Curable prepregs possessing enhanced ability for the removal of gases from within prepregs and between prepreg plies in a prepreg layup prior to and/or during consolidation and curing. Each curable prepreg is a resin-impregnated, woven fabric that has been subjected to a treatment to create an array of openings in at least one major surface. Furthermore, the location of the openings is specific to the weave pattern of the fabric.

A multilayered supported elastomeric foam is disclosed, the multilayered supported elastomeric foam comprising at least two foamed regions, each said foamed regions comprising a plurality of gas filled cells defined by elastomer; and at least one reinforcement region, said at least one reinforcement region comprising a porous layer having an interconnected network of pores at least partially imbibed with the elastomer; and wherein said at least two foamed regions are separated by one or more of said at least one reinforcement region.

A method of producing a veneered element, including providing a substrate, applying a sub-layer on a surface of the substrate, applying a veneer layer on the sub-layer, and applying pressure to the veneer layer and/or the substrate, such that at least a portion of the sub-layer permeates through the veneer layer. Also, such a veneered element.

The invention relates to a carpet tile or carpet strip for the contract market, in particular office and commercial buildings, comprising a machine-woven carpet having warp and weft yarns, a needled felt, an intermediate layer between the needled felt and the machine-woven fabric, wherein a polyester synthetic latex coating is applied to the back face of the machine-woven fabric, wherein the synthetic latex coating penetrates into the fabric from the back face of the fabric to a depth of at least 30% of a perpendicular distance between the back face and the front face of the fabric. The invention also relates to a process for manufacturing a carpet tile or a carpet strip for the contract market, in particular office and commercial buildings.

Curable prepregs possessing enhanced ability for the removal of gases from within prepregs and between prepreg plies in a prepreg layup prior to and/or during consolidation and curing. Each curable prepreg is a resin-impregnated, woven fabric that has been subjected to a treatment to create an array of openings in at least one major surface. Furthermore, the location of the openings is specific to the weave pattern of the fabric.

The present invention provides a laminate material having a polyester film and a web of polyester fibers cohesively bonded directly thereto, such that portions of the fibers are bonded to the polyester film and portions of die fibers are free from the polyester film. The invention may also include a glass reinforced polymer layer formed on the laminated facer where the polymer of the glass reinforced polymer layer is commingled with the nonwoven of the laminated facer. The laminate may further include a second polymer layer having a thickness joined to the fiber layer and/or a layer of hot melt adhesive applied to the poly ester fibers. Also presented is a composite material having a polyester film, a layer of polyester fibers bonded to the second polymer layer; a second polymer layer joined to the polyester film; and a glass reinforced polymer layer formed on the laminated facer, where the polymer of the as reinforced polymer layer is commingled with the nonwoven of the laminated facer.

An apparatus includes a first composite support structure and a second composite support structure. The first and second composite support structures are in a predetermined position relative to one another. The apparatus further includes an uncured pre-preg ply, wherein: the uncured pre-preg ply overlies at least a portion of the first composite support structure; the uncured pre-preg ply overlies at least a portion of the second composite support structure; and the first and second composite support structures are each stiffer than the uncured pre-preg ply.

A building panel with a surface layer including a wood veneer, a wood fibre based core and a sub-layer between the surface layer and the core. The sub-layer includes wood fibres and a binder. The surface layer has surface portions including material from the sub-layer. The surface portions including material from the sub-layer extend into the wood veneer.

The invention relates to a process for producing a coating film, optionally in the form of sheets or slabs, especially for the coating of a carrier layer (3), optionally textile materials and/or peelable polyurethane foams and/or a textile carrier layer (3), wherein the coating film (100) has an optionally multilayer upper layer (1) and a bonding layer (2) bonded thereto and optionally having multiple layers (2, 2) for bonding to the carrier layer (3).

It is envisaged in accordance with the invention that the bonding layer (2) creates an uncrosslinked, polyurethane layer having thermoplastic properties and having a thickness between 0.080 and 0.500 mm, preferably between 0.200 and 0.500, especially between 0.120 and 0.180 mm, and is bonded to the upper layer (1), and the upper layer (1) is a polyurethane layer which has a one-layer or preferably two-layer structure with an outer layer (1) and inner layer (1) and does not have thermoplastic properties, or a non-thermoplastic polyurethane layer which is amorphous or has a predominantly amorphous structure, said polyurethane layer being thinner than the bonding layer (2).

A building panel with a surface layer (1) including a wood veneer, a wood fibre based core (2) and a sub-layer (3) between the surface layer (1) and the core (2). The sub-layer (3) includes wood fibres (4) and a binder (5). The surface layer (1) has surface portions (6) including material from the sub-layer (3). The surface portions (6) including material from the sub-layer (3) extend into the wood veneer.