A method of manufacturing an impregnated fibrous material including a fibrous material made of continuous fibers and at least one thermoplastic polymer matrix, the method including pre-impregnating the fibrous material while it is in the form of a roving or several parallel rovings with the thermoplastic material and heating the thermoplastic matrix for melting, or maintaining in the molten state, the thermoplastic polymer after pre-impregnation, the at least one heating step being carried out by means of at least one heat-conducting spreading part (E) and at least one heating system, with the exception of a heated calendar, the roving or the rovings being in contact with part or all of the surface of the at least one spreading part (E) and partially or wholly passing over the surface of the at least one spreading part (E) at the level of the heating system.

A process for the manufacture of an elongate composite element comprising a bundle (20) of multifilament fibers embedded in a composition based on a polymerizable substance comprising the following comprises: arranging multifilament fibers in the form of several individual strands, so that a first strand (20a) is located at the center of the bundle and that the other strands are positioned around the first strand; and carrying along the arrangement of multifilament fibers in order to subject it, in the direction of forward progression, to degassing of said arrangement of fibres by the action of vacuum, impregnation of the arrangement of fibres with the composition, passage of the first impregnated strand through a first die (10a) which carries out its partial polymerization, passage of all the strands through a last die (10f) which brings them together in a single strand (20f), and exposure of the single strand (20f) to a source of radiation in order to carry out an additional polymerization to obtain the elongate composite element.

A durable, moisture-resistant gypsum product is provided with smooth furnish which comprises a laminated glass fiber mat in which glass fibers are compressed and cross-linked with a thermosetting polymeric resin. Methods for making these gypsum products and glass fiber mats are provided as well.

The invention relates to a polyamide cord for use as carcass strength member in a pneumatic vehicle tire, wherein the polyamide cord has a residual shrinkage in the range from 0% to 2% and a shrinkage at 180 C. in the range from 0% to 4.5%, where the residual shrinkage of the polyamide cord and the shrinkage at 180 C. of the polyamide cord are determined to ASTM D 855. The invention also relates to a pneumatic vehicle tire comprising one or more polyamide cords and to a process for producing one or more polyamide cords, to a process for producing a rubberized reinforcement ply and to a process for producing a pneumatic vehicle tire.

A process for producing a resin-impregnated fiber bundle includes an unwinding step in which a resin-unimpregnated fiber bundle is unwound, a resin impregnation step in which the fiber bundle is passed through an impregnation bath filled with a resin, and an impregnation acceleration step in which after the resin impregnation step, the resin is permeated into the fiber bundle, at least the impregnation acceleration step being performed in a decompression space having a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure. It is possible to produce a resin-impregnated fiber bundle using a decompression space for which decompression can be achieved with a simple device and in which the airtightness is easy to maintain and which has been configured so as to result in satisfactory working efficiency.

A thermally conductive rope includes a plurality of tows of crystalline carbon fiber, a plurality of tows of additional fiber, and at least one of a thermoset and thermoplastic.

Continuous fiber tow structures are used to form lattice reinforcing bodies to be embedded in a molded polymer matrix. The lattice structures are formed and shaped to reinforce a portion of a predetermined three-dimensional article. Optionally, some or all of the tow members of the structure may be formed with internal vascular passages for passage of a heat transfer fluid through the structure in the function of the molded polymer article. A liquid polymer is molded around the lattice structure, fully embedding the structure. The liquid polymer which may contain short-reinforcing fibers, is then solidified to form the composite reinforced polymer article. And connections may be made to the composite article for the flow of the fluid through vascular passages in the lattice structure within the article.

Systems and methods are described where a volume receiving a liquid matrix and fibers at an inlet where opposing sides of the volume converge to form a gap and a moving surface in contact with the liquid matrix and the fibers and moving with respect to the liquid matrix and the fibers through the gap such that shear force is transferred to the liquid matrix and the fibers pushing the liquid matrix and the fibers forward through the gap, creating currents in the liquid matrix and increasing pressure. The increased pressure within the volume forms a barrier to entrained gases within the liquid matrix such that the entrained gases are inhibited from passing through the gap along with the liquid matrix and the fibers.

A reinforced pultruded profile having a top edge, a bottom edge spaced along a vertical axis extending between the top edge and the bottom edge, a transverse axis oriented perpendicular to the vertical axis, and a machine axis oriented along a length of the profile. The pultruded profile includes a first reinforcing layer spaced along the vertical axis and oriented along the transverse axis, a second reinforcing layer spaced along the vertical axis and oriented along the transverse axis, and a first structural layer located between the first reinforcing layer and the second reinforcing layer, the first structural layer having a modulus of elasticity of at least 175 GPa.

Methods are described for activating a glass fiber or flake to participate in polymerizing a resin. The methods may include sizing the glass fiber or flake with a sizing composition that includes a solution containing a polymerization initiator, and activating the polymerization initiator by forming a free radical moiety on the polymerization initiator that can initiate the polymerization of the resin. Additional methods of making a glass reinforced composite are described. The methods may include sizing glass fibers or flakes with a sizing composition that includes a solution containing a polymerization initiator, forming a free radical moiety on the polymerization initiator to make activated glass fibers or flakes, and contacting the activated glass fibers or flakes with a polymer resin. The activated glass fibers or flakes initiate the polymerization of the resin around the glass fibers or flakes to form the glass reinforced composite.