PHOSPHORESCENT THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITE LAYERED STRUCTURE

Abstract

A phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure has at least one layered element. Each one of the at least one layered element has a polymer matrix and a reinforcing fiber combined with the polymer matrix. The polymer matrix includes a thermoplastic resin and a phosphorescent compound. The phosphorescent compound is dispersed in the thermoplastic resin and has multiple particles uniformly distributed inside the thermoplastic resin. The reinforcing fiber is combined with the polymer matrix of the at least one layered element by pressing and heating to form the phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure.

Claims

1. A phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure having: at least one layered element, and each one of the at least one layered element having a polymer matrix; and a reinforcing fiber combined with the polymer matrix; wherein the polymer matrix comprises a thermoplastic resin and a phosphorescent compound, the phosphorescent compound is dispersed in the thermoplastic resin and has multiple particles distributed inside the thermoplastic resin, and the reinforcing fiber is combined with the polymer matrix of the at least one layered element.

2. The phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic resin comprises semi-crystalline and amorphous polymers.

3. The phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the phosphorescent compound is comprised of multiple particles made of sulfide, rare earth aluminate, rare earth silicate, and rare earth sulphur oxide.

4. The phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the phosphorescent compound is comprised of multiple particles made of sulfide, rare earth aluminate, rare earth silicate, and rare earth sulphur oxide.

5. The phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the reinforcing fiber has multiple fibers; the fibers comprise carbon fibers, glass fibers, mineral fibers, and polymer fibers; and the appearance of the fibers is short fibers, long fibers, continuous fibers, or woven fibers.

6. The phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the reinforcing fiber has multiple fibers; the fibers comprise carbon fibers, glass fibers, mineral fibers, and polymer fibers; and the appearance of the fibers is short fibers, long fibers, continuous fibers, or woven fibers.

7. The phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein the phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure is provided with multiple layered elements, and the layered elements are stacked upon each other.

8. The phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure is provided with multiple layered elements, and the layered elements are stacked upon each other.

9. The phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure is provided with multiple layered elements, and the layered elements are stacked upon each other.

10. The phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure is provided with multiple layered elements, and the layered elements are stacked upon each other.

11. The phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein the phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure is provided with multiple layered elements stacked upon each other, and two adjacent ones of the multiple layered elements stacked upon each other have an angle formed therebetween.

12. The phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure is provided with multiple layered elements stacked upon each other, and each two adjacent ones of the multiple layered elements stacked upon each other have an angle formed therebetween.

13. The phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure is provided with multiple layered elements stacked upon each other, and each two adjacent ones of the multiple layered elements stacked upon each other have an angle formed therebetween.

14. The phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure is provided with multiple layered elements stacked upon each other, and each two adjacent ones of the multiple layered elements have an angle formed therebetween.

15. The phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein the thickness of the layered elements is uniform or non-uniform.

16. The phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure as claimed in claim 8, wherein the thickness of the layered elements is uniform or non-uniform.

17. The phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein the thickness of the layered elements is uniform or non-uniform.

18. The phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein the thickness of the layered elements is uniform or non-uniform.

19. The phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure as claimed in claim 11, wherein the thickness of the layered elements is uniform or non-uniform.

20. The phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure as claimed in claim 12, wherein the thickness of the layered elements is uniform or non-uniform.

21. The phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure as claimed in claim 13, wherein the thickness of the layered elements is uniform or non-uniform.

22. The phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure as claimed in claim 14, wherein the thickness of the layered elements is uniform or non-uniform.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] FIG. 1 is a cross sectional side view of a phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure in accordance with the present invention;

[0011] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional side view of the phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure in FIG. 1;

[0012] FIG. 3 is a top view of the phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure in FIG. 1; and

[0013] FIG. 4 is a block flow diagram of a method of manufacturing a phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0014] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, a phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure in accordance with the present invention comprises at least one layered element 10, and each one of the at least one layered element 10 has a thermoplastic polymer (matrix) and an oriented continuous fibrous reinforcement (fibers) 40 combined with the thermoplastic polymer (matrix). The thermoplastic polymer (matrix) of the at least one layered element 10 comprised of a thermoplastic polymer 20 and a phosphorescent compound 30. The thermoplastic polymer 20 can be either a semi-crystalline or amorphous polymers. The phosphorescent compound 30 is a powder and is mixed with the thermoplastic polymer 20. Furthermore, the phosphorescent compound 30 is a powder of sulfide, rare earth aluminate, rare earth silicate or rare earth sulphur oxide. Additionally, the phosphorescent compound 30 has multiple particles made of rare earth aluminate, and a center particle size (D50 is the diameter at which 50% of a sample's mass is comprised of smaller particles) of the multiple particles is between 10 and 80 micrometers (m).

[0015] Preferably, the polymer matrix is further provided with a plasticizer and other additives, wherein the plasticizer enhances the mixing of the thermoplastic polymer 20 and the phosphorescent compound 30 by lowering the resin viscosity. Then the thermoplastic polymer 20 and the multiple particles of the phosphorescent compound 30 can be combined with the oriented continuous fibrous reinforcement (fibers) 40. The additives may be an antioxidant (increasing the oxidation resistance of the polymer matrix), a dispersing agent (uniformly dispersing the phosphorescent compound 30 in the polymer matrix), a coupling agent (enhancing the bonding property between the polymer matrix and the oriented continuous fibrous reinforcement (fibers) 40), or a combination of them.

[0016] With reference to FIG. 4, after uniformly mixing the thermoplastic polymer 20, the phosphorescent compound 30, the plasticizer, and the additives, the thermoplastic polymer (matrix) is formed into a phosphorescent thermoplastic resin, that is, a first operating step of manufacturing a phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure: compounding. Furthermore, the thermoplastic polymer 20, the phosphorescent compound 30, the plasticizer, and the additives are mixed at a weight percentage of 50 to 95%, 5 to 50%, 0 to 60%, and 0 to 10%, respectively.

[0017] The oriented continuous fibrous reinforcement (fibers) 40 has multiple continuous fibers. Preferably, the continuous fibers comprise carbon fibers, glass fibers, mineral fibers, and polymer fibers, etc. The appearance of the continuous fibers may be short fibers, long fibers, continuous fibers, or woven fibers, etc. In manufacture, the phosphorescent thermoplastic resin is uniformly applied to the continuous fibers, and the phosphorescent thermoplastic resin is infused into the space between the continuous fibers by increasing temperature and pressure.

[0018] The phosphorescent thermoplastic resin is melted above its glass transition temperature (for an amorphous polymer) or its melting point temperature (for a semi-crystalline polymer), and at a temperature at which the polymer viscosity is low enough for viscous flow to occur in order to uniformly and fully impregnate the fibrous reinforcement. After cooling to a temperature lower than the polymer glass transition temperature (for an amorphous polymer) or the polymer crystallization point (for a semi-crystalline polymer), a prepreg of the phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure is formed, and the foregoing operation is the second operating step in the manufacturing process as shown in FIG. 4: impregnation. Then according to requirements of product shapes, types of polymer, and types of fiber, etc., an operating step of hot-press forming of the prepreg, the time required for the prepreg is less than 5 minutes, and the processing temperature is between 140 and 300 C. After the above-mentioned hot-press forming, a phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure of the present invention is produced.

[0019] Furthermore, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure is provided with three layered elements 10, and the layered elements 10 are stacked upon each other. In addition, with reference to FIG. 3, the phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure is provided with multiple layered elements 10 stacked upon each other, and each two adjacent ones of the multiple layered elements 10 stacked upon each other have an angle formed between them. Preferably, the thickness of the layered elements 10 may be uniform or non-uniform.

[0020] With the above-mentioned technical features and structural relationships, the phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure of the present invention uses the thermoplastic polymer 20 as one of the raw materials of the polymer matrix, so that the prepreg can be stored at room temperature indefinitely. Furthermore, the surface of the prepreg that is made from the thermoplastic polymer 20 is dry and devoid of tackiness and does not cause sticking. Therefore, it is not necessary to use a release paper for packaging during the production process, which not only shortens the production time but also reduces the cost.

[0021] Additionally, due to the material properties of the thermoplastic polymer 20, the phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure of the present invention, after the step of hot press forming, can be repeatedly reprocessed by reheating, and has the value of reuse and conforms to the trend of environmental protection. Further, the time required for hot-press forming (less than 5 minutes) is shorter than the conventional thermosetting resin (10 to 60 minutes), and can effectively improve the production efficiency.

[0022] In addition, the phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure made of the thermoplastic polymer 20 has an inter-laminar fracture toughness value of 1 to 10 kJ/m.sup.2, higher than the toughness value of the conventional phosphorescent thermosetting composite layered structure (0-1 kJ/m.sup.2), the tensile strength is greater than 300 MPa, and the tensile modulus is greater than 17 GPa with woven glass fabric at fiber volume fraction: 50%. The continuous illuminating time is more than 12 hours. Therefore, the present invention can effectively improve the structural toughness of the phosphorescent thermoplastic composite layered structure, thereby increasing the application range, thereby providing an improvement in production efficiency, re-use, and improvement of structural toughness.

[0023] Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.