A system and process for bonding involves a pocket made into one article is used to secure that article to another using a flowable, curable material (e.g., resin) which during saturation enters through a passageway and at least partially fills the void. When the article is cured, the article is bonded to another article to which resin has also been applied since the void (now containing cured material) is larger than the passageway.

A system and process for bonding involves a pocket made into one article is used to secure that article to another using a flowable, curable material (e.g., resin) which during saturation enters through a passageway and at least partially fills the void. When the article is cured, the article is bonded to another article to which resin has also been applied since the void (now containing cured material) is larger than the passageway.

A polymer composite composition for use in high temperature applications such as furnaces, heat shields and aeronautical jet and rocket motors. In a particular application, the disclosed composition is applied to the manufacture of rocket motor cases, or parts thereof, to provide rigid thermal protection (RTP). The polymer composite composition comprises cyanate ester resin, fine lengths of carbon fibre and refractory filler material.

A composition comprises a cyanoacrylate polymer and a protected amine. A method comprises: providing a shaped model comprising a cyanoacrylate polymer; preparing an investment having a cavity that corresponds to the shaped model; and heating the shaped model to sufficient temperature that the cyanoacrylate polymer depolymerizes and volatilizes. A hardenable material may be cast in the investment to provide a replica of the shaped model. A curable composition comprises: a cyanoacrylate monomer; a free-radical photoinitiator; and a protected amine, wherein the curable composition is free of compounds that initiate anionic polymerization of the cyanoacrylate monomer at ambient temperature. A method of curing the curable composition is also disclosed.

A ultrasonic welding method of joining dissimilar-material workpieces, such as sheet materials, and the joined components formed thereby. The method includes applying ultrasonic energy to a thermoplastic piece to fill a hole of a dissimilar piece to form a weld point that is made up with polymer from the thermoplastic piece. In general, the geometry of the thermoplastic piece is not altered during the process. The dissimilar piece generally has a higher melting temperate and can be metal, thermoset polymers, or other thermoplastic material. The welded pieces can be arranged in a lap, laminate, or double lap configuration. In some embodiments, the hole of the dissimilar sheet material includes undercut features that improve the mechanical interlock between the dissimilar pieces. In some embodiments, the weld point has a mushroom cap to improve mechanical interlock.

A ultrasonic welding method of joining dissimilar-material workpieces, such as sheet materials, and the joined components formed thereby. The method includes applying ultrasonic energy to a thermoplastic piece to fill a hole of a dissimilar piece to form a weld point that is made up with polymer from the thermoplastic piece. In general, the geometry of the thermoplastic piece is not altered during the process. The dissimilar piece generally has a higher melting temperate and can be metal, thermoset polymers, or other thermoplastic material. The welded pieces can be arranged in a lap, laminate, or double lap configuration. In some embodiments, the hole of the dissimilar sheet material includes undercut features that improve the mechanical interlock between the dissimilar pieces. In some embodiments, the weld point has a mushroom cap to improve mechanical interlock.

A Z-pin for increasing a delamination resistance of continuous fibre-reinforced polymer composites, formed of a composite material including a polymer matrix, and a plurality of fibres embedded in the polymer matrix and aligned along the length direction of Z-pin, the fibres having an elongation at break of at least 2% and a tensile strength of at least 5 GPa, the polymer matrix having an elongation at break equal to or greater than the elongation at break of the fibres, and a tensile strength of at least 120 MPa.

A Z-pin for increasing a delamination resistance of continuous fibre-reinforced polymer composites, formed of a composite material including a polymer matrix, and a plurality of fibres embedded in the polymer matrix and aligned along the length direction of Z-pin, the fibres having an elongation at break of at least 2% and a tensile strength of at least 5 GPa, the polymer matrix having an elongation at break equal to or greater than the elongation at break of the fibres, and a tensile strength of at least 120 MPa.

The invention provides a method for preparing a fiber-reinforced part based on cyanate ester or a cyanate ester/epoxy blend, comprising the steps of (i) providing a liquid mixture comprising (a) from 15 to 99.9 wt. % of at least one di- or polyfunctional cyanate ester, (b) from 0 to 84.9 wt. % of at least one di- or polyfunctional epoxy resin, and (c) from 0.1 to 25 wt. % of a metal-free catalyst; (ii) providing a fiber structure (iii) placing said fiber structure in a mold or in a substrate, (iv) impregnating said fiber structure with said liquid mixture, (v) curing said liquid mixture by applying a temperature of 30 to 300° C. Using the method of the invention it is possible to produce in a short cycle time, using composite manufacturing processes such as resin transfer molding and infusing technology, fiber reinforced composite parts based on a cyanate ester or cyanate ester/epoxy resin formulation. The fiber-reinforced parts obtainable by the above method are also an object of the invention.

A method for manufacturing of a part made of composite material including pre-compacting to a predetermined shape of a mixture of a first thermosetting resin with discontinuous long fibers so as to form a first preform, pre-curing the first preform until an intermediate conversion stage corresponding to a solidification of said first resin, contacting the first preform with a second preform including a fiber structure of continuous fibers impregnated with a second thermosetting resin, polymerizing the first and second preforms so as to form a part made of composite material including a body made of composite material including reinforcement made of continuous fibers consolidated by an organic matrix provided with a portion made of composite material including reinforcement made of discontinuous long fibers consolidated by an organic matrix.