Disclosed herein are compounds of formulas (I) and (II), Wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and (1) are as described herein. Methods of making compounds of formulas (I) and (II), curable compositions containing them and cured compositions containing them are also described. The compounds of formulas (I) and II are curing agents, fire retardants or both. ##STR00001##

The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for composites, including short-fiber films and other composites. In certain aspects, composites comprising a plurality of aligned fibers are provided. The fibers may be substantially aligned, and may be present at relatively high densities within the composite. For example, the composite may include substantially aligned carbon fibers embedded within a thermoplastic substrate. The composites may be prepared, in some aspects, by dispersing fibers by neutralizing the electrostatic interactions between the fibers, for example using aqueous liquids containing the fibers that are able to neutralize the electrostatic interactions that typically occur between the fibers. The liquids may be applied to a substrate, and the fibers may be aligned using techniques such as shear flow and/or magnetism. Other aspects are generally directed to methods of using such composites, kits including such composites, or the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin sheet which can be manufactured into a molded body exhibiting excellent appearance quality as well as exhibits both high moldability and strength and a manufacturing method of such a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin sheet. The present invention relates to a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin sheet which is a random laminated body of a tape-shaped unidirectional prepreg and contains spread reinforcement fibers and a polymer (a) and in which the polymer (a) is a polymer of at least a bisphenol A type epoxy compound represented by Formula (1): ##STR00001##
where n is an integer of 1 to 4
and a bisphenol compound selected from the group consisting of bisphenol A, bisphenol F, bisphenol S, bisphenol B, bisphenol E, and bisphenol P.

The present teachings contemplate a method that includes a step of providing a first amount of esterified reaction product of an acid and an epoxy-based material. The esterified reaction product may be further reacted an epoxy resin to form a polymeric epoxy. The resulting material may have a generally linear backbone, foaming and curing capability and flame retardant properties.

An FRP molded product formed by impregnating a fiber base material with a matrix resin using a flow medium, wherein the flow medium has a sheet shape and comprises fibers made of a phenoxy resin, the matrix resin is an epoxy resin, the fiber base material and the flow medium are stacked, at least part of the flow medium is hardened in a state where the part of the flow medium is integrated with the matrix resin by dissolution or adhesion, and the hardened flow medium becomes a design face.

Provided is a method for producing a sheet molding compound including an aging step for thickening a sheet-like resin compound. The method includes applying a load of 0.2 to 50 g/cm.sup.2 to at least part of the sheet-like resin compound for 1 hour or more under a condition of an internal temperature of 20 to 120° C. in the aging step. A sheet molding compound obtained from this method for producing a sheet molding compound and its molded article have excellent carbon fiber impregnability and the like and can thus suitably be used for the exteriors, structures, and the like of automotive components, railway vehicle components, aerospace vehicle components, ship components, housing equipment components, sports components, light vehicle components, construction and civil engineering components, OA equipment, and the like.

A polymeric composition may include a thermoplastic polymer including: at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of vinyl esters, C2-C12 olefins, and combinations thereof; and a dynamic crosslinking group; and a dynamic crosslinking system to dynamically crosslink the thermoplastic polymer.

A coating material of the present invention is a coating material containing: a fluorine-containing polymer having at least one of an iodine atom and a bromine atom; and a solvent, wherein a storage elastic modulus G′ of the fluorine-containing polymer is less than 360 kPa, and a total light transmittance of a mixed liquid obtained by mixing and stirring the fluorine-containing polymer and the solvent contained in the coating material is 1.0% or more, the mixed liquid being left to stand for 3 days, stirred again, and left to stand for 30 minutes to measure the total light transmittance.

Disclosed are embodiments of polymer compositions and systems that contain antimicrobial and wavelength-shifting metal nanoparticles. The polymer compositions containing metal nanoparticles protect exposed materials from UV radiation. The polymer compositions containing metal nanoparticles down convert incoming UV light to light that may have a longer wavelength. Unexpectedly, by selecting at least two differently configured nanoparticle components (e.g., different in size, shape, or both), each with specific particle size distribution, it is possible to effectively protect an area from damage resulting from exposure to UV radiation. In addition, spherical silver nanoparticles do not cause bacteria to become resistant as do convention silver nanoparticles made by chemical synthesis.

A method for producing a coating layer with scratch resistance and flex resistance, a laminated structure, and a coating composition are provided. The method includes coating the coating composition on a plastic substrate and performing a curing operation on the coating composition to form a cured coating layer. The coating composition includes a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane, a multifunctional epoxy resin, a cationic light initiator, and an organic solvent, and the polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane has a cage-like structure. The curing operation has a baking temperature that is within a range from 75° C. to 200° C., a baking time that is within a range from 30 s to 120 s, and an UV curing energy that is within a range from 250 mJ/cm.sup.2 to 1,250 mJ/cm.sup.2.