Provided in one example is a composite. The composite includes: a porous core layer including a fluoropolymer; a first layer disposed over at least a portion of the core layer; and a second layer disposed over at least a portion of the first layer. The first layer includes fibers that compose at least one of unidirectional fibers and woven fibers. The second layer includes a polymer. The composite is permeable to air but impermeable to liquid wafer.

Curable prepregs possessing enhanced ability for the removal of gases from within prepregs and between prepreg plies in a prepreg layup prior to and/or during consolidation and curing. Each curable prepreg is a resin-impregnated, woven fabric that has been subjected to a treatment to create an array of openings in at least one major surface. Furthermore, the location of the openings is specific to the weave pattern of the fabric.

A hinge is disclosed having at least two groups of layers of fibers arranged on and/or under two opposite edges, respectively, of at least one substrate of a material flexible and compatible for the adhesion with resins for composite materials, so that a central portion of the substrate is not covered by these layers, the substrate and the layers being incorporated in a cured and flexible resin. The present invention also relates to a process for manufacturing said hinge.

The present invention generally relates to reinforcement assemblies for matrix materials, and more specifically to reinforcement assemblies for continuous loop members with reinforced matrix materials.

The present technology provides an epoxy resin composition for a fiber-reinforced composite material, a method for producing an epoxy resin composition for a fiber-reinforced composite material, a prepreg, and a honeycomb panel. The epoxy resin composition for a fiber-reinforced composite material of the present technology contains: a reaction product obtained by reacting 100 parts by mass of a phosphorus-containing epoxy resin containing a phosphorus atom in the backbone thereof, and not less than 5 parts by mass and not greater than 20 parts by mass of an amino-terminated butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber; an epoxy resin other than the phosphorus-containing epoxy resin; a curing agent; and a curing accelerator.

A composite comprising a combination of a self-healing polymer matrix and a carbon fiber reinforcement is described. In one embodiment, the matrix is a polybutadiene graft copolymer matrix, such as polybutadiene graft copolymer comprising poly(butadiene)-graft-poly(methyl acrylate-co-acrylonitrile). A method of fabricating the composite is also described, comprising the steps of manufacturing a pre-impregnated unidirectional carbon fiber preform by wetting a plurality of carbon fibers with a solution, the solution comprising a self-healing polymer and a solvent, and curing the preform. A method of repairing a structure made from the composite of the invention is described. A novel prepreg material used to manufacture the composite of the invention is described.

A composite comprising a combination of a self-healing polymer matrix and a carbon fiber reinforcement is described. In one embodiment, the matrix is a polybutadiene graft copolymer matrix, such as polybutadiene graft copolymer comprising poly(butadiene)-graft-poly(methyl acrylate-co-acrylonitrile). A method of fabricating the composite is also described, comprising the steps of manufacturing a pre-impregnated unidirectional carbon fiber preform by wetting a plurality of carbon fibers with a solution, the solution comprising a self-healing polymer and a solvent, and curing the preform. A method of repairing a structure made from the composite of the invention is described. A novel prepreg material used to manufacture the composite of the invention is described.

A method for impregnating a fibrous material with a curable resin to form a prepreg is disclosed. The method includes conveying a web material through at least one moving pressure nip formed between a moving pressure roller and a moving supporting surface, wherein the moving pressure roller and the moving supporting surface travel at different velocities relative to each other resulting in a relative velocity between the web material and the pressure nip. The at least one moving pressure nip travels in the same direction as the web material while applying sufficient pressure to compress the web material and to affect impregnation of the fibrous material with the curable resin. Also disclosed is a system for implementing the disclosed impregnation method.

An energy-absorbing member includes a fiber structure. The fiber structure includes a first end face configured to first receive a load and a second end face opposite to the first end face in the direction that the load is applied. The fiber structure includes a shape retention section including the first end face, a main section that includes the second end face and hinders propagation of breakage of the fiber structure, and a trigger section that is located between the shape retention section and the main section and serves as a starting point of breakage when receiving an impact load. The shape retention section and the main section each have a woven structure that allows the shape retention section and the main section to have a higher interlayer bonding strength than the trigger section.

A resin composition including an epoxy resin (A), a curing agent (B), and vinyl polymer particles (C), in which the contained amount of epoxy resin (a1) having a molecular weight of 100-480 is 30-90 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the epoxy resin (A), the contained amount of epoxy resin (a2) having a molecular weight of 2,000-40,000 is 10-70 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the epoxy resin (A), the contained amount of the vinyl polymer particles (C) is 2-30 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the epoxy resin (A), and the instantaneous maximum thickening value of the vinyl polymer particles obtained by the following method is 0.3-5.0 Pa.Math.s/° C.