Impact resistent composites

• US 4,861,649 A
• Filed: 11/02/1987
• Issued: 08/29/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dexter Corp. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Dexter Corp. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Browne, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Van Balen, William J.
• Application Number:
  US07/115,280
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 428/240, 428/241, 428/242, 428/244, 428/283, 428/313.3, 428/313.5, 428/313.9, 428/902, 428/911
• US Class Current: 442/372
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/106 Carbon fibres, e.g. graphite fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/076 Prepregs
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/54 Filled microcapsules
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/558 Impact strength, toughness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/18 characterised by features of a layer of foamed material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/24 one layer being a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/245 another layer next to it being a foam layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/902 High modulus filament or fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/911 Penetration resistant layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24994 Fiber embedded in or on the surface of a polymeric matrix
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249971 Preformed hollow element-containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249972 Resin or rubber element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249974 Metal- or silicon-containing element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/649 Plural foamed layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/652 Nonwoven fabric is coated, impregnated, or autogenously bonded

Abstract

The invention relates to an impact resistent syntactic foam-prepreg composite material comprising syntactic foam of microballoons in a matrix resin bonded to a compatible resin containing carbon fiber prepeg in which the syntactic foam is one or more thin uniform layers located within the composite material sufficiently close to an impact prone surface of the composite to enhance the composite'"'"'s ability to withstand the impact through such surface.

Claims

1. An impact resistent synthetic foam-prepreg composite material comprising at least one layer of a thin film of uniform thickness of a syntactic foam containing rigid microballoons in a resin matrix laminated to a prepreg construction of continuous filaments of high modulus fiber in a thermosetting resin matrix in which the syntactic foam is one or more thin uniform layers located within the composite material sufficiently close to an impact prone surface of the composite to enhance the composite'"'"'s ability to withstand the impact through such surface and wherein the matrix resin of the syntactic foam is compatible and cocurable with the resin matrix of the prepreg.

2. The impact resistent syntactic foam-prepreg composite material of claim 1 in which at least one layer of the thin film of syntactic foam containing rigid microballoons in a resin matrix is separated from the exterior surface of the composite by about one (1) to about ten (10) layers of such prepreg and at least one layer of the syntactic foam is located within the composite material sufficiently close to an impact prone surface of the composite to enhance the composite'"'"'s ability to withstand impact through such surface.

3. The composite material of claim 1 wherein the prepreg is a carbon fiber prepreg.

4. The composite material of claim 2 wherein at least one layer of the syntactic foam containing rigid microballoons in a resin matrix laminated to the prepreg construction of continuous filaments of high modulus fiber in a resin matrix is separated from the exterior surface by about one (1) to about five (5) layers of such prepreg.

5. The composite material of claim 4 wherein at least one layer of a thin film of the syntactic foam containing rigid microballoons in a resin matrix laminated to the prepreg construction of continuous filaments of high modulus fiber in a resin matrix is separated from the exterior surface by about one (1) to about three (3) layers of such prepreg.