A method for producing a sheet molding compound including impregnating a resin composition into carbon fibers. The method is characterized in that the bulkiness H.sub.o of the carbon fibers before an impregnation step is 3 mm or more, the compression ratio R.sub.c (H.sub.c/H.sub.o) of the carbon fibers in the impregnation step is less than 1, the thickness of the sheet molding compound is 10 mm or less, and the content Wc of the carbon fibers is 40% by mass or more. The method for producing a sheet molding compound can produce a sheet molding compound having the excellent impregnation property into carbon fibers and thus can be preferably used for exteriors, structures, and the like of an automotive member, a railroad vehicle member, an aerospace vehicle member, a ship member, a housing equipment member, a sport member, a light vehicle member, a civil engineering and construction member, an OA equipment.

An epoxy resin composition including components (A), (B), (C) and (D); wherein a content of the component (A) is 60 to 90 parts by mass, and a content of the component (B) is 10 to 40 parts by mass, with respect to epoxy resins; the epoxy resin composition has a characteristic that, when cured and formed into a cured product, the cured product has a glass transition temperature of 200° C. or higher; and a viscosity at 100° C. of the resin composition is 5 to 35 Pa.Math.s, wherein Component (A) is an aromatic epoxy resin having at least 3 glycidyl groups in one molecule, Component (B) is an aromatic epoxy resin having two glycidyl groups in one molecule, Component (C) is an aromatic polysulfone resin having a reduced viscosity of 0.18 to 0.30 dl/g; and Component (D) is an aromatic amine compound.

Disclosed herein are emulsifiers for epoxy resins obtained by reacting an epoxy resin with a mixture of a polyethylene glycol having an average molecular weight of greater than 4000 g/mol and less than 10,000 g/mol and a block copolymer of polyethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol, aqueous epoxy resin dispersions including the same, and methods for preparation thereof.

The present invention aims to provide an epoxy resin composition for a fiber-reinforced composite material that maintains low viscosity during injection into reinforcing fibers to realize good impregnating and also has high toughness and high heat resistance and also aims to provide a fiber-reinforced composite material produced therefrom. Also provided is a molding method for a fiber-reinforced composite material including at least a reinforcing fiber [A] and a cured product of an epoxy resin composition [B], wherein the epoxy resin composition [B] includes the components [a], [b], and [c] specified below, and the epoxy resin composition [B] is cured in such a manner that the absorbance ratio Da/(Da+Db) is in the range of 0.4 to 1 in producing the fiber-reinforced composite material: [a] an epoxy resin having at least two oxirane groups in the molecule, [b] an epoxy resin curing agent having at least two isocyanate groups in the molecule, and [c] a catalyst.

A prepreg includes [A], [B], and [C] described below. The [B] further comprises [B′]; a ratio of a mole number of an active hydrogen contained in [B′] to a mole number of an epoxy group in an epoxy resin contained in [B] is in a range of 0.6 to 1.1 both inclusive; [C] is present on a surface of the prepreg; and [A] that crosses over a boundary surface between a resin region containing [B] and a resin region containing [C] and that is in contact with both resin regions is present: [A] a reinforcing fiber; [B] an epoxy resin composition; an amine compound; and [C] a thermoplastic resin composition.

Provided is a flame retardant and heat insulating sheet having high flame retardancy and a high heat insulating property. Also provided is a flame retardant heat insulator including such flame retardant and heat insulating sheet. A flame retardant and heat insulating sheet according to one embodiment includes: a flame retardant and heat insulating layer formed from a resin composition (A); and a heat insulating layer, wherein the resin composition (A) contains: a binder resin; a low-melting point inorganic substance; a high-melting point inorganic substance; and voids. A flame retardant and heat insulating sheet according to one embodiment includes: a flame retardant and heat insulating layer formed from a resin composition (B); and a heat insulating layer, wherein the resin composition (B) contains: a binder resin that produces a high-melting point inorganic substance when heated; a low-melting point inorganic substance; and voids and/or a void-forming agent.

A sheet molding compound resin composition containing a thermosetting resin (A), a resin-curing agent (B), and a glycidyl ether (C) including an alkyl group having a carbon atom number of 7 to 14 and a glycidyl group is provided. The sheet molding compound resin composition can be favorably used for a sheet molding compound and a molded article of the sheet molding compound as a result of having excellent impregnating ability with respect to carbon fiber regardless of the resin viscosity.

A composition of matter comprises at least 10 wt % epoxy functionalized two-dimensional shaped particles, carbon nanotubes in the range of 0.1 to 5 wt %, epoxy resin and a curing agent. A method of manufacturing a composition of matter includes mixing epoxy resin, carbon nanotubes and a solvent to produce a material, drying the material, and mixing the material with a curing agent to product the composition of matter. A method of printing a composition of matter includes producing the composition of matter by combining epoxy functionalized graphene, carbon nanotubes, epoxy base resin, and a curing agent, extrusion printing the composition of matter into a desired pattern, and curing the pattern.

An object of the present invention is to provide an epoxy resin composition that can be preferably used for prepreg and fiber reinforced composite material applications, has high Tg, and is excellent in elastic modulus and strength. The present invention is the epoxy resin composition including the following components [A] to [C] and satisfying the following conditions (1) to (2): [A]: epoxy resin [B]: polyamine curing agent, and [C]: a compound having a boiling point of 130° C. or more and a molecular weight m of 50 or more and 250 or less, the compound having no epoxy group in the molecule and having substantially no curing ability of an epoxy resin, (1): at least a part of the component [C] satisfies that the sum of the polar component and the hydrogen bond component in the Hansen solubility parameters is 10.0 or less, (2): the ratio C/E of the amount by mole, E, for epoxy groups of the component [A] to the amount by mole, C, of the component [C] satisfying the condition (1) is 0.01 or more and 0.20 or less.

Carbon fiber composites containing lignin carbon fibers are described. The lignin carbon fibers can be derived from organosolv lignin obtained from single source lignocellulosic feedstocks or combinations of such feedstocks or lignin obtained via other pulping or extraction methods. Also described are methods of preparing the carbon fiber composites.