A process is capable of producing a high-quality fiber-reinforced plastic with good yield in a short molding cycle time despite being atmospheric pressure molding. The process characterized uses local contact heating to give different temperature conditions to produce a fiber-reinforced plastic by atmospheric pressure molding from a fiber-reinforced material which contains a reinforcing fiber impregnated with a thermosetting resin composition.

The invention relates to a material comprising at least one laminate component containing polymeric fibers wherein the material has a loss tangent of less than 8×10.sup.−3 radians as measured at a frequency chosen from the group of frequencies consisting of 1.8 GHz; 3.9 GHz; 10 GHz; 39.5 GHz; and 72 GHz.

The invention relates to a material comprising at least one laminate component containing polymeric fibers wherein the material has a loss tangent of less than 8×10.sup.−3 radians as measured at a frequency chosen from the group of frequencies consisting of 1.8 GHz; 3.9 GHz; 10 GHz; 39.5 GHz; and 72 GHz.

Provided are: a fiber-containing material which has improved strength in an out-of-plane direction without a decrease in strength in an in-plane direction; a method for inserting out-of-plane reinforcement threads; and a method for producing the fiber-containing material. The fiber-containing material contains a base material and out-of-plane reinforcement threads. The base material contains reinforcement fibers extending in a direction along a plane. The out-of-plane reinforcement threads are formed in the base material so as to extend in a direction intersecting the direction along the plane.

Provided are: a fiber-containing material which has improved strength in an out-of-plane direction without a decrease in strength in an in-plane direction; a method for inserting out-of-plane reinforcement threads; and a method for producing the fiber-containing material. The fiber-containing material contains a base material and out-of-plane reinforcement threads. The base material contains reinforcement fibers extending in a direction along a plane. The out-of-plane reinforcement threads are formed in the base material so as to extend in a direction intersecting the direction along the plane.

A composite structure for use as a constituent of a mounting device, wherein the composite structure comprises an electrically conductive carrier, an intermediate layer comprising adhesion promoting material and being arranged on the electrically conductive carrier, and a thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer on the intermediate layer.

A chopped roving thermoplastic composite sheet includes a web or mesh of chopped rovings and a thermoplastic resin that fully saturates the web or mesh of chopped rovings. The web or mesh of chopped rovings is not mechanically bonded and does not include a binder that bonds or adheres the chopped rovings together other than thermoplastic resin. As such, the thermoplastic resin and the web or mesh of chopped rovings are able to flow and conform to a mold or cavity when the chopped roving thermoplastic composite sheet is pressed within the mold or cavity and when the chopped roving thermoplastic composite sheet is heated to above the melting temperature of the thermoplastic resin.

A chopped roving thermoplastic composite sheet includes a web or mesh of chopped rovings and a thermoplastic resin that fully saturates the web or mesh of chopped rovings. The web or mesh of chopped rovings is not mechanically bonded and does not include a binder that bonds or adheres the chopped rovings together other than thermoplastic resin. As such, the thermoplastic resin and the web or mesh of chopped rovings are able to flow and conform to a mold or cavity when the chopped roving thermoplastic composite sheet is pressed within the mold or cavity and when the chopped roving thermoplastic composite sheet is heated to above the melting temperature of the thermoplastic resin.

A molded object includes: a first layer formed using a fiber-reinforced resin material including thermoplastic resin and strip-shaped reinforcement fiber bundles each composed of a plurality of reinforcement fibers aligned unidirectionally, the strip-shaped reinforcement fiber bundles being three-dimensionally and randomly stacked; and a second layer made of a fiber-reinforced resin material including thermoplastic resin and reinforcement fibers of filaments, and formed on at least one surface of the first layer.

A composite foam article is disclosed herein. The composite foam article comprises a polyurethane foam core presenting a first surface and a second surface facing opposite the first surface. A first skin is disposed on the first surface and a second skin is disposed on the second surface. The polyurethane foam core has a density of 15-80 kg/m.sup.3. The first and second skins comprise a plurality of fibers and a polymeric binder. The composite foam article has a weight per unit area of 500-1000 g/m.sup.2 and a strength of greater than 17 N at a post-compression thickness of greater than 2 mm when tested in according with SAE J949 at 23° C.