Disclosed is a non-destructive universal method of functionalization of graphitic carbonaceous materials that enables their alignment, cross-linking, and effective integration into composite materials.

Methods of making a fiber-reinforced composite are described. The methods may include applying a sizing composition to a plurality of fibers to make sized fibers, where the sizing composition may include at least one of a curing agent or an accelerator for a resin composition. The sized fibers may be contacted with the resin composition to form a resin-fiber amalgam, where the resin composition includes 50 wt. % or less of a total amount of the curing agent and the accelerator that is also present on the sized fibers. The resin-fiber amalgam may then be cured to form the fiber-reinforced composite.

Disclosed herein is a composition having a plurality of particles of a filler material and crosslinking units having the formula —(SiR—CH.sub.2—CH.sub.2—CH.sub.2)—. The silicon atom in the crosslinking unit is directly or indirectly bound to the filler material. Each R is alkyl, alkenyl, phenyl, methyl, ethyl, allyl, halogen, chloro, or bromo. Also disclosed herein is a filler material having the silicon atom of a silacyclobutane group is directly or indirectly bound thereto. Also disclosed herein is a method of crosslinking silacyclobutane groups bound to a plurality of particles of a filler material. The silicon atom of the silacyclobutane group is directly or indirectly bound to the filler material. Also disclosed herein is a composition including a plurality of fibers of a polymer having reactive oxygen atoms and siloxane groups. Coordination bonds are formed between the oxygen atoms and the silicon atoms of the siloxane groups of separate fibers.

Embodiments of organic peroxide formulations provide longer scorch time protection and require fewer additives. The peroxide formulations may include, for example, at least one organic peroxide, at least one nitroxide-containing compound (e.g., 4-hydroxy-TEMPO), and at least one quinone-containing compound (e.g., mono-tert-butylhydroquinone). Embodiments of the present invention relate to organic peroxide compositions comprising scorch retarders. Embodiments of the invention also relate to crosslinkable elastomer compositions, processes for curing the elastomers, and products made by such processes.

An object of the invention is to provide a crosslinking agent with which a crosslinked polymer that suffers little coloring with the lapse of time and shows excellent viscosity stability is obtained. The crosslinking agent of the invention includes a compound which contains two or more alkylhydrazide groups represented by the following general formula (1). ##STR00001##
(In formula (1), R.sup.1 represents an alkyl group having 1-10 carbon atoms, and symbol * is a linking bond.)

Embodiments of organic peroxide formulations provide significant improvements in surface tackiness (often including tack-free surfaces) when curing elastomers in the presence of oxygen. The peroxide formulations may include, for example, one or more compounds selected from sulfur-containing compounds, organophosphite compounds, HALS (Hindered Amine Light Stabilizer) compounds, aliphatic allyl urethane compounds, and blends comprising nitroxides (e.g., 4-hydroxy-TEMPO) and quinones (e.g., mono-tert-butylhydroquinone).

An organic peroxide composition is provided which is liquid or near liquid at 25° C. or a low melting solid and which includes at least one ethylenically unsaturated organic peroxide (i.e., an organic peroxide containing at least one carbon-carbon double bond) and at least one saturated organic peroxide. The organic peroxide composition may further include at least one mono- and/or poly-unsaturated compound and at least one free-radical trap. The organic peroxide can be blended into a polymer such as a powdered or granular polyethylene resin. This peroxide-containing polymer can be used in rotational molding, wherein the polymer is added to a mold which is heated in an oven with rotation, thereby melting the polymer and coating the inside of the mold.

According to one embodiment, a system for manufacturing a fully impregnated thermoplastic prepreg includes a mechanism for moving a fabric or mat and a drying mechanism that removes residual moisture from at least one surface of the fabric or mat. The system also includes a resin application mechanism that applies a reactive resin to the fabric or mat and a press mechanism that presses the coated fabric or mat to ensure that the resin fully saturates the fabric or mat. The system further includes a curing oven through which the coated fabric or mat is moved to polymerize the resin and thereby form a thermoplastic polymer so that upon exiting the oven, the fabric or mat is fully impregnated with the thermoplastic polymer. During at least a portion of the process, humidity in the vicinity of the coated fabric or mat is maintained at substantially zero.

A method for forming a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composite by distributing carbon fibers or nanotubes into a molten polymer phase comprising one or more molten polymers; and applying a succession of shear strain events to the molten polymer phase so that the molten polymer phase breaks the carbon fibers successively with each event, producing reactive edges on the broken carbon fibers that react with and cross-link the one or more polymers. The composite shows improvements in mechanical properties, such as stiffness, strength and impact energy absorption.

A polysulfone has sulfone units that are separated by alkylene units in a polymer chain or a copolymer chain where the alkylene units have at least four carbons between sulfone units. The alkylene units can include an ethenylene unit separated from the sulfone units by at least one methylene units. The polysulfones can be crosslinked for enhanced thermal stability. Membranes can be formed from the polysulfones.