The invention relates to an elastic composite structure, which is intended for use as a flexible, pliable and thin film structure in the manufacture of a 2- or 3-dimensional product, particularly for providing mechanical protection against cutting, puncturing and/or the like. The composite structure comprises firstly an elastomer system (1), which is constituted by at least one PUR- (polyurethane resin), PUD- (polyurethane dispersion), SI- (silicone) based elastomer material and/or the like, and secondly by a mechanically durable reinforcer system (2), such as a fabric, weave or knit structure (2a) made from one or more flexible hybrid yarns, an oriented flake reinforcement structure (2c) made from laminated flakes (y), and/or the like. The invention relates also to an elastic composite structure, which is intended for the above application and which comprises a reinforcement system (2) for reinforcing the same mechanically against cutting, puncturing and/or the like. In this respect, the composite structure's reinforcement system (2) is manufactured as a flake reinforcement composition, consisting of hard organic and/or inorganic components (y) and comprising at least one co-laminated hard polymer layer and an elastomer matrix (2; 2b) applied integrally in contact therewith.

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a metal foil laminate which may be used for example to produce an antenna for a radio frequency (RFID) tag, electronic circuit, photovoltaic module or the like. A web of material is provided to at least one cutting station in which a first pattern is generated in the web of material. A further cutting may occur to create additional modifications in order to provide additional features for the intended end use of the product. The cutting may be performed by a laser either alone or in combinations with other cutting technologies.

A photovoltaic module includes a plurality of ribbons; and a composite panel comprising a core layer and a skin layer supported by a surface of the core layer, where the core layer includes a core material and the skin layer is formed of a matrix material and a plurality of parallel fibers aligned with the ribbons and disposed in the matrix material. A method of making a photovoltaic module includes applying a pair of skin layers to a core layer, each skin layer including a skin material and a plurality of parallel fibers disposed in the skin material to make a composite sandwich panel; and layering a component including ribbons between the composite sandwich panel and a thin, transparent front sheet; wherein the parallel fibers are aligned with the ribbons; where the composite sandwich panel has a coefficient of thermal expansion matching the coefficient of thermal expansion of the component.

A carpet tile having a greige good, an adhesive layer, and a secondary backing material. The greige good has a primary backing component and a plurality of fibers attached to the primary backing component. The adhesive layer has an adhesive composition and a reinforcement material that is at least partially embedded within the adhesive composition. The adhesive layer is applied to a back surface of the primary backing component. The secondary backing material is adhered to the primary backing component by contact with a portion of the adhesive composition that flows through the reinforcement material. The reinforcement material and the secondary backing material are co-laminated onto the adhesive composition.

A continuous process for preparing insulation panels having thick (0.2 mm to 1 mm) metal facing panels and a fiber-reinforced polymer foam core is disclosed. In the process, a bottom metal facing panel is continuously supplied. A mat of reinforcing fibers and a foamable resin composition are applied to the bottom facing panel. A flexible barrier layer is applied atop the foamable resin composition, and the assembly is passed through nip rolls to compress the assembly and force the resin composition into the fiber mat. An adhesive layer and top metallic facing layer are then applied on top of the flexible barrier layer, and the resulting assembly is gauged and cured by passing it through a double band laminator.

A method for manufacturing panels with at least a substrate and a top layer. The method having the steps of providing a granulate having thermoplastic material and having an average particle size of less than 1 millimeter, forming a substrate layer by strewing the granulate, consolidating the layer between the belts of a continuous press device, and providing the top layer on the substrate.

A composite panel configured for use with a flooring assembly of a trailer comprises a wood substrate and a fiber-reinforced coating coupled to a side of the wood substrate, the fiber-reinforced coating comprising a base material with a plurality of reinforcing fibers, wherein the fiber-reinforced coating is coupled to the wood substrate without the use of adhesive.

Panel for forming a floor covering, wherein this panel comprises at least a layer of thermoplastic material, wherein said layer also comprises at least individual fibers having a length greater than 1 millimeter.

An airfoil includes an airfoil wall formed of a fiber-reinforced composite material that has a layup structure that includes groups of unidirectional fiber tows. The groups are oriented at angles (theta) relative to a reference orientation. The unidirectional fiber tows cross-over each other according to a sequence N.sub.1, N.sub.2, N.sub.3, . . . N.sub.i, wherein N is a whole number that indicates which numerical group the unidirectional fiber tows are in and i is a whole number that indicates a sequential layup order of the unidirectional fiber tows. Each of the unidirectional fiber tows in the sequence starting at N.sub.2 crosses-over the unidirectional fiber tows of the other groups that have a lower value of i in the sequence.

Disclosed is a laminate including a first metal sheet and an adhesive layer bonded to the first metal sheet, in which the following relationship applies: 1(E.sub.metal*t.sub.metal)/(E.sub.adh*t.sub.adh)15 (1), where E.sub.metal=tensile Young's modulus of the first metal sheet, t.sub.metal=thickness of the first metal sheet, E.sub.adh=tensile Young's modulus of the adhesive layer, and t=thickness of the adhesive layer. The adhesive layer may include reinforcing fibers. The laminate may be used for providing a fatigue resistant structure, such as an aerospace structure, and shows a high crack growth resistance, in particular near edges of the structure.