A process for producing a carbon sheet molding compound (SMC). An SMC manufacturing line including at least one conveyor line for laying up SMC resins on a carrier film is provided. A chopped carbon fiber which is evenly distributed using dehumidified supply air and using a pressurized air venturi apparatus which is used to debundle and randomize the carbon fibers, onto the resin on the carrier film as the carrier film moves along the conveyor.

The use of a composition including a mixture of at least one non-reactive thermoplastic polymer of Tg >40° C., especially >100° C., in particular >120° C., and at least one reactive thermoplastic prepolymer, with a fibrous material, for the preparation of a fibrous material impregnated with the composition, the composition having an initial melt viscosity during the impregnation, as measured in plate-plate rheology under 1 Hz and 2% strain, at a temperature of 300° C., of less than the viscosity of the same composition devoid of reactive prepolymer, measured under the same conditions, and/or a ductility, after in situ polymerization of the reactive thermoplastic prepolymer in the composition during the impregnation and after the impregnation, that is at least equivalent to the ductility of the same composition devoid of non-reactive thermoplastic polymer, and of which said reactive thermoplastic prepolymer is polymerized to the same number-average molecular mass (Mn).

The use of a composition including a mixture of at least one non-reactive thermoplastic polymer of Tg >40° C., especially >100° C., in particular >120° C., and at least one reactive thermoplastic prepolymer, with a fibrous material, for the preparation of a fibrous material impregnated with the composition, the composition having an initial melt viscosity during the impregnation, as measured in plate-plate rheology under 1 Hz and 2% strain, at a temperature of 300° C., of less than the viscosity of the same composition devoid of reactive prepolymer, measured under the same conditions, and/or a ductility, after in situ polymerization of the reactive thermoplastic prepolymer in the composition during the impregnation and after the impregnation, that is at least equivalent to the ductility of the same composition devoid of non-reactive thermoplastic polymer, and of which said reactive thermoplastic prepolymer is polymerized to the same number-average molecular mass (Mn).

Provided is a sheet-like prepreg that has both a low coefficient of linear thermal expansion and high flexibility and offers excellent anti-warpage performance and cracking resistance. The sheet-like prepreg according to the present invention includes a curable composition and a sheet-like porous support impregnated with the curable composition. The sheet-like porous support is made from a material having a coefficient of linear thermal expansion of 10 ppm/K or less. The sheet-like prepreg gives a cured product having a glass transition temperature of −60° C. to 100° C. The curable composition includes one or more curable compounds (A) and at least one of a curing agent (B) and a curing catalyst (C). The curable compounds (A) include an epoxide having a weight per epoxy equivalent of 140 to 3000 g/eq in an amount of 50 weight percent or more of the totality of the curable compounds (A).

A reinforcing-fiber composite material includes not less than 20 wt % but less than 70 wt % of discontinuous reinforcing fibers, and a matrix resin, wherein at least a portion of the discontinuous reinforcing fibers forms a fiber aggregation, and at least one bundle of the fiber aggregation has a surface that, when projected onto a two-dimensional plane, has at least one region where the number of monofilaments constituting the aggregation is reduced, at opposite ends in a longitudinal direction of a minimum circumscribed rectangle of the projected surface, and at portions other than the opposite ends.

Provided is a prepeg resin composition, containing: a urethane (meth)acrylate (A) that is a reaction product of polyisocyanate (a1), polyol (a2), and hydroxy alkyl (meth)acrylate (a3); and a polymerization initiator (B), as an essential component, in which the polyisocyanate (a1) is at least one polyisocyanate selected from 2,4′-diphenyl methane diisocyanate, 4,4′-diphenyl methane diisocyanate, a carbodiimide modified product of 4,4′-diphenyl methane diisocyanate, and polymethylene polyphenyl polyisocyanate, and the polyol (a2) has an aromatic-ring and an oxyalkylene structure. The prepreg resin composition of the invention is excellent in workability and molding properties, and is capable of forming a molded article excellent in various physical properties such as external appearance and heat resistance, and thus, can be preferably used in a prepreg and a molded article thereof.

The present disclosure relates to a CFRP structural body having improved flame retardancy, and a carbon fiber prepreg capable of giving a CFRP structural body having improved flame retardancy.

A CFRP structural body comprising CFRP, in which the CFRP structural body is molded from a carbon fiber prepreg comprising a carbon fiber mat formed of chopped carbon fiber bundles with a filament count of 3K or less impregnated with a resin composition, a carbon fiber content of the CFRP is 60% by mass or more, and the CFRP structural body does not have a portion with a thickness of less than 4 mm; and a prepreg comprising a carbon fiber mat impregnated with a resin composition, in which the carbon fiber mat is formed of chopped carbon fiber bundles with filament counts of 3K or less, and a carbon fiber content of the prepreg is 60% by mass or more.

Disclosed herein are compounds of formulas (I) and (II), Wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and (1) are as described herein. Methods of making compounds of formulas (I) and (II), curable compositions containing them and cured compositions containing them are also described. The compounds of formulas (I) and II are curing agents, fire retardants or both. ##STR00001##

A binder composition for use in the manufacture of a nonwoven mat including a low-density fiber, and nonwoven mats made with the binder, are disclosed. The low-density fiber is able to reduce the acoustic openness of the nonwoven mats made therefrom while also capable of being delivered with existing binder technology and equipment.

A prepreg according to the invention comprises: a raw yarn treated by a sizing agent; a thermoplastic resin material; and a thermosetting resin material; wherein the thermoplastic resin material coats at least a part of an outer peripheral surface of the raw yarn, wherein the thermosetting resin material coats at least a part of an outer peripheral surface of the thermoplastic resin material, or wherein the thermosetting resin material coats at least a part of the outer peripheral surface of the raw yarn, wherein the thermoplastic resin material coats at least a part of an outer peripheral surface of the thermosetting resin material, and wherein the thermosetting resin material is polymerized by heating.