A laminated porous film includes a porous base material layer containing polyolefin as a main component; a filler layer containing inorganic particles as a main component; and a resin layer containing resin particles as a main component, the resin particles showing an endothermic curve satisfying conditions (1) and (2) below, the endothermic curve being obtained by differential scanning calorimetry. Condition (1): a temperature at which DDSC is not less than 0.10 mW/min/mg is not less than 70 C. Condition (2): endothermic amount calculated from an area of the endothermic curve in a range of not less than 50 C. and not more than 70 C. is not less than 20.0 J/g.

A method for manufacturing a composite material is provided, including following steps of: (1) providing a thermoplastic prepreg which includes a first fibrous layer pre-impregnated with thermoplastic resin, wherein the first fibrous layer includes at least one layer which has a thickness smaller than or equal to 0.1 min, and at least a portion of the at least one layer includes fibers of parallel; (2) providing a thermosetting prepreg which includes a second fibrous layer pre-impregnated with unsolidified thermosetting resin; (3) combining the thermoplastic prepreg with the thermosetting prepreg by thermoforming to form a non-smooth bonding interface therebetween; (4) cooling the thermoplastic prepreg and the thermosetting prepreg which are combined in the step (3) to form the composite material.

Composite components and methods for forming composite components are provided. For example, a composite component of a gas turbine engine comprises a composite material, a plurality of piezoelectric fibers, and an anti-icing mechanism. The anti-icing mechanism is in operative communication with the piezoelectric fibers such that the anti-icing mechanism is activated by one or more electrical signals from the piezoelectric fibers. In exemplary embodiments, the composite component is a composite airfoil and the anti-icing mechanism is one or more heating elements. Methods for forming composite components may comprise forming piezoelectric plies comprising piezoelectric fibers embedded in a matrix material; forming reinforcing plies comprising reinforcing fibers embedded in the matrix material; laying up the piezoelectric and reinforcing plies to form a ply layup; and processing the ply layup to form the composite component. Methods including forming a piece of piezoelectric material that is adhered to a composite component also are provided.

In an embodiment, a multifunctional material system is provided and can include a variable-permeability layer, a desiccant containing layer, and a vapor-permeable supporting layer. The variable-permeability layer can have a vapor permeability that increases with increasing relative humidity. The desiccant containing layer can be adjacent the variable-permeability layer. The vapor-permeable supporting layer can be positioned adjacent at least one of the variable-permeability layer and the desiccant containing layer. Water moves in a first direction from the variable-permeability layer to the desiccant layer when relative humidity is greater adjacent the variable-permeability layer than the desiccant layer. Water moves a second, opposing direction, from the desiccant containing layer to the variable-permeability layer when the relative humidity is greater adjacent the desiccant containing layer than the variable-permeability layer. The rate of water motion in the first direction is greater than the second direction when the humidity gradient is reversed.

In an embodiment, a multifunctional material system is provided and can include a variable-permeability layer, a desiccant containing layer, and a vapor-permeable supporting layer. The variable-permeability layer can have a vapor permeability that increases with increasing relative humidity. The desiccant containing layer can be adjacent the variable-permeability layer. The vapor-permeable supporting layer can be positioned adjacent at least one of the variable-permeability layer and the desiccant containing layer. Water moves in a first direction from the variable-permeability layer to the desiccant layer when relative humidity is greater adjacent the variable-permeability layer than the desiccant layer. Water moves a second, opposing direction, from the desiccant containing layer to the variable-permeability layer when the relative humidity is greater adjacent the desiccant containing layer than the variable-permeability layer. The rate of water motion in the first direction is greater than the second direction when the humidity gradient is reversed.

A folded panel includes a fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) substrate with an outer layer secured to and at least partially covering one major surface thereof and a polymer matrix covering an opposite major surface thereof. In one embodiment, the FRP substrate is folded about a fold line to create opposed plies on either side of the fold line with the polymer matrix of one of the opposed plies contacting the polymer matrix of the other of the opposed plies and with the outer layer forming a folded edge at the fold line that is continuous with the outer layer covering the opposed plies, and the folded FRP substrate is then consolidated with the polymer matrix at a consolidation temperature that is between an activation temperature of the polymer matrix and a melting temperature of the outer layer.

The present invention relates tophenolic-based metamaterials and methods for preparing phenolic-based materials. The present invention also relates to composites formed from phenolic-based metamaterials. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with phenolic materials formed by heating phenolic resin mixtures.

The present disclosure provides for a reinforced elastomeric blade having a plurality of laminated layers. The laminated layers can include at least two layers of elastomeric material at least partially separated by a fiber reinforced laminate layer or an embedded metal layer.

The present disclosure provides a polymer matrix composite, and a laminate, a prepreg and a printed circuit board using the same. The polymer matrix composite includes a polymeric resin and a non-woven inorganic material having a dielectric constant of from about 1.5 to about 4.8 and a dissipation factor at 10 GHz below 0.003. The printed circuit board uses the laminate including the polymer matrix as a core layer which is sandwiched between at least two outer layers.

A moldable composite sheet having improved thermal and mechanical property characteristics. In one aspect, the composite sheet may be a porous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin comprising discontinuous mineral reinforcing fibers, and one or more skin layer materials. Generally, the composite sheet may have a void content or porosity from about 5% to about 95% by volume of the sheet, an areal weight between about 400 g/m.sup.2 to about 4000 g/m.sup.2 (gsm), a mineral fiber content from about 20% to about 80% by weight, and a thermoplastic resin content from about 20% to about 80% by weight of the composite sheet. The composite sheet can be molded via low pressure processes, such as thermoforming, match metal molding on stops, vacuum forming and pressure forming, to produce durable automotive interior trim parts and construction articles having improved thermal and mechanical properties in addition to other beneficial characteristics.