The invention relates to a continuous fibrous tape comprising a substantially planar sheet of natural fibres of length Li. The sheet has a longitudinal dimension L and a transverse dimension w. The sheet comprises planar units positioned in n longitudinal lines. The planar units of adjoining longitudinal lines are misaligned by a misalignment distance Lv, with Lv being at least 3 w/n. Furthermore if the misalignment distance Lv between planar units of a first longitudinal line and the planar units of a second longitudinal line is less than 3 w/n, then there are at least two longitudinal lines positioned between the first longitudinal line and the second longitudinal line. The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such a continuous fibrous tape and to the use of such a continuous fibrous tape to manufacture a composite article.

The toughness of a laminate is improved. A fiber-reinforced resin material contains a fiber material in a resin; and the fiber material contains high-rigidity fibers and fibroin fibers. According to the present invention, a laminate is formed by laminating and bonding a plurality of fiber-reinforced resin layers. A fiber-reinforced resin layer contains the high-rigidity fibers in a resin. A fiber-reinforced resin layer contains the fibroin fibers in a resin.

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.

A graphene oxide/polypropylene heat-resistant high-strength composite profile and a preparation method thereof. The composite profile is a graphene oxide/polypropylene-based reinforced plain weave composite resin material, which is a heat-resistant high-strength composite profile prepared from a graphene oxide/polypropylene-based woven plain weave fabric and a fiber heat-insulating material which are made into a layered spacing structure composite flat net, and a resin composite material. The preparation method comprises the following steps: preparation of a graphene oxide/polypropylene-based woven plain weave fabric; preparation of a graphene oxide/polypropylene-based reinforced plain weave composite material; preparation of a multilayer graphene oxide/polypropylene-based reinforced plain weave composite material; and preparation of a resin composite material. The present invention has the advantages of convenient operation and excellent properties.

Presented are fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) sandwich structures, methods for making/using such FRP sandwich structures, and motor vehicles with a vehicle component fabricated from a compression molded thermoset or thermoplastic FRP sandwich structure. A multidimensional composite sandwich structure includes first and second (skin) layers formed from a thermoset of thermoplastic polymer matrix, such as resin or nylon, filled with a fiber reinforcing material, such as chopped carbon fibers. A third (core) layer, which is encased between the first and second skin layers, is formed from a thermoset/thermoplastic polymer matrix filled with a fiber reinforcing material and a filler material, such as hollow glass microspheres. The first, second and third layers have respective rheological flow properties that are substantially similar such that all three layers flow in unison at a predetermined compression molding pressure. These layers may be formed from the same thermoset/thermoplastic polymer material, and include the same fiber reinforcing material.

Presented are fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) sandwich structures, methods for making/using such FRP sandwich structures, and motor vehicles with a vehicle component fabricated from a compression molded thermoset or thermoplastic FRP sandwich structure. A multidimensional composite sandwich structure includes first and second (skin) layers formed from a thermoset of thermoplastic polymer matrix, such as resin or nylon, filled with a fiber reinforcing material, such as chopped carbon fibers. A third (core) layer, which is encased between the first and second skin layers, is formed from a thermoset/thermoplastic polymer matrix filled with a fiber reinforcing material and a filler material, such as hollow glass microspheres. The first, second and third layers have respective rheological flow properties that are substantially similar such that all three layers flow in unison at a predetermined compression molding pressure. These layers may be formed from the same thermoset/thermoplastic polymer material, and include the same fiber reinforcing material.

A woven article for a carbon fiber reinforced plastic according to the present invention is a woven article of a spun yarn containing: about 10 wt % to about 60 wt % of a carbon fiber staple in which the content of carbon components is equal to or greater than about 97 wt %; and about 40 wt % to about 90 wt % of a thermoplastic resin fiber, wherein the carbon fiber staple is obtained by carbonizing carbon fiber reinforced plastic scrap at a temperature of about 900 to about 1400 C. The woven article for a carbon fiber reinforced plastic includes a carbon fiber staple manufactured from scrap generated during manufacture of the carbon fiber reinforced plastic, and allows economic recycling of the carbon fiber reinforced plastic scrap without a reduction in mechanical properties. When molded, productivity is high due to a short cycle time, there is almost no orientation, and an excellent flexural modulus is exhibited.

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.

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 resin composition is provided, which includes 1 part by weight of (a) thermally conductive resin with a biphenyl group, 1.0 to 10.0 parts by weight of (b) polyphenylene oxide, 0.01 to 5.0 parts by weight of (c) hardener, and 0.1 to 5.0 parts by weight of (d) inorganic filler. (d) Inorganic filler is boron nitride, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, carbon nitride, octahedral carbon, or a combination thereof with a surface modified by iron-containing oxide. (d) Inorganic filler is sheet-shaped or needle-shaped.