FIBERS TREATED WITH POLYMERIZATION COMPOUNDS AND FIBER REINFORCED COMPOSITES MADE THEREFROM

摘要

Methods of making fiber reinforced composite articles are described. The methods may include treating fibers with a sizing composition that includes a polymerization compound, and introducing the treated fibers to a pre-polymerized composition. The combination of the treated fibers and pre-polymerized composition may then undergo a temperature adjustment to a polymerization temperature at which the pre-polymerized composition polymerizes into a plastic around the fibers to form the fiber-reinforced composite article. Techniques for introducing the treated fibers to the pre-polymerized composition may include pultrusion, filament winding, reactive injection molding (RIM), structural reactive injection molding (SRIM), resin transfer molding (RTM), vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM), long fiber injection (LFI), sheet molding compound (SMC) molding, bulk molding compound (BMC) molding, a spray-up application, and/or a hand lay-up application, among other techniques.

主权项

1. A treated fiber for a fiber-reinforced composite article, the treated fiber comprising a fiber surface having a polymerization compound non-covalently contacting the fiber surface,
wherein all of the polymerization compound contacts the fiber surface, and wherein the polymerization compound has the formula:
R—X—(I)n wherein n is an integer with a value of 1 to 5; R comprises a terminal moiety selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen and a hydrocarbyl group, X comprises a linking moiety that links the R moiety with one or more I moieties; and (I)n comprises one or more polymerization initiator moieties, wherein each of the initiator moieties is capable of initiating a polymerization of one or more lactam monomers, and wherein each of the initiator moieties is the same or different.