Provided is a rotor blade that may include a first layer having first plurality of fibers oriented at first angle of about 20 to 30 degrees relative to a long axis of the rotor blade, a second plurality of fibers oriented at a second angle of about 60 to 75 degrees relative to the first plurality of fibers, and a third plurality of fibers oriented at a third angle of about 60 to about 75 degrees relative to the second plurality of fibers.

Processes for making high-performance polyethylene multi-filament yarn are disclosed which include the steps of a) making a solution of ultra-high molar mass polyethylene in a solvent; b) spinning of the solution through a spinplate containing at least 5 spinholes into an air-gap to form fluid filaments, while applying a draw ratio DR.sub.fluid; c) cooling the fluid filaments to form solvent-containing gel filaments; d) removing at least partly the solvent from the filaments; and e) drawing the filaments in at least one step before, during and/or after said solvent removing, while applying a draw ratio DR.sub.solid of at least 4, wherein in step b) each spinhole comprises a contraction zone of specific dimension and a downstream zone of diameter Dn and length Dn with Ln/Dn of from 0 to at most 25, to result in a draw ratio DR.sub.fluid=DR.sub.sp*DR.sub.ag of at least 150, wherein DR.sub.sp is the draw ratio in the spinholes and DR.sub.ag is the draw ratio in the air-gap, with DR.sub.sp being greater than 1 and DR.sub.ag at least 1. High-performance polyethylene multifilament yarn, and semi-finished or end-use products containing said yarn, especially to ropes and ballistic-resistant composites, are also disclosed.

Processes for making high-performance polyethylene multi-filament yarn are disclosed which include the steps of a) making a solution of ultra-high molar mass polyethylene in a solvent; b) spinning of the solution through a spinplate containing at least 5 spinholes into an air-gap to form fluid filaments, while applying a draw ratio DR.sub.fluid; c) cooling the fluid filaments to form solvent-containing gel filaments; d) removing at least partly the solvent from the filaments; and e) drawing the filaments in at least one step before, during and/or after said solvent removing, while applying a draw ratio DR.sub.solid of at least 4, wherein in step b) each spinhole comprises a contraction zone of specific dimension and a downstream zone of diameter Dn and length Dn with Ln/Dn of from 0 to at most 25, to result in a draw ratio DR.sub.fluid=DR.sub.sp*DR.sub.ag of at least 150, wherein DR.sub.sp is the draw ratio in the spinholes and DR.sub.ag is the draw ratio in the air-gap, with DR.sub.sp being greater than 1 and DR.sub.ag at least 1. High-performance polyethylene multifilament yarn, and semi-finished or end-use products containing said yarn, especially to ropes and ballistic-resistant composites, are also disclosed.

Processes for making high-performance polyethylene multi-filament yarn are disclosed which include the steps of a) making a solution of ultra-high molar mass polyethylene in a solvent; b) spinning of the solution through a spinplate containing at least 5 spinholes into an air-gap to form fluid filaments, while applying a draw ratio DR.sub.fluid; c) cooling the fluid filaments to form solvent-containing gel filaments; d) removing at least partly the solvent from the filaments; and e) drawing the filaments in at least one step before, during and/or after said solvent removing, while applying a draw ratio DR.sub.solid of at least 4, wherein in step b) each spinhole comprises a contraction zone of specific dimension and a downstream zone of diameter Dn and length Dn with Ln/Dn of from 0 to at most 25, to result in a draw ratio DR.sub.fluid=DR.sub.sp*DR.sub.ag of at least 150, wherein DR.sub.sp is the draw ratio in the spinholes and DR.sub.ag is the draw ratio in the air-gap, with DR.sub.sp being greater than 1 and DR.sub.ag at least 1. High-performance polyethylene multifilament yarn, and semi-finished or end-use products containing said yarn, especially to ropes and ballistic-resistant composites, are also disclosed.

A novel ceramic matrix composite is disclosed for forming components that are operable in high temperature environments such those in gas turbine engines and the like. The ceramic matrix composite can include at least one layer of non-crimped fibers positioned substantially parallel to one another. A relatively small diameter elastic fiber can be constructed to stitch the non-crimped fibers together and a ceramic matrix may be deposited around the at least one layer of non-crimped fibers.

A high-quality multilayer thermoplastic-resin-reinforced sheet material having excellent mechanical properties and drapeability in which a thermoplastic resin excellent in recycling efficiency and shock resistance is used as a matrix. A thermoplastic-resin multilayer reinforced molding formed of the multilayer thermoplastic-resin-reinforced sheet material, in which the high quality and the mechanical properties are maintained. The multilayer thermoplastic-resin-reinforced sheet material (11) is formed by stacking thermoplastic-resin-reinforced sheet materials (21A) to (21D) each formed of a reinforcing-fiber sheet material (31), consisting of a plurality of reinforcing fibers (31f) arranged in a predetermined direction in a sheet-like structure, and a thermoplastic-resin sheet material (41) joined to a surface of the reinforcing-fiber sheet material (31), and stitching them together with an integration thermoplastic-resin fiber tow (51) composed of the same material as the thermoplastic-resin sheet material (41). The reinforcing-fiber sheet materials (31) are stacked such that their reinforcing directions are multiaxial.

Fibrous structures that exhibit a Tensile Ratio of less than 1.75 and/or less than 1.49 as measured according to the Tensile Strength Test Method described herein and a Geometric Mean Modulus (GM Modulus) of less than 1402.4 g/cm at 15 g/cm and/or a Machine Direction Modulus (MD Modulus) of less than 1253.4 g/cm at 15 g/cm and/or a Cross Machine Direction Modulus (CD Modulus) of less than 1569.2 g/cm at 15 g/cm, are provided.

The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a multilayer material sheet comprising unidirectional high performance fibers, the process comprising the steps of positioning the fibers in a parallel fashion, consolidation of the fibers to obtain a monolayer, stacking at least two monolayers such that the fiber direction in one monolayer is at an angle to the direction of the fibers in an adjacent monolayer and fixation whereby the stack of at least two monolayers is subjected to a pressure and temperature treatment for a duration of a least 2 seconds, followed by cooling the stack under pressure to a temperature of 120 C. or lower. The invention furthermore relates to the multilayer material sheet obtainable with the process according to the invention. This multilayer material sheet has a reduced uptake of liquids.

Fibrous structures that exhibit a Tensile Ratio of less than 1.75 and/or less than 1.49 as measured according to the Tensile Strength Test Method described herein and a Geometric Mean Modulus (GM Modulus) of less than 1402.4 g/cm at 15 g/cm and/or a Machine Direction Modulus (MD Modulus) of less than 1253.4 g/cm at 15 g/cm and/or a Cross Machine Direction Modulus (CD Modulus) of less than 1569.2 g/cm at 15 g/cm, are provided.

Embossed fibrous structures that exhibit a Dry Burst of greater than 270 g as measured according to the Dry Burst Test Method and more particularly to embossed fibrous structures that exhibit a Dry Burst of greater than 270 g as measured according to the Dry Burst Test Method and a Total Dry Tensile of less than 2375 g/76.2 mm and/or a Geometric Mean Total Dry Tensile of less than 1130 g/76.2 mm as measured according to the Tensile Strength Test Method are provided.