A fiber-reinforced member includes: a base member having a tubular region with an outer circumferential surface extending along and substantially in parallel with an axial direction; and a fiber-reinforced resin layer constituted of a tow prepreg wound in an overlapping manner to cover the outer circumferential surface of the base member along a predetermined direction crossing the axial direction when viewed in a radial direction of the base member, the tow prepreg serving as a widened tape-like member. The tape-like member constituting the fiber-reinforced resin layer has a portion having a fiber line extending along a direction crossing the predetermined direction. A size of a width of the tape-like member constituting the fiber-reinforced resin layer is not less than 100 times and not more than 400 times as large as a size of a thickness of the tape-like member constituting the fiber-reinforced resin layer in the radial direction.

An exterior building component with a distinct surface topography and a method for manufacturing the same. A substrate, a barrier film, and an adhesive are provided together with a finishing sacrificial coating. The adhesive has pressure sensitive characteristics in a temperature range including a temperature below barrier film embossment temperature. The temperature of a surface of the substrate and the barrier film is adjusted to the barrier film embossment temperature. The adhesive is disposed onto at least one of the surface of the substrate and the barrier film. The barrier film is then disposed onto the surface of the substrate and embossed such that the surface topography of the substrate is replicated in a substantially identical fashion using a roller at low pressure and short pressure application time. The barrier film is then, if needed, finished with a weather-resistant coating compatible with commercially available architectural exterior paints and lacquers for refinishing as required.

The present disclosure relates to a carbon fiber prepreg or carbon fiber-reinforced plastic including carbon fibers coated with an epoxy-containing resin in which a graphene is dispersed, a method for preparing the same, and an interior or exterior material including the carbon fiber prepreg or carbon fiber-reinforced plastic.

Provided is a resin material capable of effectively enhancing adhesiveness and long-term insulation reliability. The resin material according to the present invention contains first inorganic particles having an average aspect ratio of 2 or less, second inorganic particles having an average aspect ratio of more than 2, and a binder resin, an absolute value of a difference between an average particle diameter of the first inorganic particles and an average major diameter of the second inorganic particles is 10 m or less, the average particle diameter of the first inorganic particles is 1 m or more and less than 20 m, the average major diameter of the second inorganic particles is 2 m or more, and the content of the second inorganic particles is more than 40% by volume relative to 100% by volume of sum of the first inorganic particles and the second inorganic particles.

Light weight composites with high flexural strength comprise epoxy foam sandwiched between two layers of facing material have high strength and low weight and can be used to replace steel structures. The facing layer may be fibrous material especially glass or carbon fibres, the facing material is preferably embedded into the epoxy matrix. Alternatively they may be matching box structures or concentric metal tubes. The sandwich structures may be prepared by laying up the fibre; coating and/or impregnating the layer with epoxy resin, laying a layer of heat activatable foamable epoxy material, providing a further layer of the fibrous material optionally coated and/or impregnated with epoxy resin on the foamable material and heating to foam and cure the epoxy materials. Alternatively they may be formed by extrusion of the foamable material between the surface layers.

Light weight composites with high flexural strength comprise epoxy foam sandwiched between two layers of facing material have high strength and low weight and can be used to replace steel structures. The facing layer may be fibrous material especially glass or carbon fibres, the facing material is preferably embedded into the epoxy matrix. Alternatively they may be matching box structures or concentric metal tubes. The sandwich structures may be prepared by laying up the fibre; coating and/or impregnating the layer with epoxy resin, laying a layer of heat activatable foamable epoxy material, providing a further layer of the fibrous material optionally coated and/or impregnated with epoxy resin on the foamable material and heating to foam and cure the epoxy materials. Alternatively they may be formed by extrusion of the foamable material between the surface layers.

Methods for placing an indicia on a composite structure generally include printing the indicia on a first film surface of a coating film, with the coating film being in a partially cured state at the time the printing the indicia is performed, and positioning the coating film on a partially cured composite structure such that a second film surface of the coating film faces and is positioned against a surface of the composite structure, with the second film surface being opposite the first film surface. Finally, the coating film and the composite structure may then be co-cured. Systems for printing an indicia on a composite structure generally include the coating film, a printer configured to print the indicia on the first film surface of the coating film, a securement configured to secure the coating film during printing, and a curing device for co-curing the coating film and the composite structure.

A curable adhesive composition includes a curable epoxy resin, an amine curing agent, a toughening agent, and aluminum flakes. The aluminum flakes include a fatty acid milling aid on at least a portion of their surfaces. The aluminum flakes were heated after milling. An article includes an adhesive composition cured between at least two members. The cured adhesive composition includes the heat-treated aluminum flakes within a toughened epoxy resin cured with an amine curing agent. The method includes applying the curable adhesive composition of described above to a surface of at least one of two or more members, joining the members so that the curable adhesive composition is sandwiched between the two or more members, and curing the curable adhesive composition to form an adhesive bond between the two or more members.

A process for making a card includes the steps of forming a core layer having a first surface and a second surface, disposing an uncured decorative ceramic layer of ceramic particles disposed in a resin binder over the first surface of the core layer, such as by spray coating, and curing the uncured decorative ceramic layer to form a cured decorative ceramic layer. Card products of the process may have a core layer of metal, ceramic, or a combination thereof that form a bulk of the card.

Cards made in accordance with the invention include a specially treated thin decorative layer attached to a thick core layer of metal or ceramic material, where the thin decorative layer is designed to provide selected color(s) and/or selected texture(s) to a surface of the metal cards. Decorative layers for use in practicing the invention include: (a) an anodized metal layer; or (b) a layer of material derived from plant or animal matter (e.g., wood, leather); or (c) an assortment of aggregate binder material (e.g., cement, mortar, epoxies) mixed with laser reactive materials (e.g., finely divided carbon); or (d) a ceramic layer; and (e) a layer of crystal fabric material. The cards may be dual interface smart cards which can be read in a contactless manner and/or via contacts.