Thermoformed molded articles are made containing and from fabrics containing spandex and cellulose ester fibers. In the process for making the molded article, a fabric is layed up in a mold a thermoformed at a temperature not exceeding 195° C., and for a residence time sufficient to obtain a molded article that retains its shape upon release from the mold, said fabric comprising cellulose ester fibers. The three-dimensional molded articles can now be made containing sustainably derived fibers, e.g. cellulose ester fibers, that have good shape retention, comfort, and hand. Examples of such molded articles include support garments, such a brassiers.

A dip-formed article includes a laminate in which a rubber layer is laminated on a fiber base material. The thickness of the rubber layer is 0.2 to 0.8 mm, the rubber constituting the rubber layer penetrates into the fiber base material, the maximum depth to which the rubber has penetrated into the fiber base material is 0.1 to 0.3 mm, and the maximum stress at 50% elongation of the laminate is 20 N or smaller.

Disclosed herein is easy and efficient production of a light and strong resin tube. A resin sheet is molded into a tubular form having a gap, and at least the gap portion is sealed with resin to produce a resin tube. This enables easy and efficient production of a light and strong resin tube.

A method and apparatus for manufacturing a formed article of a composite material. The formed article is manufactured by heating and pressurizing a thermoplastic resin material and fabric material. The method includes a preforming process in which the material to be formed is put in a preforming mold with a release sheet arranged between the material and a part of the preforming mold. The material is heated and pressurized to impregnate the thermoplastic resin material into the fabric material, thus forming an impregnated intermediate material. Then, in a transport process the impregnated intermediate material in a heated state is taken out from the preforming mold with the release sheet left attached thereto, and transported. Finally there is a forming process in which the impregnated intermediate material is accommodated in the forming mold and the impregnated intermediate material is formed into the formed article of the composite material by pressurizing.

In a preferred embodiment, a composite panel with a smooth outer surface, ready for painting with or without addition of primer, may be created by constructing a panel layup assembly upon a mold, the panel layup assembly including a composite panel having a core and a resin formulation, and a release film between the mold and the composite panel, where a smooth release surface of the release film is in contact with the composite panel upon construction; initiating curing of the composite panel at a first temperature within a lowermost ten percent of a curing temperature range of the resin formulation; continuing curing of the composite panel at a second temperature above the lowermost ten percent of the curing temperature range; and completing curing of the composite panel at a third temperature below the second temperature.

The use of a protection thread for the protection of a heat curable resin impregnated fibrous web. The web has weft and warp fibres, wherein the thread has a coefficient of thermal expansion within 10% of that of the heat curable resin impregnated fibres of the fibrous web, and wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion is measured using DIN 53752.

A wafer for repairing damage to asphalt shingles comprising a first layer of a rubberized asphalt, a fiber matrix layer and a second layer of the rubberized asphalt. The first and second layers of rubberized asphalt sandwich and are bound to the fiber matrix layer forming an integrated wafer. The wafer is formed in a select shape.

A method is provided for producing a structural subassembly, in particular for a motor vehicle, including at least one first profile component of fiber-reinforced plastic and at least one connecting component for producing a node connection of the first profile component with a further profile component. The method includes the following steps: providing a mold with at least one mold half, which has a cavity that corresponds substantially to the first profile component to be produced and includes at least one integrally molded-on connecting component; introducing a one- or multi-piece textile reinforcing material, in particular a textile semifinished product, into the mold; introducing a flowable plastics material into the mould, in order to impregnate the textile reinforcing material; and curing and/or cooling the plastics material.

Provided herein are polymer matrix composites, articles including the polymer matrix composites, and methods of forming the polymer matrix composites. The polymer matrix composite includes a stitched composite and a hybrid barrier layer incorporated within the stitched composite, the hybrid barrier layer including a thin ply and a nanographene dispersed resin. The article includes a high-pressure composite cryogenic tank including the polymer matrix composite. The method includes positioning a dry thin ply between composite plies, stitching the composite plies to form a stitched preform, dispersing nanographene into the resin, and infusing the stitched preform with the modified resin.

A method for forming a seal boot includes forming a stack of discrete, non-intertwined layers by layering a sheet of elastomeric material with a fabric; rolling the stack to form a tube; installing the tube within a mold; closing the mold; and heating the mold and the installed tube.