The objective of the present invention is to provide a prepreg and a fiber reinforced composite material using this prepreg. This prepreg has good handleability, is suitable for producing a reinforced composite material in a short-time and without using an autoclave, and is capable of yielding a fiber reinforced composite material exhibiting excellent impact resistance, wherein the occurrence of voids has been suppressed. To attain the objective, this prepreg comprises a reinforced fiber [A] that is layered and partially impregnated with an epoxy resin composition containing an epoxy resin [B] and a hardener [C], the impregnation rate being 30 to 95%. In this prepreg, a thermoplastic resin [D] insoluble in the epoxy resin [B] is distributed unevenly over a surface on one side of the prepreg, and a portion not impregnated with the epoxy resin composition is localized in the layer of the reinforced fiber [A] on the side where the thermoplastic resin [D] is distributed unevenly. This prepreg has a localization parameter , which defines the degree of the localization to be in the range of 0.10<<0.45.

A process of manufacturing a free-flowing solid encapsulated drag reducing additive comprises: forming a solid drag reducing additive from one or more C.sub.5-20 olefin monomers; dispersing the solid drag reducing additive in a liquid medium to form a dispersion, the liquid medium comprising an encapsulant and a non-solvent; grinding the solid drag reducing additive in the liquid medium under non-cryogenic grinding conditions to form an encapsulated drag reducing additive in a particulate form; and removing the non-solvent by a drying technique including spray drying, flash drying, or rotating disc drying to form the free-flowing solid encapsulated drag reducing additive.

A masterbatch is disclosed, along with associated methods, and biodegradable filaments, fibers, yarns and fabrics. The masterbatch includes 0.2 to 5 mass % CaCO.sub.3, an aliphatic polyester with a repeat unit having from two to six carbons in the chain between ester groups, with the proviso that the 2 to 6 carbons in the chain do not include side chain carbons, and a carrier polymer selected from the group consisting of PET, nylon, other thermoplastic polymers, and combinations thereof.

A prepreg having high processability and laminating performance and a method to produce such a prepreg is described, the prepreg comprising at least the components [A] to [E] shown below, and having a structure incorporating a first layer composed mainly of the component [A] and a first epoxy resin composition that contains the components [B] to [D] but which is substantially free of the component [E], and a second layer composed mainly of a second epoxy resin composition that contains the components [B] to [E], [A] carbon fiber, [B] epoxy resin, [C] curing agent, [D] thermoplastic resin, and [E] particles containing a thermoplastic resin as primary component and having a volume-average particle diameter of 5 to 50 ?m.

Methods of forming a lightweight reinforced thermoplastic core layer and articles including the core layer are described. In some examples, the methods use a combination of thermoplastic material, reinforcing fibers and bicomponent fibers to enhance retention of lofting agents in the core layer. The processes permit the use of less material while still providing sufficient lofting capacity in the final formed core layer.

A mono-extruded hemp composite board (EHB) is provided. By combining hemp feedstocks with virgin and/or recycled binder materials and subsequently extruding them into an extrudate sheet, an environmentally friendly alternative to tradition construction materials is created. Secondary feedstocks and waste products from other production streams may be added during the extrusion process to enhance the physical characteristics of the extrudate sheet in addition to reducing the raw material costs and creating a more environmentally friendly construction material. The extrudate sheet produced using such materials is structurally superior to traditional construction materials due to the structural characteristics of dispersed hemp feedstocks; the complete encapsulation of hemp feedstocks in the binder material; and the lower hygroscopic and higher pest and mold resistance properties of hemp feedstocks. A downstream extrusion arrangement may be used to pattern the extrudate sheet and/or create molded shapes that are difficult to achieve in traditional construction materials, increasing the customization potential of final EHB products relative to traditional construction materials.

A shear band that may be used e.g., in a non-pneumatic tire is provided. The shear band uses interlaced reinforcing elements positioned within a shear layer of elastomeric material. A variety of configurations may be used to create the interlaced positioning of the reinforcing elements including e.g., a horizontal diamond or vertical diamond configuration. The shear layer formed from a rubber composition having a very low hysteresis.

A lightweight, thermal insulation and temperature-adjusting modified polymer aerogel composite material and a preparation method thereof are provided. The composite material includes a heat insulation matrix with a topological and closed-cell foaming structure; And an enhanced thermal insulation low thermal conductivity element embedded in the bubble wall of the thermal insulation matrix, i.e. the non-porous part. Due to the special foaming process, the aerogel phase change thermal insulation composite material has a tiny closed-cell structure similar to that of aerogel materials, and aerogel particles and phase change microcapsules are added, so that the internal cell structure and porosity are further improved, and the aerogel phase change thermal insulation composite material has a certain phase change temperature regulation function and excellent thermal insulation performance.

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a polymer composition that includes at least one polymer and an aversive additive dispersed in the at least one polymer. The aversive additive is made of a zeolite material and an aversive material infused within pores of the zeolite material. In embodiments, the aversive additive is incorporated into an optical fiber cable. The optical fiber cable includes at least one optical fiber and a polymeric jacket that surrounds the at least one optical fiber. The polymeric jacket is made of a polymer matrix and the aversive additive is dispersed in the polymer matrix. Embodiments of a method of infusing an aversive material into a zeolite material to form the aversive additive are also disclosed herein.

Disclosed is a method for producing an electrolytic capacitor, the method including the steps of preparing an anode foil that includes a dielectric layer, a cathode foil, and a fiber structure; preparing a conductive polymer dispersion liquid that contains a conductive polymer component and a dispersion medium; producing a separator by applying the conductive polymer dispersion liquid to the fiber structure and then removing at least a portion of the dispersion medium; and producing a capacitor element by sequentially stacking the anode foil, the separator, and the cathode foil. The dispersion medium contains water. The fiber structure contains a synthetic fiber in an amount of 50 mass % or more. The fiber structure has a density of 0.2 g/cm.sup.3 or more and less than 0.45 g/cm.sup.3.