non-irradiated version of the thermoplastic toughening agent is used.
Claims20
A prepreg comprising:
- an uncured resin composition comprising a thermosetting resin component, an irradiated thermoplastic toughening agent, which is present in an amount of from 5 to 50 weight percent of said uncured resin composition and a curing agent, wherein said irradiated thermoplastic toughening agent is a thermoplastic toughening agent selected from the group consisting of polyether sulfone, polyether ethersulfone, polvetherimide and polyphenyl sulfone that has been treated with between 255 and 300 kiloGray of high-energy radiation selected from the group consisting of electron beam radiation and gamma ray radiation;
- and
- a fibrous reinforcement.
A method for making a prepreg, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing an uncured resin composition comprising a thermosetting resin component, an irradiated thermoplastic toughening agent, which is present in an amount of from 5 to 50 weight percent of said uncured resin composition and a curing agent, wherein said irradiated thermoplastic toughening agent is a thermoplastic toughening agent selected from the group consisting of polyether sulfone, polyether ethersulfone, polyetherimide and polyphenyl sulfone that has been treated with between 255 and 300 kiloGray of high-energy radiation selected from the group consisting of electron beam radiation and gamma ray radiation;
- and
- combining said uncured resin composition with a fibrous reinforcement.
A prepreg according to clam 1 wherein said high-energy radiation is electron beam radiation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.