The invention relates to an elongate profiled object having a cross section, the object comprising a peripheral wall, forming a hollow profile extending in a longitudinal direction, wherein at least part of the peripheral wall is provided with a reinforcement layer extending in at least the longitudinal direction of the elongate profiled object, wherein the reinforcement layer comprises a tape or a laminate of tapes, wherein the reinforcement layer has a thickness of at least 0.6 mm and the tape is made of a first thermoplastic composition, which is a fiber reinforced thermoplastic composition comprising a flame retardant, wherein the elongate profiled object is made of a second thermoplastic composition.

A molding method for fabricating a composite part having inserts is provided including disposing preforms in a mold, each having co-aligned, resin-impregnated fibers, placing the inserts in the mold adjacent to at least one of the preforms, wherein each insert has securement features for receiving a portion of the co-aligned resin-impregnated fibers from at least one preform, and applying heat and pressure in an amount sufficient to consolidate the resin-impregnated fibers into a resin matrix, thereby forming the part, including consolidating the fibers and resin within the securement features. A fiber composite part is also provided including continuous, co-aligned fibers within a resin matrix, and at least one insert disposed in the matrix, the insert comprising at least one securement feature having a second plurality of the fibers therein, the second plurality of fibers extending into the resin matrix and overlapping with some of the first plurality of fibers.

A multiaxial textile fabric has at least two thread layers and at least one nonwoven layer. Each thread layer is made of multifilament reinforcement yarns arranged parallel to one another and so as to lie adjacently next to one another within the thread layers, wherein at least one thread layer is at least partially directly contacted by the nonwoven layer, and cut-out sections are provided within the nonwoven layer, the cut-out sections having a size of at least 4 mm.sup.2. The multiaxial textile fabric also includes a fiber-reinforced composite material.

A fiber-reinforced resin hollow body includes an axial-direction fiber layer containing reinforcing fibers aligned parallel to an axial direction of the hollow body, and a non-axial-direction fiber layer provided on top of at least one of an internal and an external side of the axial-direction fiber layer, and containing reinforcing fibers oriented in a direction different from a direction in which the reinforcing fibers contained in the axial-direction fiber layer are aligned. The non-axial-direction fiber layer has end portions in a peripheral direction of the hollow body, the end portions overlapping each other.

A fiber-reinforced resin hollow body includes an axial-direction fiber layer containing reinforcing fibers aligned parallel to an axial direction of the hollow body, and a non-axial-direction fiber layer provided on top of at least one of an internal and an external side of the axial-direction fiber layer, and containing reinforcing fibers oriented in a direction different from a direction in which the reinforcing fibers contained in the axial-direction fiber layer are aligned. The non-axial-direction fiber layer has end portions in a peripheral direction of the hollow body, the end portions overlapping each other.

A thermoplastic composite material comprising, a fiber bundle having a polypropylene emulsion impregnated therein and having a plurality of reinforcing fibers lined up in a predetermined direction, and satisfies the following conditions (1) to (4); and a formed body: (1) A void content of the thermoplastic composite material is 3% or less, (2) A fiber volume fraction of the thermoplastic composite material is 40% or more and 70% or less, (3) A bending strength of a laminated body, in which a plurality of layers of the thermoplastic composite material has been laminated so that the reinforcing fibers would be lined up in one direction, when bent in the fiber-axis direction and measured in conformity to JIS K7074, is 250 MPa or more, and a bending elastic modulus of the laminated body is 90 GPa or more, and
(4) A variation coefficient of the bending strength, when measured at N=5 or more and calculated in conformity to JIS K7074, is within 7%.

A thermoplastic composite material comprising, a fiber bundle having a polypropylene emulsion impregnated therein and having a plurality of reinforcing fibers lined up in a predetermined direction, and satisfies the following conditions (1) to (4); and a formed body: (1) A void content of the thermoplastic composite material is 3% or less, (2) A fiber volume fraction of the thermoplastic composite material is 40% or more and 70% or less, (3) A bending strength of a laminated body, in which a plurality of layers of the thermoplastic composite material has been laminated so that the reinforcing fibers would be lined up in one direction, when bent in the fiber-axis direction and measured in conformity to JIS K7074, is 250 MPa or more, and a bending elastic modulus of the laminated body is 90 GPa or more, and
(4) A variation coefficient of the bending strength, when measured at N=5 or more and calculated in conformity to JIS K7074, is within 7%.

A reinforced substrate is used for molding a composite material. The reinforced substrate includes a first region and a second region. The first region includes reinforcing fibers extending in a fiber direction that is aligned in a single direction. The second region includes the reinforcing fibers aligned in the same direction as the fiber direction and being thinner than the first region. The first region and the second region are lined up in alternating fashion in a plane along a direction intersecting the fiber direction.

A reinforced substrate is used for molding a composite material. The reinforced substrate includes a first region and a second region. The first region includes reinforcing fibers extending in a fiber direction that is aligned in a single direction. The second region includes the reinforcing fibers aligned in the same direction as the fiber direction and being thinner than the first region. The first region and the second region are lined up in alternating fashion in a plane along a direction intersecting the fiber direction.

Some embodiments are directed to a preform including reinforcing fibres and shape memory alloy (SMA) wires, a composite material including a polymer matrix with a preform embedded therein, articles including a composite material, methods of making preforms, composite materials and articles.