A method of preparing a fiber-reinforced polymer composite is provided. The method includes (a) providing a swollen clay material; (b) chemically modifying a surface of the swollen clay material with an organosilane to form a silane-modified clay material; (c) intercalating the silane-modified clay material with a binder to form an intercalated clay material; and (d) melt compounding the intercalated clay material with a mixture comprising a polymer and fiber to form the fiber-reinforced polymer composite. A fiber-reinforced polymer composite is also provided.

A prepreg having at least one layer of carbon fibres and a curable thermosetting resin system, the curable thermosetting resin system at least partly impregnating the at least one layer of carbon fibres, wherein the curable thermosetting resin system includes: a curable thermosetting resin including at least one epoxide group, the curable thermosetting resin having an epoxy equivalent weight of from 140 to 180 g/eq; a curing agent for curing the curable thermosetting resin, wherein the curing agent is present in the liquid phase and includes a cyanamide reactive group; and a rheology modifier for the curable thermosetting resin system, wherein the rheology modifier includes at least one of a thermoplastic resin and an inorganic particulate thickener or a mixture thereof.

A prepreg having at least one layer of carbon fibres and a curable thermosetting resin system, the curable thermosetting resin system at least partly impregnating the at least one layer of carbon fibres, wherein the curable thermosetting resin system includes: a curable thermosetting resin including at least one epoxide group, the curable thermosetting resin having an epoxy equivalent weight of from 140 to 180 g/eq; a curing agent for curing the curable thermosetting resin, wherein the curing agent is present in the liquid phase and includes a cyanamide reactive group; and a rheology modifier for the curable thermosetting resin system, wherein the rheology modifier includes at least one of a thermoplastic resin and an inorganic particulate thickener or a mixture thereof.

An intermediate material of a thermoplastic prepreg for a fuel cell separation plate comprises a hydrophobic thermoplastic resin film and a fiber base. The hydrophobic thermoplastic resin film has a degree of crystallization of 1 to 20%, a thickness of 3 to 50 μm, and (iii) a content of an electroconductive material of 1 to 20 wt. %. The film is laminated on at least one surface of the fiber base. The thermoplastic prepreg for a fuel cell separation plate is manufactured by pressurizing the thermoplastic prepreg intermediate material at a temperature higher than the melting point of the hydrophobic thermoplastic resin film. A fuel cell separation membrane manufactured using the thermoplastic prepreg intermediate material and thermoplastic prepreg is thin and light-weight, and have a good durability.

A wood plastic composite comprises a thermoplastic resin, a lignocellulosic filler, a flame retardant material in an amount of between 10 to 20 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the composite, and optionally other additives, wherein the flame retardant material comprises one or more compounds selected from the group of a cyclic organophosphorous compound and mixtures of the cyclic organophosphorous compound together with a nitrogen-containing organic compound, and optionally a minor amount of an inorganic flame retardant.

A high-CTI and halogen-free epoxy resin composition for copper-clad plates and uses thereof is provided. The formula of the high-CTI and halogen-free epoxy resin composition for copper-clad plates comprises 100˜140 parts of halogen-free phosphorous epoxy resin, 10˜35 parts of dicyclopentadiene phenolic epoxy resin, 32˜60 parts of benzoxazine, 1˜5 parts of phenolic resin, 0.05˜0.5 parts of accelerants; and 25˜70 parts of fillers, by weight. The copper-clad plates, prepared according to embodiments of the present invention, can reach the requirements of high CTI (CTI≧500V), high heat resistance(Tg≧150 ° C., PCT, 2 h>6 min) and the level of flame retardance of UL-94 V0, and they are widely used in the electronic materials of electric machines, electric appliances, white goods and so on.

A high-CTI and halogen-free epoxy resin composition for copper-clad plates and uses thereof is provided. The formula of the high-CTI and halogen-free epoxy resin composition for copper-clad plates comprises 100˜140 parts of halogen-free phosphorous epoxy resin, 10˜35 parts of dicyclopentadiene phenolic epoxy resin, 32˜60 parts of benzoxazine, 1˜5 parts of phenolic resin, 0.05˜0.5 parts of accelerants; and 25˜70 parts of fillers, by weight. The copper-clad plates, prepared according to embodiments of the present invention, can reach the requirements of high CTI (CTI≧500V), high heat resistance(Tg≧150 ° C., PCT, 2 h>6 min) and the level of flame retardance of UL-94 V0, and they are widely used in the electronic materials of electric machines, electric appliances, white goods and so on.

Provided in the present invention are a halogen-free epoxy resin composition, prepreg and laminate using the same, the halogen-free epoxy resin composition comprising: (A) a halogen-free epoxy resin; (B) a crosslinking agent; and (C) a phosphorous-containing phenolic resin, the phosphorous-containing phenolic resin being formed by a synthesis of phenol and formaldehyde with dicyclopentadiene phenol, and being substituted by 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphapheanthrene-10-oxide or a derivative thereof. The prepreg and laminate prepared from the halogen-free epoxy resin composition have a high heat resistance, a low dielectric constant, a low dielectric loss factor and a low water absorption rate, and achieve halogen-free flame retardance.

Provided in the present invention are a halogen-free epoxy resin composition, prepreg and laminate using the same, the halogen-free epoxy resin composition comprising: (A) a halogen-free epoxy resin; (B) a crosslinking agent; and (C) a phosphorous-containing phenolic resin, the phosphorous-containing phenolic resin being formed by a synthesis of phenol and formaldehyde with dicyclopentadiene phenol, and being substituted by 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphapheanthrene-10-oxide or a derivative thereof. The prepreg and laminate prepared from the halogen-free epoxy resin composition have a high heat resistance, a low dielectric constant, a low dielectric loss factor and a low water absorption rate, and achieve halogen-free flame retardance.

An epoxy resin exhibits a small change in volume after thermal history, is excellent in low thermal expansion and low moisture absorption, and has high heat resistance, in terms of a cured product obtained therefrom; a curable resin composition; a cured product which has all the above properties; a semiconductor encapsulating material; a semiconductor device; a prepreg; a circuit board; a buildup film; a buildup substrate; a fiber-reinforced composite material; and a molded article. The present invention is characterized by an epoxy resin, characterized by including as essential components, a cresol-naphthol co-condensed novolac type epoxy resin (A), a naphthol glycidyl ether compound (B), and one or more xanthene compounds (C) selected from the group of compounds represented by the following structural formulae (1) to (3), wherein the content of the xanthene compound(s) (C) is from 0.1% to 5.5% in terms of area ratio in a GPC measurement.

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