FIBER-REINFORCED COMPOSITE ARTICLES MADE FROM FIBERS HAVING COUPLING-INITIATOR COMPOUNDS AND METHODS OF MAKING THE ARTICLES

摘要

Methods of making a fiber-reinforced composite article are described. The methods may include providing fibers to an article template, where the fibers have been treated with a coupling-initiator compound. They may further include providing a pre-polymerized mixture that includes a monomer and a catalyst to the article template. The combination of the fibers and the pre-polymerized mixture may be heated to a polymerization temperature where the monomers polymerize around the fibers and form at least a portion of the composite article. The article may then be removed from the article template. Examples of the fiber-reinforced composite articles may include wind turbine blades for electric power generation.

主权项

1. A method of making a fiber-reinforced composite article, the method comprising:
providing fibers to an article template, wherein the fibers have been treated with a coupling-initiator compound and the coupling-initiator compound has the formula:
S—X—(I)n wherein:
n is an integer having a value between 1 and 5,S comprises a silicon-containing coupling moiety through which the coupling-initiator compound bonds to a substrate surface on the fibers,X comprises a linking moiety to link the S moiety with the one or more I moieties,(I)n comprises one or more polymerization initiator moieties,each of the initiator moieties is capable of initiating a polymerization of a monomer at the polymerization temperature, andeach of the initiator moieties is the same or different; providing a pre-polymerized mixture comprising the monomer and a catalyst to the article template; heating a combination of the fibers and the pre-polymerized mixture to a polymerization temperature where the monomers polymerize around the fibers and form at least a portion of the composite article, wherein the portion of the composite article comprises a thermoplastic polymer; and removing the composite article from the article template.