Composite materials are provided which may include one or more sheets of carbon fibers woven in orthogonal direction bundles; carbon nanotubes embedded within pores between the bundles; and a matrix material in which the one or more sheets and the carbon nanotubes are embedded. In one case, the carbon fibers lie substantially in an x-direction and a y-direction and the carbon nanotubes are oriented substantially in a z-direction, which is substantially perpendicular to the x- and y-directions. Methods for making the composite materials are also provided.

A method and apparatus for holding a panel. A rigid frame is secured on an aircraft on a rework area on the aircraft. A carrier is attached to the rigid frame. The panel is held on the carrier and the carrier moves the panel about a plurality of axes. The panel moves with the carrier such that the panel has a desired position relative to a rework opening in the rework area. The panel is attached to the aircraft while the panel is held in the desired position relative to the rework opening.

The present invention relates to a process for laminating components with sheets, in which an adhesive is applied to the surface of the laminating sheet and/or of the component in a grid-like manner, so that, after the sheet and the component are joined, the adhesive is arranged between the sheet and the component, and the regions between the applied adhesive form a channel system that enables the removal of the air that is present between the component and the sheet. The invention further relates to a laminated molded part obtainable by the above-outlined process. The use of an adhesive grid provided between a component and a laminating sheet results in a reduction or prevention of air inclusions when the component is laminated with a laminating sheet.

A low-cost high-performance Vacuum Insulated Glass is produced with three glass panes and bonding fiber mesh structures embedded between the glass panes. Each mesh structure is configured with elongated bonding fiber elements arranged in a grid configuration. The bonding fiber elements are formed with a fiber core covered with a low melting temperature material. The low melting temperature material melts upon heating and creates numerous vacuum sealed cells between the glass panes. The fiber core does not melt, and remains intact bonded to the glass panes, thus creating a support mechanism for supporting the glass panes at a spaced apart relationship.

An energy efficient film comprising of first and second substrate layers and microstructures positioned between the first and second substrates is provided. The microstructures are positioned between the first and second structures such that a vacuum environment is created between the first and second substrates. In one embodiment, the insulating film includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and a plurality of microstructures positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate, such that a vacuum environment is created between the first and second substrates and within each microstructure cell, individually. Preferably, the plurality of microstructures is a polygonal cellular network positioned between a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate. A gasket may be provided on one or both of the first or second substrates. The gasket may also be provided on outer edges of the first and/or the second substrate.

At least one puck is used to manufacture a vacuum insulated panel with a shaped opening. A pair of barrier films are positioned about an insulated core having a shaped opening such as a through bore, cutout, or relief. The puck includes a protrusion having a shape similar to that of the opening of the insulated core. With the barrier films positioned about the insulated core, the pucks are inserted into the opening from opposite sides of the insulated core to thereby compress the barrier films between the shaped protrusions of the pucks to thereby prevent wrinkles and/or creases in the barrier films. The insulated core is then subjected to a vacuum to evacuate the insulated core of any gases and the barrier films are heat sealed to maintain the insulated core in the evacuated state. Excess barrier film is then removed to provide a wrinkle and/or crease free seal.

Resin compositions, layers, and interlayers comprising a poly(vinyl acetal) resin that includes residues of an aldehyde other than n-butyraldehyde are provided. Such compositions, layers, and interlayers can exhibit enhanced or optimized properties as compared to those formulated with comparable poly(vinyl n-butyral) resins.

A thin film production apparatus which includes: a substrate feeding mechanism configured to continuously feed a substrate; a substrate receiving mechanism configured to receive the substrate; a substrate conveying mechanism; a film formation roller; a first film formation source configured to form a first thin film on a film formation surface of the substrate traveling on an upstream side of the film formation roller in a substrate conveyance direction along the substrate conveying mechanism; and a second film formation source configured to form a second thin film on a roller circumferential surface of the film formation roller. The film formation roller is placed so that the second thin film is joined to the first thin film. The second thin film is formed to a greater thickness and/or at a higher deposition rate than the first thin film.

The present invention relates to the use of a radiation-hardenable resin composition for producing solar laminates, a method for creating a solar laminate using the resin composition according to the invention, and a solar laminate that can be produced using this method.

Methods for preparing multi-layer optical laminates include placing an optical film that is free form an adhesive layer between first and second glass substrates that are free of an adhesive layer, placing this laminate under vacuum, and then heating the laminate under pressure to a temperature above the softening temperature of the optical film. The glass substrates are free of an adhesive layer but may include a silane surface treatment. The resulting multi-layer laminate is optically clear and does not show scattering of reflected light by the optical film.