An epoxy resin, comprising an epoxy compound having a mesogenic structure, and having a value of 2/1 equal to 3 or less, wherein is an initial dynamic shear viscosity (Pa.Math.s) and 2 is a maximum value of dynamic shear viscosity (Pa.Math.s), in a measurement of dynamic shear viscosity.

The present invention relates to a composite material obtained by in situ polymerization of a thermoplastic resin with a fibrous material. More particularly the present invention relates to a polymeric composite material obtained by in-situ polymerization of a thermoplastic (meth)acrylic resin and a fibrous material containing long fibers and its use, a process for making such a composite material and manufactured mechanical or structured part or article comprising this polymeric composite material, especially wind turbine parts including welded parts.

A resin supply material used for press molding or vacuum-pressure molding of a fiber-reinforced resin includes a reinforcing fiber base material and a thermosetting resin, wherein a tensile rupture strain of the reinforcing fiber base material is 1% or more at temperature T, and/or a tensile strength of the reinforcing fiber base material is 0.5 MPa or more at the temperature T, wherein Temperature T is a temperature at which the viscosity of the thermosetting resin is minimum in heating of the thermosetting resin at a temperature elevation rate of 1.5 C./minute from 40 C.

An impregnator for impregnating a fabric layer comprising: a chamber, the chamber being structured and arranged so as to retain a binding composition in a fluid state; a first opening being structured and arranged so as to allow the fabric layer entering the chamber in a dry state from a top portion of the chamber to be dived into the binding composition; and a second opening extending along the longitudinal axis of a bottom portion of the chamber, the second opening being structured and arranged to allow the fabric layer to exit from the bottom portion of the chamber in an impregnated state, the second opening comprising a first lip structured and arranged to be in contact with a first surface of the fabric layer and a second lip structured and arranged to be in contact with a second surface of the fabric layer.

Methods of making prepregs are described. The methods include the steps of forming a fiber-containing substrate, and contacting the fiber-containing substrate with a resin mixture. The resin mixture may include polymer particles mixed in a liquid medium, and the polymer particles may be coated on the fiber-containing substrate to form a coated substrate. The liquid medium may be removed from the coated substrate to form the prepreg. The prepregs may be used to make fiber-reinforced articles.

Fiber-containing polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) prepregs are described that include a first and second plurality of fibers. The second plurality of fibers is made from a different material than the first plurality of fibers. The PMMA prepregs also contain a polymerized resin that includes polymethyl methacrylate that has been formed from a reactive resin composition that includes methyl methacrylate. Methods of making fiber-containing PMMA prepregs are also described.

The technology in accordance with embodiments of the present technology provides a hybrid fiber reinforced material comprising a plurality of conditioned bamboo fibers, a plurality of carbon fibers arranged with the plurality of conditioned bamboo fibers, and a resin matrix encapsulating the arrangement of conditioned bamboo fibers and carbon fibers. The encapsulated arrangement can be formed when heated a first time into a first shape and cooled a first time. The encapsulated arrangement can be reformable into a second shape different than the first shape when heated a second time and cooled a second time.

A resin composition is provided, which includes 1 part by weight of a thermally conductive resin, 0.001 to 0.05 parts by weight of radical initiator, and 0.05 to 0.30 parts by weight of crosslinking agent. The chemical structure of the thermally conductive resin is ##STR00001##
in which R.sup.1 is CH.sub.2, C(O), or (CH.sub.2)(C.sub.6H.sub.5), and R.sup.2 is H or CH.sub.3.

A process for aligning discontinuous fibers, and composite products and mats comprised of highly aligned discontinuous fibers, including products of the process. Aligned discontinuous fiber composite products include a matrix of fibers, each fiber having a longitudinal fiber axis, the composite comprising a free, uncut edge extending along an edge axis. The longitudinal fiber axis of a majority of the fibers in the composite product are aligned within a predetermined alignment tolerance of an alignment axis non-parallel to the edge axis. Aligned discontinuous fiber mats may have a first areal density of fibers in a first region of the composite located inward relative to the free, uncut edge, and a second area density at or adjacent to the free, uncut edge.

A thermoplastic prepreg includes a mat, web, or fabric of fibers and hollow glass microspheres that are positioned atop the mat, web, or fabric of fibers or dispersed therein. The thermoplastic prepreg also includes a thermoplastic polymer that is fully impregnated through the mat, web, or fabric of fibers and the hollow glass microspheres so that the thermoplastic prepreg has a void content of less than 3% by volume of the thermoplastic prepreg. The thermoplastic material is polymerized monomers and oligomers in which greater than 90% by weight of the monomers or oligomers react to form the thermoplastic material.