The present invention relates to polyethylene material that has a plurality of unidirectionally oriented polyethylene monolayers cross-plied and compressed at an angle to one another, each polyethylene monolayer composed of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene and essentially devoid of resins. The present invention further relates to ballistic resistant articles that include or incorporate the inventive polyethylene material and to methods of preparing the material and articles incorporating same.

In various embodiments, a compensator can be attachable to an anvil of a fastening instrument. The compensator can comprise a support layer configured to be attached to the anvil and a scaffold attached to the support layer. In at least one embodiment, the scaffold can comprise a plurality of scaffold layers comprised of a biocompatible material and a plurality of cavities, wherein the layers and the cavities can define a matrix favorable to tissue and cellular ingrowth.

Variously configured sub-laminate modules are provided, which comprise at least a first ply and a second ply, the first ply comprising fibers extending in a first orientation, the second ply comprising fibers extending in a second orientation. The second orientation is offset relative to the first orientation, which offset defines an acute angle between the two orientations. The acute angle is less than 90 degrees and in at least one embodiment, the acute angle is approximately 25. In certain embodiments, the acute angle further defines an unbalanced structure of the sub-laminate module. In certain embodiments, the first and second plies may be further secured relative to one another in a non-crimped configuration. Composite laminated structures formed from various embodiments of the sub-laminate modules are also provided, at least some of which may be homogenized. Various methods of manufacturing the sub-laminate modules and the composite laminated structures are also provided.

Embossed multi-ply fibrous structures that exhibit a Geometric Mean Elongation of greater than 15.8% as measured according to the Elongation Test Method are provided.

Fabrication of ballistic resistant fibrous composites having improved ballistic resistance properties. More particularly, ballistic resistant fibrous composites having high interlaminar lap shear strength between component fiber plies or fiber layers, which correlates to low composite backface signature. The high lap shear strength, low backface signature composites are useful for the production of hard armor articles, including helmet armor.

A plate-shaped carbon fiber-reinforced carbon composite has a longitudinal length-to-widthwise length ratio of more than 1. The carbon fiber-reinforced carbon composite is such that at least two layers that are a first carbon fiber-reinforced carbon composite layer in which carbon fibers are placed in the carbonaceous matrix and are oriented in the longitudinal direction and a second carbon fiber-reinforced carbon composite layer different in the arrangement of the carbon fibers from the first carbon fiber-reinforced carbon composite layer are stacked, the first carbon fiber-reinforced carbon composite layer forms an outermost layer of at least one plate surface, the thickness thereof is 70% or more of the thickness of the carbon fiber-reinforced carbon composite, and the longitudinal bending elastic modulus is 150 GPa or more. The first carbon fiber-reinforced carbon composite layer in which the carbon fibers are aligned in the longitudinal direction is placed only on an outermost layer of one or both of plate surfaces and another site is a carbon fiber-reinforced carbon composite layer different in the arrangement of the carbon fibers from the first carbon fiber-reinforced carbon composite layer; hence, the longitudinal bending elastic modulus is significantly increased and warping, peeling, or cracking during usage and interlayer delamination due to gases produced during manufacture are suppressed.

Multi-ply fibrous structures that exhibit a Geometric Mean Modulus (GM Modulus) of less than 1700 g/cm at 15 g/cm as measured according to the Modulus Test Method described herein and a Geometric Mean Elongation (GM Elongation or GM Elong) of less than 11.7% measured according to the Elongation Test Method described herein are provided.

A composite structure is provided. The structure includes at least one ply of preimpregnated material formed into a curved elongated member of continuous fibers onto a mandrel. The fibers have a select orientation. The curved elongated member has a length and a cross-sectional geometry that varies along the length.

Apparatuses for forming a composite structure are configured to provide a tension at least partially along at least one ply of material as the at least one ply of material is supplied from a material feed assembly to a tool.

Fibrous structures that exhibit a Geometric Mean Elongation of greater than 14.85% as measured according to the Elongation Test Method are provided.