Process for the manufacture of composite materials

• US 4,279,695 A
• Filed: 11/26/1979
• Issued: 07/21/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Turner & Newall Limited
• Original Assignee: Turner & Newall Limited
• Inventors: Winterbottom, Peter H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Peter
• Application Number:
  US06/097,448
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 162/145, 162/146, 162/181 R, 162/181 D, 162/225, 162/154, 106/85, 106/93, 106/97, 106/99
• US Class Current: 162/146
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/10 Clay sepiolite C04B14/042; grog C04B18/025
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/386 Carbon carbon nanotubes C04B14/026
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/24 Vegetable refuse, e.g. rice husks, maize-ear refuse; Cellulosic materials, e.g. paper , cork
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/04 Portland cements
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 13/14 Polyalkenes, e.g. polystyrene polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 13/50 Carbon fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 17/68 siliceous, e.g. clays
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/91 Use of waste materials as fillers for mortars or concrete

Abstract

In a process for the manufacture of composite material comprising a matrix of set inorganic binder (e.g. Portland cement) and reinforcing fibre (e.g. carbon fibre), by de-watering a slurry containing water-settable inorganic binder, reinforcing fibre and web-forming fibre (e.g. cellulose fibre), and subsequently setting the binder, a ball clay is included in the slurry that is de-watered, in order to reduce shrinkage of the composite material during setting of the binder.

Claims

1. A process for the manufacture of an asbestos-free composite material comprising a matrix of set inorganic binder and fibrous reinforcement, comprising dewatering an aqueous slurry containing:

(a) water-settable inorganic binder in an amount forming at least half of the solids content of the slurry,

(b) web-forming fibres selected from cellulose fibres, polyethylene fibres and polypropylene fibres,

(c) reinforcing carbon fibres of tensile modulus not greater than 125 GPa, in an amount forming from about 0.1 to about 2.5% by weight of the solids content of the slurry, and

(d) ball clay in an amount which forms from about 5 to 30% by weight of the solids content of the slurry and is such as to reduce shrinkage of the composite material during setting of the inorganic binder.

2. A process according to claim 1, in which said water-settable inorganic binder is Portland cement.

3. A process according to claim 1, in which ball clay forms 10-20% by weight of slurry solids.

4. A process according to claim 1, in which said carbon fibre modulus is in the range 10-100 GPa.

5. A process according to claim 1, in which said carbon fibre modulus is in the range 15-80 GPa.