A spreading apparatus for use with fibre-reinforced composite tapes, and related methods are disclosed. The spreading apparatus comprises an input side to receive an incoming tape to be spread, and an output side from which tape is delivered after spreading. The apparatus further comprises a tape heater (150, 250, 650) to in use apply heat to a tape; and a tape spreader (100, 1, 200, 600) to in use to apply contact pressure to the heated tape to thereby spread the tape.

A cast-molded article in a composite material comprising a cured polymeric binder incorporating embedded particles of filler, characterized in that the binder incorporates randomly distributed fibers of polyamide, wherein the fibers have a length of 5-20 mm and a diameter of 0.05-0.2 mm and the fibers comprise 0.02-0.5 wt % based on the overall mass of the cast-molded article.

A cast-molded article in a composite material comprising a cured polymeric binder incorporating embedded particles of filler, characterized in that the binder incorporates randomly distributed fibers of polyamide, wherein the fibers have a length of 5-20 mm and a diameter of 0.05-0.2 mm and the fibers comprise 0.02-0.5 wt % based on the overall mass of the cast-molded article.

Provided is a prepreg capable of attaining thermal expansion coefficient reduction and elastic modulus increase without increasing the filling ratio of an inorganic filler therein and/or without using a resin having a low thermal expansion coefficient, and thereby capable of reducing warpage thereof. Specifically, provided is a prepreg containing glass fibers and a thermosetting resin composition, and containing a layer of plural glass fiber filaments aligned to run nearly parallel to each other in one direction. Also provided are a production method for the prepreg, a laminate containing the prepreg and its production method, a printed circuit board containing the laminate, and a semiconductor package having a semiconductor device mounted on the printed circuit board.

Provided is a prepreg capable of attaining thermal expansion coefficient reduction and elastic modulus increase without increasing the filling ratio of an inorganic filler therein and/or without using a resin having a low thermal expansion coefficient, and thereby capable of reducing warpage thereof. Specifically, provided is a prepreg containing glass fibers and a thermosetting resin composition, and containing a layer of plural glass fiber filaments aligned to run nearly parallel to each other in one direction. Also provided are a production method for the prepreg, a laminate containing the prepreg and its production method, a printed circuit board containing the laminate, and a semiconductor package having a semiconductor device mounted on the printed circuit board.

A method for producing a carbon fiber bundle composite comprising: mixing carbon fiber fluff made of short carbon fibers and a bundling liquid containing an uncured thermosetting resin to obtain a carbon fiber bundle containing the bundling liquid; and adding a curing agent to the bundling liquid to make the bundling liquid thermosetting. A method for producing a carbon fiber composite sheet comprising: mixing carbon fiber fluff made of short carbon fibers and a bundling liquid containing an uncured thermosetting resin to obtain a carbon fiber bundle containing the bundling liquid; making the bundling liquid thermosetting by adding a curing agent; and bonding a plurality of the carbon fiber bundles to each other after adding the curing agent to the bundling liquid.

Composite reinforcer (R-2) that is self-adhesive, by curing, to a diene rubber matrix, which can be used as reinforcing element for a pneumatic tire, comprising: one or more reinforcing thread(s) (20), for example a carbon steel cord; a first layer (21) of a thermoplastic polymer, the glass transition temperature of which is positive, for example a polyamide, covering said thread, individually each thread or collectively several threads; a second layer (22) of a composition comprising a poly(p-phenylene ether) (PPE) and a functionalized diene elastomer bearing functional groups selected from epoxide, carboxyl, acid anhydride and acid ester groups, in particular an epoxidized SBR, covering the first layer (21). Process for manufacturing such a composite reinforcer and rubber article or semi-finished product, especially a pneumatic tire, incorporating such a composite reinforcer.

Composite reinforcer (R-2) that is self-adhesive, by curing, to a diene rubber matrix, which can be used as reinforcing element for a pneumatic tire, comprising: one or more reinforcing thread(s) (20), for example a carbon steel cord; a first layer (21) of a thermoplastic polymer, the glass transition temperature of which is positive, for example a polyamide, covering said thread, individually each thread or collectively several threads; a second layer (22) of a composition comprising a poly(p-phenylene ether) (PPE) and a functionalized diene elastomer bearing functional groups selected from epoxide, carboxyl, acid anhydride and acid ester groups, in particular an epoxidized SBR, covering the first layer (21). Process for manufacturing such a composite reinforcer and rubber article or semi-finished product, especially a pneumatic tire, incorporating such a composite reinforcer.

A manufacturing apparatus of a carbon fiber sheet molding compound. The manufacturing apparatus includes a chopper which is disposed above a moving path of a carrier film; a bundle loosener which is used for loosening a continuous carbon fiber bundle drawn out from a package and fed to the chopper; and a dispersing roll which is rotationally driven to disperse chopped carbon fiber bundles generated by cutting the continuous carbon fiber bundle with the chopper. The bundle loosener has a gear pair of two gears meshing with each other, where each of the gears may be a spur gear. A method of manufacturing a carbon fiber sheet molding compound which involves using the manufacturing apparatus.

Provided is a metal-glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin composite material that can have excellent bonding force and heat cycle resistance between a metal material and a glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin material. The metal-glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin composite material of the present invention is a metal-glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin composite material including a metal material and a glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin material located on at least one surface of the metal material, wherein glass fiber included in the glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin material having a Vickers hardness H in the range of 700 to 800 HV0.2 and an elastic modulus M in the range of 70.0 to 110.0 GPa, and the Vickers hardness H and the elastic modulus M satisfy the following formula (1):
849.5M.sup.3/H940.5(1).