The provided articles and methods use a non-woven fibrous web containing 60-100 wt % of oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers; and 0-40 wt % of reinforcing fibers having outer surfaces comprised of a polymer with a melting temperature of from 100° C. to 300° C. The non-woven fibrous web has an average bulk density of from 15 kg/m.sup.3 to 50 kg/m.sup.3, with the plurality of fibers substantially entangled along directions perpendicular to a major surface of the non-woven fibrous web. Optionally, the oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers can have a crimped configuration. Advantageously, these articles can display a combination of low thermal conductivity, high tensile strength, and flame resistance.

The provided articles and methods use a non-woven fibrous web containing 60-100 wt % of oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers; and 0-40 wt % of reinforcing fibers having outer surfaces comprised of a polymer with a melting temperature of from 100° C. to 300° C. The non-woven fibrous web has an average bulk density of from 15 kg/m.sup.3 to 50 kg/m.sup.3, with the plurality of fibers substantially entangled along directions perpendicular to a major surface of the non-woven fibrous web. Optionally, the oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers can have a crimped configuration. Advantageously, these articles can display a combination of low thermal conductivity, high tensile strength, and flame resistance.

A laminated substrate obtained by laminating a carbon fiber reinforced resin substrate (a) containing a carbon fiber and a thermoplastic resin fiber and a glass fiber reinforced resin substrate (B) containing a glass fiber and a thermoplastic resin, wherein a content of the carbon fiber in the carbon fiber reinforced resin substrate (a) is 20% by mass or more and less than 100% by mass with respect to a total mass of the carbon fiber reinforced resin substrate (a), and the carbon fiber reinforced resin substrate (a) has an elongation percentage of from 20% to 150% at a maximum load point in a MD direction at a temperature of a melting point of a resin constituting the thermoplastic resin fiber+20° C., an elongation percentage of from 20% to 150% at a maximum load point in a TD direction, and a tensile stress of 1.0×10.sup.−3 to 1.0×10.sup.−1 MPa.

A method for producing a vehicle composite component with a layer structure having a core layer in a molding tool, the core layer being formed with regions of different thickness is provided. Steps for this method may include placing a cover layer, in particular a preformed cover layer, which in particular forms an outer skin of the vehicle composite component, onto a mold base plate of the open molding tool; introducing a first fiber layer, which is impregnated with PU resin and has not been subjected to forming, between the cover layer and a first mold counterplate of the open molding tool; closing the molding tool and compression molding the first fiber layer, which is impregnated with PU resin, against the cover layer, as a result of which a preform with a first support layer containing the first fiber layer is formed and hardened while supplying heat.

A drive shaft extends between axial ends and has at least one portion through which an outer diameter of the drive shaft changes through an infinite number of diameters, with the at least one portion extending across at least 15% of an axial distance between the axial ends of the drive shaft. A drive shaft with a generally spiral undulation at its outer periphery is also disclosed.

A method for producing a composite material. The method includes the steps of producing an initial dry preform, formed from unidirectional continuous dry fibers, applying non-woven filaments to a first main face of the dry preform, and needling the filaments with a needling device. The needling device includes a plurality of needles, each provided with at least one notch, so that filaments are driven by the needles and arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the continuous fibers of the dry perform. The method includes the further step of impregnating the dry preform with an impregnation polymer, the impregnation polymer constituting the matrix of the composite material part.

A manufacturing method contemplates performing vacuum-assisted resin infusion to enclose an elongated core within a cured composite laminate without employing a mold. Not relying upon an external mold enables the process to be efficiently performed for core shapes that are manufactured in low volumes. Typical resin infusion processes utilize flow media that induces bag bridging during vacuum draw in order to provide gaps facilitating resin flow. However, popular flow media also tends to impart directional aggregate forces during vacuum draw, which forces can deform the core since no mold is being used. To avoid unequal and non-dispersed directional forces from deforming the elongated core, a flow media is employed that is configured to disperse and/or reduce such forces. Some such flow media may be knitted so as to allow overlapping strands to slide over one another. Other flow media may ensure that strands are interleaved so that no one strand or group of strands is disposed outwardly of other strands along a substantial length of the strands, thus dispersing bag bridging forces in several directions and avoiding directional aggregate forces. However, such flow media may have inhibited resin flow relative to popular high-flow flow media, and thus new strategies have been developed to ensure appropriate wetting of fibrous reinforcement. An adjustable brace can also be employed to restrain the elongated core from deflecting during application of vacuum and/or resin infusion.

A vehicle component that includes at least one fiber preform. The fiber preform includes a substrate, a fiber bundle having one or more types of reinforcing fibers, and a thread. The fiber bundle is arranged on the substrate and attached to the substrate by a plurality of stitches of the thread to form a first preform layer having a principal orientation. The vehicle component includes a core having a geometry with at least one edge and at least one the fiber preforms positioned along the at least one edge, the core and the fiber preform being overmolded in a resin. A process of making the vehicle component includes providing the core having the at least one edge, positioning the at least one fiber preform along the at least one edge, and overmolding the core and the at least one fiber preform in the resin.

A vehicle component that includes at least one fiber preform. The fiber preform includes a substrate, a fiber bundle having one or more types of reinforcing fibers, and a thread. The fiber bundle is arranged on the substrate and attached to the substrate by a plurality of stitches of the thread to form a first preform layer having a principal orientation. The vehicle component includes a core having a geometry with at least one edge and at least one the fiber preforms positioned along the at least one edge, the core and the fiber preform being overmolded in a resin. A process of making the vehicle component includes providing the core having the at least one edge, positioning the at least one fiber preform along the at least one edge, and overmolding the core and the at least one fiber preform in the resin.

An example composite building material includes one or more layers of polymeric fibers, binding agent, and optional fillers, and at least one surface layer of resin-impregnated paper disposed above and/or below the one or more layers. The one or more layers can include a core layer with longer polymeric fibers and top and bottom layers with shorter polymeric fibers. A method of manufacturing the composite building material includes forming the one or more layers, applying the at least one surface layer above and/or below the one or more layers, and heating and pressing the combined layers.