In a preferred embodiment, a composite panel with a smooth outer surface, ready for painting with or without addition of primer, may be created by constructing a panel layup assembly upon a mold, the panel layup assembly including a composite panel having a core and a resin formulation, and a release film between the mold and the composite panel, where a smooth release surface of the release film is in contact with the composite panel upon construction; initiating curing of the composite panel at a first temperature within a lowermost ten percent of a curing temperature range of the resin formulation; continuing curing of the composite panel at a second temperature above the lowermost ten percent of the curing temperature range; and completing curing of the composite panel at a third temperature below the second temperature.

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.

A resin composition and method for installing a pipe liner that allows the liner to be fully wet out with a resin and activator and stored for a period of up to six months prior to installation and curing. A method of lining a pipe with a delayed curing resin composition is also provided that includes fully wetting out a liner with a blended two part epoxy composition such that the liner can be transported in a wet out fashion, placed in a pipe to be lined and repositioned as needed without concern for the resin composition to begin curing.

The present invention relates to a spar cap for a wind turbine blade comprising a plurality of pre-cured fibre-reinforced elements and a plurality of interlayers. The plurality of pre-cured fibre-reinforced elements include a first pre-cured fibre-reinforced element and a second pre-cured fibre-reinforced element and the plurality of interlayers include a first interlayer comprising a first plurality of fibres embedded in a first cured resin. The first interlayer is being arranged between the first pre-cured fibre-reinforced element and the second pre-cured fibre-reinforced element. The first plurality of fibres have a first elastic modulus, the first cured resin has a second elastic modulus, the first and/or second pre-cured fibre-reinforced elements have a third elastic modulus, and the first interlayer has a fourth elastic modulus. The ratio between the first elastic modulus and the second elastic modulus is between 1:4 and 4:1 and/or the ratio between the third elastic modulus and the fourth elastic modulus is between 1:4 and 4:1.

In a preferred embodiment, a composite panel with a smooth outer surface, ready for painting with or without addition of primer, may be created by constructing a panel layup assembly upon a mold, the panel layup assembly including a composite panel having a core and a resin formulation, and a release film between the mold and the composite panel, where a smooth release surface of the release film is in contact with the composite panel upon construction; initiating curing of the composite panel at a first temperature within a lowermost ten percent of a curing temperature range of the resin formulation; continuing curing of the composite panel at a second temperature above the lowermost ten percent of the curing temperature range; and completing curing of the composite panel at a third temperature below the second temperature.

Systems and methods for assembling elongate composite structures are disclosed. The systems include a first rigid elongate cure tool defining a first elongate support surface for supporting a first elongate charge of composite material (FEC), a second rigid elongate cure tool defining a second elongate support surface for supporting a second elongate charge of composite material (SEC), and a flexible elongate caul plate. The systems further include a vacuum compaction film, a translation structure, and a vacuum source. Methods according to the present disclosure include positioning a vacuum compaction film, positioning a flexible elongate caul plate, and positioning an FEC. The methods further include positioning an SEC, contacting a region of the FEC with a region of the SEC, sealing the vacuum compaction film, evacuating the enclosed volume to generate an elongate composite assembly, and heating the elongate composite assembly to define the elongate composite structure.

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.

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to composite laminate structures including a polymer layer having sp.sup.2 carbon-containing material and improved heat release properties, and methods of making the same.

The present invention relates to a hot-melt adhesive resin film having an excellent adhesive force and durability to various adherends such as metal, glass, and plastic, and a production method thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hot-melt adhesive resin film including a first surface layer, a first intermediate layer, a substrate layer having heat resistance, a second intermediate layer, and a second surface layer, which are laminated in this order, in which the first intermediate layer and the second intermediate layer include a resin which is obtained by modifying a copolymer of propylene and 1-butene with maleic acid, and a production method thereof.