A thermally conductive curing process adds conductive additives to create pathways for dissipating heat during a curing process, thereby reducing the cure time, increasing the output capability, and reducing cost. Conductive particles or short fibers can be dispersed throughout the resin system or composite fiber layers in pre-impregnated or RTM-processed composite material. By disposing conductive particles or short fibers in a resin as part of the curing process, heat generated during the curing process can dissipate more quickly from any type of composite, especially thick composites. Conductive additive examples include multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), graphene/graphite powder, buckyballs, short fibrous particulate, nano-clays, nano-particles, and other suitable materials.

A fiber-reinforced shaped article in which a reinforcing fiber bundle aggregate formed of a plurality of reinforcing fiber bundles converged is impregnated with an epoxy resin composition and the epoxy resin composition is cured, wherein the epoxy resin composition contains at least components [A], [B], [C], and [D], and a quantity of [A] is 60 to 100 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of all epoxy resin contained in the epoxy resin composition: [A]: aminophenol type epoxy resin; [B]: two kinds of acid anhydrides of [B1]: acid anhydride having a nadic anhydride structure, and [B2]: acid anhydride having a hydrogenated structure of phthalic anhydride; [C]: at least one filler having a Mohs hardness of 3 or less selected from the group consisting of a silicon compound, a magnesium compound, a calcium compound, an aluminum compound, and inorganic carbon; [D]: a release agent.

Flexible graphite and other graphite materials with surface micro-texturing, and methods and apparatuses for micro-texturing the surface of flexible graphite and other graphite materials are provided. Micro-texturing can be used to modify wettability and/or adhesion characteristics of a flexible graphite surface. Micro-textured flexible graphite materials can be advantageously used in applications where the material is in contact with liquid water or other liquids.

The present invention is a unique process of manufacturing rigid members with precise “shape keeping” properties and with reflective properties pertaining to radio frequency energy, so that air, land, sea and space devices or vehicles may be constructed including parabolic reflectors formed without discrete permanent layering. Rather, such parabolic reflectors or similarly, vehicles, may be formed by homogeneous construction where discrete layering is absent, and where energy reflectivity or scattering characteristics are embedded within the homogeneous mixture of carbon nanotubes and associated graphite powders and epoxy, resins and hardeners. The mixture of carbon graphite nanofiber and carbon nanotubes generates higher electrode conductivity and magnetized attraction through molecular polarization. In effect, the rigid members may be tuned based on the application. The combination of these materials creates a unique matrix that is then set in a memory form at a specific temperature, and then applied to various materials through a series of multiple layers, resulting in unparalleled strength and durability.

A composite structure includes a foam core formed from a first polymer and between about 0.5 wt. % and about 2.5 wt. % graphene. The foam core has an average pore size between about 25 m and about 75 m, and a cell density between about 410.sup.6 cells/mm.sup.2 and about 610.sup.6 cells/mm.sup.2. Also, an overmolded skin formed from a second polymer and between about 0.25 wt. % and about 5.0 wt. % graphene is disposed on the foam core. A method of manufacturing a composite structure includes injection molding a foam core from a first polymer containing between about 0.25 wt. % and about 5.0 wt. % graphene, and injection molding an overmolded skin from a second polymer containing graphene between about 0.25 wt. % and about 5.0 wt. % graphene.

A method of manufacturing an impregnated fibrous material including a fibrous material made of continuous fibers and at least one thermoplastic polymer matrix, the method including pre-impregnating the fibrous material while it is in the form of a roving or several parallel rovings with the thermoplastic material and heating the thermoplastic matrix for melting, or maintaining in the molten state, the thermoplastic polymer after pre-impregnation, the at least one heating step being carried out by means of at least one heat-conducting spreading part (E) and at least one heating system, with the exception of a heated calendar, the roving or the rovings being in contact with part or all of the surface of the at least one spreading part (E) and partially or wholly passing over the surface of the at least one spreading part (E) at the level of the heating system.

An extruder including a housing, a first material inlet for a mixture at least consisting of a solvent and a dissolved medium, a material outlet, a screw, a screw drive, and at least one distillation region between the inlet and the outlet, which allows an outflow of solvent, and a discharge line for the solvent.

The present invention is directed to the production of shipping containers, computer server farm containers, and other forms of physical storage containers from a carbon nanotube-based fiber material with the potential application of other, non-carbon, nano-based materials containing various structures. Current materials used for shipping containers, computer server farm containers, and other forms of physical storage containers are heavier than the present invention and lack the ability to withstand high-intensity shock vibrations and other disturbances and are vulnerable to radiofrequency (RF) radiation. Instead of using metal, which is the currently preferred material used in the development of shipping containers, computer server farm containers, and other forms of physical storage containers, the present invention provides the use of a carbon nanotube-based material.

The present invention provides a thermosetting material, which contains the following components (A) to (C) and which, when measured with a rotational viscometer at a constant shear rate (JIS K7117-2:1999), exhibits a viscosity at 25 C. and 10 s.sup.1 of 5 Pa.Math.s or more and 200 Pa.Math.s or less and, when measured with a rotational viscometer at a constant shear rate in the same manner as above, exhibits a viscosity at 25 C. and a shear rate of 100 s.sup.1 of 0.3 Pa.Math.s or more and 50 Pa.Math.s or less. (A): a (meth) acrylate compound in which a substituted or unsubstituted alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 6 or more carbon atoms is ester-bonded, and which, when measured with a rotational viscometer at a constant shear rate in the same manner as above, exhibits a viscosity of 5 to 300 mPa.Math.s as a viscosity measured at 25 C. and 10 to 100 s.sup.1; (B): spherical silica; and (C): a black pigment.

A process and system are provided for introducing chopped and dispersed carbon fibers on an automated production line amenable for inclusion in molding compositions, including the debundling of many carbon fibers collectively forming a tow into dispersed chopped carbon fibers that form a filler that undergoes plasma treatment prior to introducing coating silanes to uniformly increase bonding sites for coupling to a thermoset matrix. By exposing carbon tow to a plasma discharge, the carbon tow debundles and is used to form sheets of molding compositions with chopped dispersed fibers added to the composition, as the sheets move along a conveyor belt on the automated production line and at least one plasma generator mounted above the conveyor belt ionizes the carbon fibers. With resort to deionized air to mix plasma-treated chopped fibers, still further dispersion results.