There is described a process for depositing carbon on a surface, comprising, while contacting a mixture of CO.sub.2 and Br.sub.2 with a polar substrate presenting apposed surfaces, exposing a sufficient area of said mixture in the region of said apposed surfaces to light of sufficient intensity and frequency to result in deposition of carbon on at least some of said apposed surfaces. Other embodiments are also described.

An enhanced prepreg for printed circuit board (PCB) laminates includes a substrate and a resin applied to the substrate. The resin includes a curable polymer and a polymerization initiator polymer having a backbone with a free radical initiator forming segment that breaks apart upon being subjected to heat to generate a plurality of non-volatile initiating species. This resin composition eliminates possible volatile loss of the free radical initiator during all processing steps in the preparation of PCB laminates. The resin may additionally include a cross-linking agent, flame retardant and viscosity modifiers. In one embodiment, a sheet of woven glass fibers is impregnated with the resin and subsequently dried or cured. The glass cloth substrate may include a silane coupling agent to couple the resin to the substrate. In another embodiment, resin coated copper (RCC) is prepared by applying the resin to copper and subsequently curing the resin.

Provided is a prepreg composed of a fibrous substrate impregnated with a reactive or highly reactive polymer composition as a matrix material. The reactive or highly reactive polymer composition contains a (meth)acrylate-based resin comprising at least one of a hydroxyl group, an amine group, a thiol group, an initiator and/or accelerator, and a di- or polyisocyanate which has been internally capped, capped with a capping agent, or a combination thereof. The (meth)acrylate-based resin contains from 20% by weight to 70% by weight of at least one (meth)acrylate monomer and from 1% by weight to 50% by weight of at least one prepolymer.

The invention relates to a new binder composition which is particularly suitable for the manufacture of composite materials utilizing such new binder composition in the required nonwoven materials. Composite materials using such new binder composition in their nonwoven part are suitable, in particular, for composites materials for interior construction, for linings, floor coverings, and for the manufacture of furniture and similar products.

A glass mat includes an assembly of glass fibers, a binder composition and an asphaltic coating. The binder composition includes an organic resin and an adhesion promoter. The glass mat has an at least 2% increase in tear strength as measured using the methods specified in ASTM D3462, compared to an asphaltic coated glass mat having a binder composition without the adhesion promoter. Further provided is an asphalt roofing product including the glass mat and a method of increasing tear strength in an asphalt roofing product.

A curable formaldehyde-free binding composition for use with fiberglass is provided. Such curable composition comprises an aldehyde or ketone and an amine salt of an inorganic acid. The composition when applied to fiberglass is cured to form a water-insoluble binder which exhibits good adhesion to glass. In a preferred embodiment the composition when applied to fiberglass provides a sufficient blackness required in facer products.

According to one embodiment, a system for manufacturing a fully impregnated thermoplastic prepreg includes a mechanism for moving a fabric or mat and a drying mechanism that removes residual moisture from at least one surface of the fabric or mat. The system also includes a resin application mechanism that applies a reactive resin to the fabric or mat and a press mechanism that presses the coated fabric or mat to ensure that the resin fully saturates the fabric or mat. The system further includes a curing oven through which the coated fabric or mat is moved to polymerize the resin and thereby form a thermoplastic polymer so that upon exiting the oven, the fabric or mat is fully impregnated with the thermoplastic polymer. During at least a portion of the process, humidity in the vicinity of the coated fabric or mat is maintained at substantially zero.

A glass mat includes an assembly of glass fibers, a binder composition and an asphaltic coating. The binder composition includes an organic resin and an adhesion promoter. The glass mat has an at least 2% increase in tear strength as measured using the methods specified in ASTM D3462, compared to an asphaltic coated glass mat having a binder composition without the adhesion promoter. Further provided is an asphalt roofing product including the glass mat and a method of increasing tear strength in an asphalt roofing product.

A method of forming an asphalt mixture can include mixing a bio-source material and a bitumen source to form a bitumen mixture. The bitumen mixture can be mixed with a catalyst to form the asphalt mixture. Particles can be added to the asphalt mixture to form a roofing-grade asphalt mixture. In an embodiment, the bitumen source material can have a softening point of at least approximately 93 C. and a penetration distance no greater than approximately 25 dmm. In another embodiment, the roofing-grade asphalt mixture can have a softening point of at least approximately 104 C., a penetration distance no greater than approximately 12 dmm, a viscosity of at least approximately 3000 cps at a temperature of 204 C., or any combination thereof. The asphalt mixture can be applied to a base material to form a roofing product. The asphalt mixture can be applied as a pavement product.

A curable formaldehyde-free binding composition for use with fiberglass is provided. Such curable composition comprises an aldehyde or ketone and an amine salt of an inorganic acid. The composition when applied to fiberglass is cured to form a water-insoluble binder which exhibits good adhesion to glass. In a preferred embodiment the composition when applied to fiberglass provides a sufficient blackness required in facer products.