The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a preform made of reinforcement fibers woven in a longitudinal direction. The preform is impregnated with resin in order to form an elongated element having a variable transverse cross-section. In one form, the method includes the step of simultaneously including a reduction (or increase) in width and an increase (or reduction) in height. The variable cross-section includes, along the length thereof, a consistent number (c) of continuous warp threads arranged in layers. The method for reducing width includes carrying out a change in weave, adding additional weft threads, and simultaneously drawing the teeth of the longitudinal beater reed closer together so as to increase the number of layers.

A hybrid woven textile for reinforcing a polymer matrix of a composite material that includes inorganic fibers selected from glass fibers, basalt fibers, carbon fibers, ceramic fibers, quartz fibers and silica fibers, and natural organic fibers, characterized in that the inorganic fibers and the natural organic fibers are co-woven, co-braided or co-knitted with one another.

A fibrous texture has the shape of a strip extending in a longitudinal direction over a determined length between a proximal portion and a distal portion and in a lateral direction over a determined width between a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge. The fibrous texture has a three-dimensional or multi-layer weaving between a plurality of layers of warp strands extending in the longitudinal direction and a plurality of layers of weft strands extending in the lateral direction, the fibrous texture including first and second longitudinal sections extending over a width from the first or second lateral edge smaller than the determined width of the fibrous texture along the lateral direction. The first and second longitudinal sections each include warp strands and weft strands constituted by carbon fibers. The fibrous texture further includes a third section present between the first and second sections.

A composite fiber may include at least one reinforcing filament formed of a first material. A second material maybe systematically deposited in a printed onto the at least one reinforcing filament such that at least one of a length, a width, and a thickness of the second material varies across a surface of the at least one reinforcing filament. The printed pattern may alter one or more properties of a composite structure containing the composite fiber.

The present invention provides a non-woven fabric for supporting a solid electrolyte in which heat-fusible composite fibers with a crimp are contained in an amount of not less than 60 mass % and not more than 100 mass % and are heat-fused, and a solid electrolyte sheet. The non-woven fabric for supporting a solid electrolyte is excellent in process performance, is satisfactorily filled with a solid electrolyte, is suitable for achieving a thin solid electrolyte sheet, and has few hole defects. The solid electrolyte sheet is excellent in self-sustainability and flexibility.

Disclosed herein is a method of reinforcing a composite comprising determining a location of a first cooling hole in a plurality of plies; where a cooling gas is transported through the cooling hole; disposing a z-fiber in the plurality of plies at a location proximate to where the first cooling hole will be located; where the z-fiber enters the plurality of plies at either an upper surface or a lower surface; and where the z-fiber traverses a portion of the plurality of plies in the z-direction proximate to the first cooling hole; and traverses the plurality of plies in an x or y direction further away from the first cooling hole; where the z-direction is in the thickness direction of the plurality of plies and where the x and y-direction are perpendicular to the z-direction.

A method of preparing a ceramic fabric and ceramic matrix composite components constructed from the ceramic fabric include transforming ceramic tows, or ceramic fabrics, to varying degrees from a first tow geometry to a second tow geometry, thereby reducing a first dimension of the ceramic tows and increasing a second dimension of the ceramic tows orthogonal to the first dimension. Plies constructed with flattened tows, or as-received tows, have various inter-tow pore sizes that are arranged with increasing inter-tow pore size towards exterior surfaces of the preform structure.

A method of preparing a ceramic fabric for use in a ceramic matrix composite includes transforming a ceramic tow from a first tow geometry to a second tow geometry, thereby reducing a first dimension of the ceramic tow and increasing a second dimension of the ceramic tow orthogonal to the first dimension to produce a flattened tow. The method includes weaving or braiding the flattened ceramic tow to form a ceramic fabric.

Disclosed herein is a composite ply comprising fill and warp tows; or optional axial and bias tows; wherein one or more of the fill tows and/or the warp tows or wherein one or more of the optional axial and/or bias tows comprise a polymer yarn while the remaining portion of the fill tows and/or the warp tows or the remaining portion of the bias and/or optional axial tows comprise the polymer yarn; and wherein the polymer yarn is melted to bond to the fill or warp tows to prevent removal from the ply.

Preforms for open structured (lattice) composite tubular members manufactured from large (i.e. high filament count) prepreg yarns on a conventional maypole braiding machine, and subsequently cured to produce fiber reinforced composites of high strength and light weight.