A fiber-reinforced composite material having at least one reinforcement layer having one or more woven mats, unwoven mats, or bundle of fibers comprising a plurality of reinforcement fibers that has a binder-resin filling at least a portion of the voids of the reinforcement fibers. In some aspects, the binder-resin adheres to the reinforcement fibers and displaces the air voids at the interface between the reinforcement fibers and the binder-resin. The binder-resin has a relatively low viscosity less than at least about 20,000 centipoise at 176° C. and low molecular weight, which allows the reinforcement layer to maintain a low flex modulus while maintaining or increasing tensile modulus. The fiber-reinforced composite material can be utilized in various articles, such as a flexible fiber reinforced hose adapted for conveying fluids under pressure having at least one polymer layer that bonds to the binder-resin of the reinforcement layer, preferably being cross-linkable or cross-linked to the polymer layer.

A multi-layer flexible hose is described comprising a multi-layered structure that has an inner, hollow tube comprising PTFE and an outer layer. The inner PTFE tube is provided so as to extend within the outer layer. The assembly further comprises another sleeve comprising steel braiding that is positioned between the inner PTFE tube and the outer layer. In addition to this, the hose further comprises a coating or layer of intumescent material that is provided between the steel braiding sleeve and the outer layer. A method for forming the hose is also described.

Described herein are embodiments of a pressure hose having an improved reinforcement layer. In some embodiments, the reinforcement layer of the pressure hose has a reinforcement volumetric ratio (RVR) of greater than or equal to 110%. The reinforcement layer can include a plurality of braided beams, with each beam comprising a plurality of ends. In some embodiments, the plurality of ends within a beam are arranged in a multi-layer orientation. In some embodiments, the number of ends and the end orientation within each beam is identical amongst all beams in the reinforcement layer. The shape, size, and arrangement of the ends within a beam can all be adjusted to increase the surface area to volume ratio and, correspondingly, the RVR of the reinforcement layer.

An arrangement includes an extruder crosshead, and an innermost rubber tube having an input portion a resident portion residing in the extruder crosshead, and an output portion. The arrangement further includes an ozone stream evolved from an ozone source, where the ozone stream is introduced into an ozone cavity of the extruder crosshead, and a continuous molten barrier forming material which is movable through a flow cavity in the extruder crosshead. A portion of the continuous molten barrier forming material which is emitted from the extruder crosshead is exposed to the ozone stream on an inner side of the portion to provide a heterogeneous surfaced barrier layer. The arrangement also includes a barrier coated rubber tube including the heterogeneous surfaced barrier layer and the output portion of the innermost rubber tube, where the heterogeneous surfaced barrier layer is disposed outward from the output portion of the innermost rubber tube.

A crosslinked rubber composition for a brake hose includes ethylene α-olefin diene rubber and carbon black. The ethylene α-olefin diene rubber contains ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) and ethylene butene diene rubber (EBDM), and the mass ratio of EPDM/EBDM is 30/70 to 80/20. The carbon black contains only specific carbon black exhibiting an iodine adsorption amount of 15 to 33 mg/g and a DBP absorption amount of 50 to 155 cm.sup.3/100 g. The crosslinked rubber composition exhibits a T10 of −50° C. or less as determined by a Gehman torsion test and a volume specific resistance of 1.5×10.sup.5 Ω.Math.cm or more.

Described herein are embodiments of a pressure hose having an improved reinforcement layer. In some embodiments, the reinforcement layer of the pressure hose has a reinforcement volumetric ratio (RVR) of greater than or equal to 110%. The reinforcement layer can include a plurality of braided beams, with each beam comprising a plurality of ends. In some embodiments, the plurality of ends within a beam are arranged in a multi-layer orientation. In some embodiments, the number of ends and the end orientation within each beam is identical amongst all beams in the reinforcement layer. The shape, size, and arrangement of the ends within a beam can all be adjusted to increase the surface area to volume ratio and, correspondingly, the RVR of the reinforcement layer.

A metal braided hose includes: an inner tube including an elastic material; a first metal wire braided layer enveloping an outer surface of the inner tube; and a second metal wire braided layer enveloping the first metal wire braided layer. A wire thickness of the second metal wire braided layer is smaller than a wire thickness of the first metal wire braided layer.

A flexible hose reinforced with at least two superimposed textile layers includes an inner load-bearing tubular layer defining a longitudinal axis and made of a first polymeric or elastomeric material, an outer cover layer made of a second polymeric or elastomeric material, and a first and a second reinforced textile layer mutually superimposed and interposed between the inner and outer layers. The first and the second textile layers are both knitted textile layers with tricot chain stitches having courses of stitches and rows of stitches, the courses of stitches being substantially parallel to each other and to the longitudinal axis, the rows of stitches having opposite inclinations with respect to the longitudinal axis. A production line and a method of manufacturing such hose.

An ultra-lightweight reinforced flexible hose for transporting fluids, in particular a flexible garden hose for transporting water, includes an inner tubular layer made of a first elastomeric or thermoplastic elastomer material; an outer cover layer made of a second elastomeric or thermoplastic elastomer material; and a reinforcement layer interposed between the inner layer and the outer layer. The reinforcement layer is made of a rigid or slightly elastic textile threads having, at least partially, a first and second predetermined inclination that are mutually opposite with respect to a longitudinal axis, each of the first and second inclinations being between 45° and 55° with respect to the longitudinal axis.

Hoses include inner tube, a reinforcement layer disposed outwardly from the inner tube, and a cover layer disposed outwardly from the reinforcement layer, and the cover layer and/or inner tube is based on a cured composition formed from a mixture containing a blend of chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) and cross-linkable oxidized high density polyethylene (oxidized HDPE), where the CPE and oxidized HDPE are blended in a CPE:oxidized HDPE weight ratio of from 10:1 to 1:1, and a peroxide curing system. The peroxide curing system used in some compositions according the disclosure include alpha-alpha-bis(t-butylperoxy)diisopropylbenzene and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate.