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.

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 fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin filament is obtained by impregnating a continuous reinforcing fiber with a thermoplastic resin, and satisfies all of conditions (a) to (c). (a) The volume ratio of a reinforcing fiber in a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin filament is 30 to 80%; and the volume ratio of a thermoplastic resin in a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin filament is 70 to 20%. (b) The thickness of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin filament is 0.01 to 3 mm. (c) The length of a filament contained in a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin filament is 1 m or more.

Methods of making fiber-containing prepregs are described. The methods may include the steps of providing a plurality of fibers, and applying a reactive resin composition to the plurality of fibers to make a mixture of the plurality of fibers and the resin composition. The reactive resin composition may include at least one of monomers and oligomers capable of polymerizing into a polymerized resin matrix. The mixture may be heated to a polymerization temperature where the monomers, oligomers, or both polymerize to form a fiber-resin amalgam that includes the polymerized resin matrix. The fiber-resin amalgam may be formed into the fiber-containing prepreg. Also described are methods of forming a fiber-reinforced composite that includes the prepreg.

Methods of making fiber-containing prepregs are described. The methods may include the steps of providing a plurality of fibers, and applying a reactive resin composition to the plurality of fibers to make a mixture of the plurality of fibers and the resin composition. The reactive resin composition may include at least one of monomers and oligomers capable of polymerizing into a polymerized resin matrix. The mixture may be heated to a polymerization temperature where the monomers, oligomers, or both polymerize to form a fiber-resin amalgam that includes the polymerized resin matrix. The fiber-resin amalgam may be formed into the fiber-containing prepreg. Also described are methods of forming a fiber-reinforced composite that includes the prepreg.

A method for producing a prepreg, includes the steps of (1) an opening step of opening glass fiber bundles to form plural glass fiber filaments, and (2) a step of aligning the plural glass fiber filaments formed in the previous opening step, on a thermosetting resin composition-coated surface of a carrier material so as to make the filaments run nearly parallel to each other in one direction thereon to form a prepreg. A method for producing a laminate, includes a step of preparing two or more prepregs formed in the previous step (2), laminating them in such a manner that, in at least one pair of prepregs, the running direction of the plural glass fiber filaments in one prepreg differs from the running direction of the plural glass fiber filaments in the other prepreg, and heating and pressing them.

A method for producing a prepreg, includes the steps of (1) an opening step of opening glass fiber bundles to form plural glass fiber filaments, and (2) a step of aligning the plural glass fiber filaments formed in the previous opening step, on a thermosetting resin composition-coated surface of a carrier material so as to make the filaments run nearly parallel to each other in one direction thereon to form a prepreg. A method for producing a laminate, includes a step of preparing two or more prepregs formed in the previous step (2), laminating them in such a manner that, in at least one pair of prepregs, the running direction of the plural glass fiber filaments in one prepreg differs from the running direction of the plural glass fiber filaments in the other prepreg, and heating and pressing them.

A unidirectional laminate comprising a fiber reinforced composite material having a main relaxation temperature (Tα) in a range between about 110° C. and 140° C. The composite comprises a plurality of unidirectional reinforcement fibers coated with a sizing composition and a matrix resin. The unidirectional laminate has a tensile modulus of at least 45 GPa at a fiber volume fraction greater than or equal to 50% and fatigue mechanical performance of at least 450 MPa at 1 MM cycles, measured according to ASTM E 739-91.

A unidirectional laminate comprising a fiber reinforced composite material having a main relaxation temperature (Tα) in a range between about 110° C. and 140° C. The composite comprises a plurality of unidirectional reinforcement fibers coated with a sizing composition and a matrix resin. The unidirectional laminate has a tensile modulus of at least 45 GPa at a fiber volume fraction greater than or equal to 50% and fatigue mechanical performance of at least 450 MPa at 1 MM cycles, measured according to ASTM E 739-91.

A system for manufacturing a thermoplastic prepreg includes a double belt mechanism that is configured to compress a fiber mat, web, or mesh that is passed through the double belt mechanism, a resin applicator that is configured to apply monomers or oligomers to the fiber mat, web, or mesh, and a curing oven that is configured to effect polymerization of the monomers or oligomers and thereby form the thermoplastic polymer as the fiber mat, web, or mesh is moved through the curing oven. The double belt mechanism compresses the fiber mat, web, or mesh and the applied monomers or oligomers as the fiber mat, web, or mesh is passed through the curing oven so that the monomers or oligomers fully saturate the fiber mat, web, or mesh. Upon polymerization of the monomers or oligomers, the fiber mat, web, or mesh is fully impregnated with the thermoplastic polymer.