METHOD OF MANUFACTURE OF REINFORCED SHEET PLASTICS MATERIAL AND THE PRODUCTION OF MOULDED ARTICLES THEREFROM

摘要

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheet material incorporating fibrous reinforcement, eg. 20 to 60% glass fibre, is holding superimposing layers of reinforcement and molten PET in contact under pressure and then cooling the layers to below the glass transition temperature of PET at a rate sufficient to avoid crystallization of the PET. The resulting sheet material contains PET in its amorphous phase and can be moulded to form articles such as motor vehicle body panels by heating the sheet in a mould to a temperature above its glass transition temperature but below its melting point and holding the sheet at that temperature until the PET undergoes crystallization.