Light weight composites with high flexural strength comprise epoxy foam sandwiched between two layers of facing material have high strength and low weight and can be used to replace steel structures. The facing layer may be fibrous material especially glass or carbon fibres, the facing material is preferably embedded into the epoxy matrix. Alternatively they may be matching box structures or concentric metal tubes. The sandwich structures may be prepared by laying up the fibre; coating and/or impregnating the layer with epoxy resin, laying a layer of heat activatable foamable epoxy material, providing a further layer of the fibrous material optionally coated and/or impregnated with epoxy resin on the foamable material and heating to foam and cure the epoxy materials. Alternatively they may be formed by extrusion of the foamable material between the surface layers.

A multi-layered structure with improved stability and insulation is disclosed. Methods for making the multi-layered structure are also disclosed. The structure comprises layers of foam and layers of solid material which are sprayed onto each other via an industrial robot having spray nozzles. The layers of foam are sprayed onto a supporting structure of a building, and the process of spraying is such that each consecutively sprayed layer is initiated after only a short lag in time from the initiation of the previous layer. The structure comprises at least two layers (preferably at least three layers), each layer having different mechanical properties. The layers may further be reinforced with reinforcing fibers and/or fiber fragments. An additional layer of fibrous material may comprise outer and/or inner layers of the structure. The disclosed structure is built faster and has significantly higher load-bearing and insulative capacities than the state of the art.

An expandable panel reinforcing material, including an expandable composition layer including at least a plastic component of a crosslinked polymer matrix having curability, a curing agent of the plastic component, a curing accelerator of the plastic component, a crosslinked polymer matrix, a filler, and a thermally decomposable blowing agent having a decomposition temperature of T C., and a sheet-like fiber layer that is laminated on the expandable composition layer, in which the expandable composition layer exhibits a storage elastic modulus (G) of 110.sup.1 to 110.sup.4 Pa when the storage elastic modulus (G) is measured with a dynamic viscoelasticity measuring apparatus [provided that a measuring temperature is (T10) C.].

A method of at least partially sealing surfaces of a body of a cellular foam, preferably comprising polyethylene terephthalate, the cellular foam having an initial compression strength, the method comprising the steps of: providing a body of an cellular foam comprising polyethylene terephthalate, the body having opposite surfaces; disposing the body between first pressure elements; in a first pressure applying step at a first temperature above 100 C., applying a first compression pressure to the opposite surfaces by the first pressure elements, the first compression pressure being less than 10% of the initial compression strength; disposing the pressed body between second pressure elements; and in a second pressure applying step at a second temperature at least 25 C. lower than the first temperature, applying a second compression pressure to the opposite surfaces, the second compression pressure being less than 15% of the initial compression strength.

The invention relates to a composite sandwich base panel for a Unit Load Device. The panel comprises an upper surface layer comprising fibre reinforcement material, a lower surface layer comprising fibre reinforcement material, and a central core section where at least the majority comprises a plurality of particles bound in a matrix material. The upper surface layer and lower surface layer are provided with a matrix material to bind them to the central core section.

Light weight composites with high flexural strength comprise epoxy foam sandwiched between two layers of facing material have high strength and low weight and can be used to replace steel structures. The facing layer may be fibrous material especially glass or carbon fibers, the facing material is preferably embedded into the epoxy matrix. Alternatively they may be matching box structures or concentric metal tubes. The sandwich structures may be prepared by laying up the fiber; coating and/or impregnating the layer with epoxy resin, laying a layer of heat activatable foamable epoxy material, providing a further layer of the fibrous material optionally coated and/or impregnated with epoxy resin on the foamable material and heating to foam and cure the epoxy materials. Alternatively they may be formed by extrusion of the foamable material between the surface layers.

Provided are a method for producing a tank with an outer surface profile that allows an elastic protective member to be easily and firmly attached to a surface thereof, and also such a tank with a protective member. The method for producing the tank, which includes winding fiber bundles containing an uncured resin component in multiple layers around the outer surface of a liner in a first pitch width so as to form a fiber reinforced resin layer and securely bonding the protective member to a portion of the outer surface thereof, further includes: winding the fiber bundles in a second pitch width wider than the first pitch width so as to form a gap with a required width where no fiber bundle is present between adjacent fiber bundles in winding the fiber bundles to form an outermost fiber bundle layer; shaving off a tip end portion of a projection made of a resin that has cured after bleeding into the gap, with a portion thereof left unshaved so as to form a sharpened portion; and securely bonding the protective member to the sharpened portion while pressing it from above.

A method is provided for forming a glass fiber product, by forming a first mixture including dry melt-resistant filiform glass fibers, a fire-retarding solution, and a thickening agent; forming a second mixture including the first mixture and a binding agent, wherein the first mixture and the binding agent being configured to form an expanding foam; and applying the second mixture to a surface prior to the second mixture forming the expanding foam. A method is also provided for forming a glass fiber product, by adding a thickening agent to a fire-retarding solution to form a first mixture; adding a hardening agent to the first mixture to form a second mixture; and adding dry melt-resistant filiform glass fibers to the second mixture to form a paste mixture. Associated apparatuses are also provided.

The present invention relates to a self-adhesive article comprising a non-random fabric of bundles of carbon fibres and a thermosetting epoxy resin composition. The self-adhesive article exhibits high surface adhesion and excellent dimensional stability at room temperature. The self-adhesive article is ideally suited to reinforce structural components, particularly vehicles or ancillary vehicle components. The structural components reinforced by the self-adhesive article exhibit improved impact and torsional strength.

A method is provided for forming a glass fiber product, by forming a first mixture including dry melt-resistant filiform glass fibers, a fire-retarding solution, and a thickening agent; forming a second mixture including the first mixture and a binding agent, wherein the first mixture and the binding agent being configured to form an expanding foam; and applying the second mixture to a surface prior to the second mixture forming the expanding foam. A method is also provided for forming a glass fiber product, by adding a thickening agent to a fire-retarding solution to form a first mixture; adding a hardening agent to the first mixture to form a second mixture; and adding dry melt-resistant filiform glass fibers to the second mixture to form a paste mixture. Associated apparatuses are also provided.