Process for adding a surface finish to a fiber-reinforced composite

• US 20020063349A1
• Filed: 10/31/2001
• Published: 05/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Christopher M. Edwards, Dʼhooghe, Edward L.
• Original Assignee: Christopher M. Edwards, Dʼhooghe, Edward L.
• Inventors: DʼHooghe, Edward L., Edwards, Christopher M.
• Application Number:
  US10/000,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20020063349A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/1.28
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/525 Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/04 formed by bundles of fibres G02B6/24 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for creating surface modification onto a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane composite is described. The method comprises the steps of a) drawing a fiber bundle through a heated thermoplastic polyurethane resin melt to impregnate the fiber bundle with the resin to form a wetted fiber bundle; b) wrapping a thermoplastic film over the wetted fiber bundle to provide surface modification over the wetted fiber bundle; and c) cooling and shaping the surface modified wetted fiber bundle to form the surface modified fiber reinforced composite. This method creates surface modification that imparts a variety of properties onto the surface including transparency, paintability, ignition resistance, scratch resistance, abrasion resistance, reflectiveness, and resistance to dust build-up.

Claims

1. A method for creating surface modification onto a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane composite comprising the steps of a) drawing a fiber bundle through a heated thermoplastic polyurethane resin melt to impregnate the fiber bundle with the resin to form a wetted fiber bundle;

b) wrapping a thermoplastic film over the wetted fiber bundle to provide surface modification over the wetted fiber bundle; and

c) cooling and shaping the surface modified wetted fiber bundle to form the surface modified fiber reinforced composite.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane is an engineering thermoplastic polyurethane having a T_g of not less than 50°

C.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane is a soft thermoplastic polyurethane having a T_g of less than 25°

C.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the thermoplastic film contains a thermoplastic other than a thermoplastic polyurethane.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic film is ignition resistant.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic film is abrasion or scratch resistant.

8. The method of claim 1 which wherein the thermoplastic film is paintable.

5. The method of claim wherein the thermoplastic film is transparent.

9. A method for creating surface modification onto a fiber-reinforced polar thermoplastic matrix composite comprising the steps of a) drawing a fiber bundle through a heated polar thermoplastic resin melt to impregnate the fiber bundle with the resin to form a wetted fiber bundle;

b) wrapping a thermoplastic film over the wetted fiber bundle to provide surface modification over the wetted fiber bundle; and

c) cooling and shaping the surface modified wetted fiber bundle to form the surface modified fiber reinforced composite;

wherein the polar thermoplastic matrix is a polyester, a polyamide, or a thermoplastic polyurethane.