Composite materials

Abstract

New composite materials having a high density of small particles, such as hollow microspheres, in a matrix material are disclosed. The microspheres are densely packed in the matrix material such that adjacent microspheres are positioned in contact with each other or very close together. Fiber flanking may be provided on the opposite sides of a layer of a core of composite material having the small particles and matrix material. Also disclosed are methods of making and using the composite materials.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention generally relates to composite materials. More specifically, the present invention relates to composite materials having a high density of small particles, such as hollow microspheres, in a matrix material. The present invention also relates to methods of making and using the composite materials, and products made from the composite materials. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Composite materials have been used for a variety of applications. Hollow microspheres have also been used as additives to materials. Microspheres have been used as filler materials and additives to paints, plastics, sheet molding compound (SMC), composites, injection molding, adhesives, syntactic foams, and for other applications. However, needs exist for improved composite materials. Furthermore, there are ongoing needs for new materials that have new and enhanced material properties. [0003] Examples of problems with existing composite materials and product...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006] A Gaussian distribution or random distribution of the small particles occurs in the matrix material by saturating, or nearly saturating, the matrix material with the small particles. The small particles displace the matrix material and create a network structure which provides a remarkably strong material or core. The network structure of the matrix material is a continuous extension of the matrix material around the numerous small particles throughout the composite material. With uniform dispersion of the small particles, the network structure becomes a near perfect uniform distribution of “voids” in the matrix material, in which the small particles form the “voids” in the matrix material. This is particularly the case when microspheres are utilized as the small particles. Although this disclosure often refers to hollow microspheres, it should be understood that the present invention generally pertains to small particles. Forces applied to a device made from the new composite material are distributed by the small particles and matrix material throughout the composite material. Compression of the matrix material and small particles prior to curing can assist in distributing the small particles and removing entrapped air or gases from the composite material structure.

[0010] The new composite materials provide remarkable improvements in material properties, such as dramatically reducing the weight of composite materials while increasing some material properties strength. The density packing of the hollow microspheres in the matrix material provides a network structure, and due to tangential pressures being exerted from one microsphere to the next along random paths in all directions, the composite materials exhibit remarkable strength and other properties. In one process of making the new composite material, a matrix material and microsphere mixture is compressed and excess matrix material is passed through a filter and removed. The microspheres are retained in the matrix material and positioned very close together in random Gaussian distribution to form a high-density packing of the microspheres.

Problems solved by technology

Examples of problems with existing composite materials and products made from the materials can include high weight, high cost of the materials, high manufacturing costs, and long manufacturing times. Additional examples of problems have included insufficient heat transfer resistance, poor acoustic properties, poor chemical resistance, poor moisture or water resistance, and inferior electrical properties.

Furthermore, existing composite materials insufficiently combine various desired material properties together into a single material.

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