This invention relates to the use of composite reinforcements advantageously comprising a thermosetting matrix and a filler in particular in the reinforcing of thermoplastic material or of thermosetting resin, in order to obtain a reinforced structure such as a bathtub, a washbasin, a wall panel or a shower tray.

This invention relates more particularly to a method for preparing a reinforced structure using composite reinforcements, as well as the structure able to be obtained by such a method.

A process for forming a moldable, uncured nonwoven composite containing forming a structural nonwoven layer, at least partially impregnating the structural nonwoven layer with an uncured, water-based thermosetting resin having a cure temperature of at least about 160° C., and at least partially drying the uncured, wet nonwoven composite such that the temperature at the inner plane is less than about 130° C. forming an moldable, uncured composite. The structural nonwoven layer contains a plurality of bi-component binder fibers and a plurality of reinforcing fibers, the bi-component fibers containing a core and a sheath. The core contains a polymer having a melting temperature of at least about 180° C. and the sheath contains a polymer having a melting temperature less than about 180 ° C. A process for forming a molded, cured composite containing forming a structural nonwoven layer and a molded cured nonwoven composite are also disclosed.

A thermal insulated composite wall panel for use in insulated trailers, containers and insulated compartments, including a first liner panel, a second liner panel having a layer of fibers and at least one structural polymer resin layer disposed coplanar to and bonded with the layer of fibers, thereby forming a laminate liner panel, and an insulated core layer disposed intermediate to and bonded with the first and the second liner panels. The layer of fibers is adjacent the insulated core layer and is lofted prior to being bonded to the insulated core layer.

Described herein are resilient floor coverings produced by using digitally printed UV-cured inks and exhibiting high adhesion properties between an ink layer and a wear layer. Also described herein are methods for manufacturing same. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.

Described are dissolvable, porous solid structures formed using certain vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol copolymers. The copolymer and the porosity of the structure allow for liquid flow during use such that the structure readily dissolves to provide a desired consumer experience. Also described are processes for making open cell foam and fibrous dissolvable solid structures.

A core sheet includes a primary textured surface and separate secondary cuspations or corrugations. The core sheets are configured for use within a fluid or wastewater treatment unit that typically includes one or more fabric layers. The primary textured surface enhances retention of wastewater fluid received by the unit, which over time causes an increase in build-up of biomatter on the surface, which in turn enhances the efficacy of treatment of the wastewater. An inline process of making the core sheet includes extrusion forming a smooth flat sheet from raw polymeric material and immediately feeding the smooth flat sheet through texturizing rollers, followed by rolling flat textured sheets. Cuspations are added to the flat textured sheets, optionally at a different site, and then cut to preferred dimensions for incorporation into a wastewater unit.

A method for manufacturing a reinforcing fiber base material includes a placement step of placing a sheet-shaped reinforcing fiber material piece, in which reinforcing fibers are arranged so as to extend in one direction and bound together with a thermoplastic resin, on a table so that the orientation direction of the reinforcing fibers is at an angle with respect to a longitudinal direction of the reinforcing fiber base material, and a welding step in which, in a state in which a previously placed reinforcing fiber material piece and the reinforcing fiber material piece placed subsequent thereto are abutted against each other in the longitudinal direction, adjoining edges of the two reinforcing fiber material pieces are welded together to form a continuous sheet shape.

A method for producing a composite part. The method includes the following steps: stacking a first mat, a spacer and a second mat in a heatable mold; at least one of the mats including a continuous web of fibers impregnated with a thermosetting resin; and compressing and heating of the stack by the heatable mold, in order to polymerize the thermosetting resin. The stacking step includes the deposition, in a heatable mold, of a first and a second filtration layer, in contact respectively with the first and second mats, on the opposite side from the spacer. The filtration layers are porous to steam and relatively less porous to the thermosetting resin. During the compression and heating step steam is evacuated from the mold.

A hybrid reinforcement material (18) is disclosed that includes a plurality of reinforcement fibers (12) and a plurality of carbon fibers (14) comingled with the reinforcement fibers (12). The reinforcement fibers (12) are selected from natural fibers, organic fibers, and inorganic fibers and form a single hybrid assembled roving with the carbon fibers (14). The carbon fibers (14) are post-coated with a compatibilizer. The hybrid assembled roving (18) may be formed using a hybrid of glass and carbon fibers.

A thermal conducting sheet having a high adhesion between layers even if the thermal conducting sheet has a multilayer structure is provided. The thermal conducting sheet including a low-hardness layer and a reinforcing layer laminated on one side or both sides of the low-hardness layer. The reinforcing layer having a hardness greater than a hardness of the low-hardness layer. The low-hardness layer comprises: acrylic polymer, silicon carbide, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, and plasticizer.