A fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin filament is obtained by impregnating a continuous reinforcing fiber with a thermoplastic resin, and satisfies all of conditions (a) to (c). (a) The volume ratio of a reinforcing fiber in a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin filament is 30 to 80%; and the volume ratio of a thermoplastic resin in a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin filament is 70 to 20%. (b) The thickness of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin filament is 0.01 to 3 mm. (c) The length of a filament contained in a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin filament is 1 m or more.

A method of producing a prepreg is described, in which a matrix resin is applied to a reinforcing fiber sheet in which the sheet can continuously run without clogging due to generated fuzz even at a high running speed and where the reinforcing fiber sheet can be efficiently impregnated with the matrix resin. A method of producing a prepreg includes allowing a reinforcing fiber sheet to pass substantially vertically downward through the inside of a coating section storing a matrix resin to apply the matrix resin to the reinforcing fiber sheet; and then applying a resin film to a primary impregnate prepreg withdrawn from the coating section.

The present invention relates to an apparatus of manufacturing an aerogel sheet. The apparatus of manufacturing the aerogel sheet includes: a fixing vessel into which a blanket is inserted; and an impregnation device putting a silica sol precursor into the blanket inserted into the fixing vessel to impregnate and gelate the silica sol precursor, wherein the impregnation device includes a rotation roller moving from one end to the other end of a top surface of the blanket while rotating to put the stored silica sol precursor into the blanket and thereby to impregnate and gelate the silica sol precursor.

Ballistic resistant composite materials having high positive buoyancy in water are provided. More particularly, provided are foam-free, buoyant composite materials fabricated using dry processing techniques. The materials comprise fibrous plies that are partially coated with a particulate binder that is thermopressed to transform a portion of the binder into raised, discontinuous patches bonded to fiber/tape surfaces, while another portion of the particulate binder remains on the fibers/tapes as unmelted particles. The presence of the unmelted binder particles maintains empty spaces within the composite materials which increases the positive buoyancy of the composites in water.

Ballistic resistant composite materials having high positive buoyancy in water are provided. More particularly, provided are foam-free, buoyant composite materials fabricated using dry processing techniques. The materials comprise fibrous plies that are partially coated with a particulate binder that is thermopressed to transform a portion of the binder into raised, discontinuous patches bonded to fiber/tape surfaces, while another portion of the particulate binder remains on the fibers/tapes as unmelted particles. The presence of the unmelted binder particles maintains empty spaces within the composite materials which increases the positive buoyancy of the composites in water.

An apparatus for manufacturing an aerogel sheet including: a supply roller around which a blanket is wound to form a roll; a conveyor belt transferring the blanket wound around the supply roller from one side to the other side thereof; a silica sol supply member injecting the silica sol to a surface of the blanket disposed on the conveyor belt to impregnate the blanket with silica sol; a catalyst supply member injecting a gelling catalyst to the surface of the blanket impregnated with silica sol to gelate the silica sol; a collection roller winding the blanket, which is transferred up to the other side by the conveyor belt, in the form of a roll; and a reaction vessel which accommodates the roll-shaped blanket collected by the collection roller and in which the accommodated blanket is aged, modified by injecting a coating solution, or dried at a high temperature.

Methods of making fiber-containing prepregs are described. The methods may include the steps of providing a plurality of fibers, and applying a reactive resin composition to the plurality of fibers to make a mixture of the plurality of fibers and the resin composition. The reactive resin composition may include at least one of monomers and oligomers capable of polymerizing into a polymerized resin matrix. The mixture may be heated to a polymerization temperature where the monomers, oligomers, or both polymerize to form a fiber-resin amalgam that includes the polymerized resin matrix. The fiber-resin amalgam may be formed into the fiber-containing prepreg. Also described are methods of forming a fiber-reinforced composite that includes the prepreg.

Methods of making fiber-containing prepregs are described. The methods may include the steps of providing a plurality of fibers, and applying a reactive resin composition to the plurality of fibers to make a mixture of the plurality of fibers and the resin composition. The reactive resin composition may include at least one of monomers and oligomers capable of polymerizing into a polymerized resin matrix. The mixture may be heated to a polymerization temperature where the monomers, oligomers, or both polymerize to form a fiber-resin amalgam that includes the polymerized resin matrix. The fiber-resin amalgam may be formed into the fiber-containing prepreg. Also described are methods of forming a fiber-reinforced composite that includes the prepreg.

According to one implementation, a fiber width adjustment device includes: a feeder and an adjuster. The feeder feeds a tape material in a length direction of the tape material. The tape material consists of fibers for a fiber reinforced resin after or before the fibers are impregnated with a resin. The adjuster has a path for the tape material. The path is formed by at least a bottom and a pair of wall surfaces. The interval of the wall surfaces decreased gradually. The width of the tape material which passed the path is changed by adjusting a part of the path. The tape material passes through the part of the path while contacting with the bottom and the wall surfaces.

A method for producing a prepreg, includes the steps of (1) an opening step of opening glass fiber bundles to form plural glass fiber filaments, and (2) a step of aligning the plural glass fiber filaments formed in the previous opening step, on a thermosetting resin composition-coated surface of a carrier material so as to make the filaments run nearly parallel to each other in one direction thereon to form a prepreg. A method for producing a laminate, includes a step of preparing two or more prepregs formed in the previous step (2), laminating them in such a manner that, in at least one pair of prepregs, the running direction of the plural glass fiber filaments in one prepreg differs from the running direction of the plural glass fiber filaments in the other prepreg, and heating and pressing them.