Composite material and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

To provide a composite material of a fiber-reinforced plastic member, an elastic member, and a metal member in which stress produced on a connection between the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the metal member is relaxed, electrocorrosion between the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the metal member is prevented, and exfoliation between the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the metal member is prevented.SOLUTION: A composite material has: a metal member; an elastic member having a rubber material formed on at least one region on the metal member and brought into direct contact with the metal member; and a fiber-reinforced plastic member having the fiber-reinforced plastic formed on at least one region on the elastic member and brought into direct contact with the elastic member, wherein the elastic member is arranged between the metal member and the fiber-reinforced plastic member, and the metal member, the elastic member and the fiber-reinforced plastic member are integrated with one another.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a composite material having a fiber-reinforced plastic member, an elastic member, and a metal member, with the elastic member disposed between the metal member and the fiber-reinforced plastic member, and to a method for manufacturing the composite material. [Background technology]

[0002] Currently, fiber reinforced plastics (FRPs) are widely used as materials for industrial products, such as industrial robots and other production-related equipment, aircraft, automobiles, bicycles and other transportation-related equipment, tennis rackets, golf clubs and other sporting goods, and building structures, such as earthquake-resistant reinforcement materials, due to their light weight and high strength. Fiber reinforced plastics are also sometimes used in the form of composite materials integrated with rubber materials.

[0003] For example, the arm of an industrial robot is required to have sufficient rigidity and improved vibration damping characteristics. Accordingly, a molded article has been proposed as a component of the arm of an industrial robot, which includes a composite material of fiber-reinforced plastic and rubber material, including an outer layer formed in a cylindrical shape from carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, an inner layer formed in a cylindrical shape from carbon fiber-reinforced plastic and disposed inside the outer layer so as to extend from one end of the outer layer to the other, and a vibration-damping layer made of rubber material disposed between the outer layer and the inner layer (Patent Document 1).

[0004] In Patent Document 1, a vibration-damping layer made of a rubber material is placed between an outer layer made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic and an inner layer made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic, thereby ensuring the rigidity of the arm portion of the industrial robot and improving the vibration damping characteristics.

[0005] On the other hand, instead of a molded body of carbon fiber reinforced plastic and rubber material as in Patent Document 1, a fiber reinforced plastic member is sometimes used in the form of a composite material integrated with a metal member. In a composite material of a fiber reinforced plastic member and a metal member, the metal member has a high thermal expansion coefficient, while the fiber reinforced plastic member has a thermal expansion coefficient of approximately zero, resulting in a large difference in the thermal expansion coefficients between the metal member and the fiber reinforced plastic member. Therefore, in a composite material of a fiber reinforced plastic member and a metal member, for example, depending on the external environmental temperature in summer or winter, misalignment occurs at the connection between the fiber reinforced plastic member and the metal member due to the difference in the thermal expansion coefficients between the metal member and the fiber reinforced plastic member, causing stress to be applied to the connection between the fiber reinforced plastic member and the metal member, resulting in the problem of peeling.

[0006] Therefore, in composite materials made of fiber-reinforced plastic members and metal members, an elastic adhesive is used to bond the fiber-reinforced plastic member to the metal member to relieve stress generated at the connection between the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the metal member. However, when an elastic adhesive is used to bond the fiber-reinforced plastic member to the metal member, uneven application of the elastic adhesive can cause the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the metal member to come into contact, resulting in electrolytic corrosion between the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the metal member. Furthermore, uneven application of the elastic adhesive can result in insufficient adhesion between the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the elastic adhesive and between the elastic adhesive and the metal member, leaving room for improvement in the adhesive strength between the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the metal member.

[0007] Furthermore, in the manufacturing method of composite materials in which an adhesive is applied to fiber-reinforced plastic to bond metal components, the manufacturing process is complicated because an adhesive application step is required, and it is difficult to apply the adhesive uniformly, which has led to the problem that manufacturing cannot be simplified. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-161885 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a composite material of a fiber-reinforced plastic member, an elastic member, and a metal member that relieves stress generated at the connection between the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the metal member, prevents electrolytic corrosion between the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the metal member, and prevents peeling between the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the metal member, and a method for manufacturing a composite material of a fiber-reinforced plastic member, an elastic member, and a metal member that can prevent the manufacturing process from becoming complicated and is easy to manufacture. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The gist of the configuration of the present invention is as follows. [1] A metal member, an elastic member having a rubber material formed in direct contact with the metal member in at least a partial region on the metal member, and a fiber-reinforced plastic member having a fiber-reinforced plastic formed in direct contact with the elastic member in at least a partial region on the elastic member, the elastic member is disposed between the metal member and the fiber-reinforced plastic member, A composite material in which the metal member, the elastic member, and the fiber-reinforced plastic member are integrated together. [2] The composite material described in [1], wherein the metal member and the elastic member are in direct contact with each other, with no adhesive member interposed between the metal member and the elastic member, and the elastic member and the fiber-reinforced plastic member are in direct contact with each other, with no adhesive member interposed between the elastic member and the fiber-reinforced plastic member. [3] The composite material according to [1] or [2], wherein the metal member, the elastic member, and the fiber-reinforced plastic member are layered, and the composite material has a laminate structure. [4] The composite material according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the rubber material is at least one selected from the group consisting of nitrile rubber, fluororubber, butyl rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, hydrogenated nitrile rubber, and silicone rubber. [5] The composite material according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the rubber material is at least one selected from the group consisting of nitrile rubber, fluororubber, and butyl rubber. [6] A composite material according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the fiber reinforced plastic is a carbon fiber reinforced plastic. [7] A composite material according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the fiber-reinforced plastic member is a multilayer structure having a first fiber-reinforced plastic forming a first layer having a fiber orientation angle in a first direction, and a second fiber-reinforced plastic forming a second layer having a fiber orientation angle in a second direction different from the first direction. [8] The composite material according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein the metal member is aluminum or an aluminum alloy. [9] The composite material according to any one of [1] to [8], wherein the composite material is formed into a pipe shape, and the metal member forms the inner surface of the composite material formed into a pipe shape.

[10] A step of preparing a precursor of a fiber-reinforced plastic member, which is an uncured or semi-cured material in which fibers are impregnated with a resin; a step of directly laminating a precursor of an elastic member having unvulcanized rubber onto at least a partial region of the prepared precursor of the fiber-reinforced plastic member to obtain a laminate of the precursor of the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the precursor of the elastic member; a step of directly laminating the obtained laminate onto at least a portion of a surface-treated metal member in a state where the precursor of the elastic member faces the surface-treated surface of the metal member, thereby obtaining a precursor of a composite material; an integration process in which the obtained precursor of the composite material is heat-treated to thermally cure the resin of the precursor of the fiber-reinforced plastic member to obtain a fiber-reinforced plastic member having fiber-reinforced plastic, and the unvulcanized rubber of the precursor of the elastic member is vulcanized to obtain an elastic member having a rubber material, and the metal member, the elastic member, and the fiber-reinforced plastic member are integrated together; A method for producing a composite material having the following structure:

[11] A method for producing a composite material according to

[10] , in which a precursor of an elastic member having unvulcanized rubber mixed with a vulcanizing agent is laminated directly onto the precursor of the prepared fiber-reinforced plastic member without using an adhesive member.

[12] A method for producing a composite material according to

[10] or

[11] , wherein the metal member is pipe-shaped, and the obtained laminate is directly wound around the outer peripheral surface of the metal member without using an adhesive member to obtain a precursor of the composite material. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, a composite material includes a metal member, an elastic member having a rubber material formed in direct contact with the metal member, and a fiber-reinforced plastic member having a fiber-reinforced plastic formed in direct contact with the elastic member, and the elastic member is disposed between the metal member and the fiber-reinforced plastic member, thereby alleviating stress generated at the connection between the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the metal member and preventing electrolytic corrosion between the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the metal member. Furthermore, according to another aspect of the composite material of the present invention, the metal member, the elastic member, and the fiber-reinforced plastic member are integrated, thereby preventing delamination between the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the elastic member and between the elastic member and the metal member.

[0012] According to an aspect of the composite material of the present invention, the metal member and the elastic member are in direct contact with each other, with no adhesive member interposed between the metal member and the elastic member, and the elastic member and the fiber-reinforced plastic member are in direct contact with each other, with no adhesive member interposed between the elastic member and the fiber-reinforced plastic member. This reliably prevents uneven adhesion caused by the adhesive member, thereby reliably preventing electrolytic corrosion from occurring between the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the metal member, and also reliably preventing peeling between the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the elastic member and between the elastic member and the metal member.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the composite material of the present invention, the rubber material is at least one selected from the group consisting of nitrile rubber, fluororubber, butyl rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, hydrogenated nitrile rubber, and silicone rubber, whereby adhesion can be obtained between the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the elastic member, and between the elastic member and the metal member, and excellent peel-off prevention properties can be obtained.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the composite material of the present invention, the rubber material is at least one selected from the group consisting of nitrile rubber, fluororubber, and butyl rubber, thereby ensuring good adhesion between the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the elastic member, and between the elastic member and the metal member, and further achieving excellent peel-off prevention properties.

[0015] In one aspect of the method for manufacturing a composite material of the present invention, a precursor of an elastic member having unvulcanized rubber is directly laminated to at least a portion of a region of a precursor of a fiber-reinforced plastic member, which is an uncured or semi-cured material in which fibers have resin impregnated therein, to obtain a laminate, and the obtained laminate is directly laminated to at least a portion of a region of a metal member that has been subjected to a surface treatment that contributes to integration with the elastic member, with the precursor of the elastic member facing the surface-treated surface of the metal member, to obtain a precursor of a composite material, and the obtained precursor of the composite material is heat-treated to thermoset the resin in the precursor of the fiber-reinforced plastic member, thereby obtaining a fiber-reinforced plastic member having fiber-reinforced plastic, and to vulcanize the unvulcanized rubber in the precursor of the elastic member to obtain an elastic member having a rubber material, and to integrate the metal member, the elastic member, and the fiber-reinforced plastic member. That is, in one aspect of the method for producing a composite material of the present invention, a precursor of the composite material is heat-treated to thermoset a prepreg, which is an uncured or semi-cured material in which fibers are impregnated with a resin, and the unvulcanized rubber is then vulcanized to simultaneously obtain a fiber-reinforced plastic and a vulcanized rubber material, and the obtained fiber-reinforced plastic and the vulcanized rubber material are integrated, and the vulcanized rubber material is then integrated with a metal member that has been subjected to a surface treatment.

[0016] Therefore, according to the embodiment of the manufacturing method for a composite material of the present invention, when integrating a fiber-reinforced plastic member having a fiber-reinforced plastic and an elastic member having a rubber material, the adhesive application step itself is not required, and uniform application of the adhesive is not necessary. Furthermore, when integrating an elastic member having a rubber material and a metal member, the adhesive application step itself is not required, and uniform application of the adhesive is not necessary. From the above, according to the manufacturing method of the present invention, the manufacturing process for a composite material of a fiber-reinforced plastic member, an elastic member, and a metal member can be prevented from becoming complicated, and the manufacturing of the composite material can be facilitated. Furthermore, according to an aspect of the method for manufacturing a composite material of the present invention, by heat-treating the precursor of the composite material, the resin of the precursor of the fiber-reinforced plastic member is thermoset to obtain a fiber-reinforced plastic member having fiber-reinforced plastic, and the unvulcanized rubber of the precursor of the elastic member is vulcanized to obtain an elastic member having a rubber material, and since the metal member, elastic member, and fiber-reinforced plastic member are integrated, peeling between the fiber-reinforced plastic member having fiber-reinforced plastic and the elastic member having a rubber material is prevented, and also peeling between the elastic member having rubber material and the metal member is prevented, a composite material of a fiber-reinforced plastic member, an elastic member, and a metal member can be obtained.

[0017] According to an aspect of the composite manufacturing method of the present invention, by laminating the precursor of the elastic member having unvulcanized rubber directly onto the precursor of the fiber-reinforced plastic member without using an adhesive member, uneven adhesion caused by the adhesive member can be prevented, and peeling between the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the elastic member can be reliably prevented.

[0018] According to one aspect of the method for producing a composite material of the present invention, the surface-treated metal member is pipe-shaped, and the resulting laminate is wound directly around the surface-treated outer peripheral surface of the metal member without an adhesive member to obtain a precursor of the composite material, thereby preventing uneven adhesion due to the adhesive member and reliably preventing peeling between the elastic member and the surface-treated metal member. Also, according to another aspect of the method for producing a composite material of the present invention, the metal member is a tubular material formed into a pipe shape and is a component of the composite material, so that a core metal (mandrel) is not required to produce a composite material having a tubular fiber-reinforced plastic member. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an overview of an embodiment of a composite material of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a front view showing an overview of an embodiment of a composite material of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a side view showing an outline of a laminate of a precursor of a fiber-reinforced plastic member and a precursor of an elastic member used in a manufacturing method of a composite material of the present invention. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] The composite material of the present invention will be described in detail below. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an outline of an embodiment of the composite material of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a front view showing an outline of an embodiment of the composite material of the present invention.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , a composite material 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a metal member 30, an elastic member 20 made of a rubber material and formed in direct contact with the metal member 30 over at least a portion of the metal member 30, and a fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 made of a fiber-reinforced plastic and formed in direct contact with the elastic member 20 over at least a portion of the elastic member 20, the elastic member 20 being disposed between the metal member 30 and the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10, and the metal member 30, the elastic member 20, and the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 being integrated together. In the composite material 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the elastic member 20 is bonded to the metal member 30, thereby forming a joint 35 where the metal member 30 is joined to the elastic member 20, and the metal member 30 and the elastic member 20 are integrated together. Furthermore, the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 is bonded to the elastic member 20, thereby forming a joint 15 where the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 is joined to the elastic member 20, and the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 and the elastic member 20 are integrated together.

[0022] In the composite material 1, at least a portion of the metal member 30 is integrated with the elastic member 20 in a state of direct contact therewith. Furthermore, the surface of the metal member 30 in direct contact with the elastic member 20 is subjected to a surface treatment, which contributes to the integration of the metal member 30 and the elastic member 20. Examples of surface treatments for the metal member 30 include surface roughening. Therefore, the surface of the metal member 30 in direct contact with the elastic member 20 is roughened, for example. Furthermore, at least a portion of the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 is integrated with the elastic member 20 in a state of direct contact therewith. Therefore, the elastic member 20 is interposed between at least a portion of the metal member 30 and at least a portion of the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 in the thickness direction of the composite material 1.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , in a composite material 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, at a joint 15 where a fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 and an elastic member 20 are in direct contact with each other, no adhesive material such as an adhesive is interposed between the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 and the elastic member 20. Furthermore, at a joint 35 where a metal member 30 and an elastic member 20 are in direct contact with each other, no adhesive material such as an adhesive is interposed between the metal member 30 and the elastic member 20. In a composite material 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is sufficient that at least a portion of the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 is integrated with the elastic member 20 in a state of direct contact with the elastic member 20, and it is sufficient that at least a portion of the elastic member 20 is integrated with the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 in a state of direct contact with the elastic member 20. Furthermore, it is sufficient that at least a portion of the metal member 30 is integrated with the elastic member 20 in a state of direct contact with the elastic member 20, and it is sufficient that at least a portion of the elastic member 20 is integrated with the metal member 30 in a state of direct contact with the elastic member 20.

[0024] In the composite material 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, substantially the entire surface of the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 facing the elastic member 20 is integrated with the elastic member 20 in a state of direct contact with the elastic member 20. Furthermore, substantially the entire surface of the elastic member 20 facing the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 is integrated with the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 in a state of direct contact with the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10. Therefore, in the composite material 1, no adhesive member is interposed over the entire joint 15 where the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 and the elastic member 20 face each other.

[0025] Furthermore, in the composite material 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, substantially the entire surface of the metal member 30 facing the elastic member 20 is integrated with the elastic member 20 in a state of direct contact with the elastic member 20. Furthermore, substantially the entire surface of the elastic member 20 facing the metal member 30 is integrated with the metal member 30 in a state of direct contact with the metal member 30. Therefore, in the composite material 1, no adhesive member is interposed over the entire joint 35 where the metal member 30 and the elastic member 20 face each other. From the above, in the composite material 1, substantially the entire surface of the metal member 30 facing the elastic member 20 has been surface treated.

[0026] In the composite material 1, a portion of the matrix resin in and near the surface of the fiber-reinforced plastic that constitutes the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 penetrates into and near the surface of the rubber material that constitutes the elastic member 20, and a portion of the surface of and near the rubber material that constitutes the elastic member 20 penetrates into and near the surface of the fiber-reinforced plastic that constitutes the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10, so that the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 is joined to the elastic member 20 to form a joint 15, and the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 and the elastic member 20 are integrated together. In other words, at the joint 15 of the composite material 1, the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 exerts an anchor effect on the elastic member 20, and the elastic member 20 exerts an anchor effect on the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10, so that the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 and the elastic member 20 are integrated together.

[0027] Furthermore, in the composite material 1, the surface portion of the rubber material constituting the elastic member 20 and a portion of its vicinity are embedded in the surface portion of the metal member 30, which has been subjected to a surface treatment such as roughening (for example, an uneven portion formed on the surface of the metal member 30), so that the metal member 30 is joined to the elastic member 20 to form a joint 35, and the metal member 30 and the elastic member 20 are integrated together. That is, at the joint 35 of the composite material 1, the elastic member 20 exerts an anchor effect on the metal member 30, and the surface treatment of the metal member 30 exerts an anchor effect on the elastic member 20, so that the metal member 30 and the elastic member 20 are integrated together.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the composite material 1, the metal member 30, the elastic member 20, and the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 are all layered, and the composite material 1 has a laminate structure.

[0029] 1 and 2, the composite material 1 is a tubular material formed into a pipe shape. The metal member 30 is the innermost layer of the tubular composite material 1 and forms the inner surface (i.e., the inner peripheral surface) of the tubular composite material 1. The fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 is the outermost layer of the tubular composite material 1 and forms the outer surface (i.e., the outer peripheral surface) of the tubular composite material 1. The elastic member 20 is an intermediate layer disposed between the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10, which is the outermost layer, and the metal member 30, which is the innermost layer. As described above, the tubular composite material 1 is laminated in the following order from the inside to the outside along its radial direction: a layer of the metal member 30, a layer of the elastic member 20, and a layer of the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10. The interior of the tubular composite material 1 is a hollow portion 40, and the metal member 30, which forms the inner surface of the composite material 1, is exposed to the hollow portion 40.

[0030] The fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 extends along the circumferential and longitudinal directions of the composite material 1. The elastic member 20 also extends along the circumferential and longitudinal directions of the composite material 1. The metal member 30 also extends along the circumferential and longitudinal directions of the composite material 1.

[0031] The thickness of the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, 0.05 mm or more and 10 mm or less, more specifically, 0.10 mm or more and 5.0 mm or less. The thickness of the elastic member 20 is not particularly limited, and may be the same as or different from the thickness of the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10. The thickness of the elastic member 20 is, for example, 0.05 mm or more and 10 mm or less, more specifically, 0.10 mm or more and 5.0 mm or less. The thickness of the metal member 30 is not particularly limited, and may be the same as or different from the thicknesses of the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 and the elastic member 20. The thickness of the metal member 30 is, for example, 0.05 mm or more and 10 mm or less, more specifically, 0.10 mm or more and 5.0 mm or less.

[0032] The composite material 1 includes a metal member 30, an elastic member 20 made of a rubber material and formed in direct contact with the metal member 30, and a fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 made of fiber-reinforced plastic and formed in direct contact with the elastic member 20. The elastic member 20 is disposed between the metal member 30 and the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10, so that the elastic properties of the elastic member 20 mitigate stress caused by differences in thermal expansion coefficients at the connection between the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 and the metal member 30, and the insulating properties of the elastic member 20 prevent electrolytic corrosion between the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 and the metal member 30. In the composite material 1, the metal member 30, the elastic member 20, and the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 are integrated, so that delamination between the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 and the elastic member 20 and between the elastic member 20 and the metal member 30 is prevented.

[0033] Furthermore, in the composite material 1, the elastic member 20 and the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 are in direct contact over the entire joint 15, with no adhesive member interposed between the elastic member 20 and the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10, and the metal member 30 and the elastic member 20 are in direct contact over the entire joint 35, with no adhesive member interposed between the metal member 30 and the elastic member 20, thereby reliably preventing uneven adhesion caused by adhesive members. Therefore, in the composite material 1, it is possible to reliably prevent the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 and the metal member 30 from coming into contact with each other, thereby preventing electrolytic corrosion between the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 and the metal member 30, and also reliably preventing peeling between the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 and the elastic member 20 and between the elastic member 20 and the metal member 30.

[0034] Examples of fiber-reinforced plastics that constitute the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 include carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP), glass fiber-reinforced plastics (GFRP), aramid fiber-reinforced plastics (AFRP), and cellulose fiber-reinforced plastics. Of these, carbon fiber-reinforced plastics are preferred because of their light weight, high strength, and rigidity. The resin component used as the matrix resin of the fiber-reinforced plastic is not particularly limited. Specific examples include thermosetting resins such as epoxy resins, phenolic resins, cyanate resins, vinyl ester resins, and unsaturated polyester resins. Of these resins, epoxy resins are particularly preferred. The fiber-reinforced plastic that constitutes the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 is a member obtained by thermally curing uncured (or semi-cured) thermosetting prepreg, which is an intermediate material in which fibers are impregnated with a matrix resin, through a heat treatment or the like.

[0035] In the composite material 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 may be a multilayer structure having a first fiber-reinforced plastic layer having a fiber orientation angle in a first direction and a second fiber-reinforced plastic layer having a fiber orientation angle in a second direction different from the first direction. The fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 may be a structure having multiple fiber-reinforced plastic layers with different fiber orientation angles, thereby improving the strength of the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 in the entire in-plane direction. The fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 may also be a multilayer structure having three or more fiber-reinforced plastic layers. In a multilayer structure having three or more fiber-reinforced plastic layers, multiple fiber-reinforced plastic layers with different fiber orientation angles may be provided, such as a third fiber-reinforced plastic layer having a fiber orientation angle in a third direction different from both the first and second directions, and a fourth fiber-reinforced plastic layer having a fiber orientation angle in a fourth direction different from the first, second, and third directions. The fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 may also be a structure consisting of a single fiber-reinforced plastic layer.

[0036] Examples of rubber materials constituting the elastic member 20 include nitrile rubber (NBR) such as acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, fluororubber (FKM), butyl rubber (IIR), ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM), hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR), silicone rubber, urethane rubber, acrylic rubber (ACM), isoprene rubber (IR), styrene rubber (SBR), butadiene rubber (BR), ethylene propylene rubber (EPM), chloroprene rubber (CR), chlorinated polyethylene, and natural rubber (NR). These rubber materials may be used alone or in combination. The rubber material constituting the elastic member 20 is a member obtained by vulcanizing unvulcanized rubber by heat treatment or the like.

[0037] Of these rubber materials, nitrile rubber, fluororubber, butyl rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, hydrogenated nitrile rubber, and silicone rubber are preferred because they can ensure good adhesion between the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 and the elastic member 20 and between the elastic member 20 and the metal member 30, and can provide excellent peel-off prevention properties. Nitrile rubber, fluororubber, and butyl rubber are particularly preferred because they can reliably ensure good adhesion between the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 and the elastic member 20 and between the elastic member 20 and the metal member 30, and can provide even more excellent peel-off prevention properties.

[0038] In addition to the rubber material, a vulcanizing agent is blended into the elastic member 20. Furthermore, the elastic member 20 may also be blended with various additives, such as an antioxidant, a processing aid, a tackifier, a vulcanization accelerator aid, a filler, a plasticizer, and a vulcanization accelerator, as needed.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the metal member 30 is, for example, a tubular material formed into a pipe shape. The metal type of the metal member 30 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include aluminum, aluminum alloy, iron, iron alloy, copper, copper alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, stainless steel, magnesium, magnesium alloy, lead, lead alloy, and carbon steel. These metal types may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination to improve the strength of the composite material 1. In the composite material 1, even if the metal member 30 uses a metal type with a large thermal expansion coefficient among various metals, the elastic properties of the elastic member 20 can mitigate stress caused by the difference in thermal expansion coefficients at the connection between the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 and the metal member 30. Therefore, in the composite material 1, even if the metal member 30 uses a metal type with a large thermal expansion coefficient, stress caused by the difference in thermal expansion coefficients between the metal member 30 and the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 can be mitigate in the circumferential and longitudinal directions of the tubular composite material 1.

[0040] Next, a method for producing a composite material of the present invention will be described. Fig. 3 is a side view showing an outline of a laminate of a precursor of a fiber-reinforced plastic member and a precursor of an elastic member, which is used in the method for producing a composite material of the present invention.

[0041] The method for producing a composite material of the present invention includes the steps of: (1) preparing a precursor 10' of a fiber-reinforced plastic member, which is an uncured or semi-cured material in which fibers are impregnated with a resin; (2) directly laminating a precursor 20' of an elastic member having unvulcanized rubber onto at least a partial region of the prepared precursor 10' of the fiber-reinforced plastic member to obtain a laminate of the precursor 10' of the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the precursor 20' of the elastic member; and (3) applying the obtained laminate to at least a partial region of a surface-treated metal member 30 to form the precursor 20' of the elastic member. (4) a step of heat-treating the obtained precursor of the composite material to thermoset the matrix resin of the precursor of the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10' to obtain a fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 having fiber-reinforced plastic and vulcanizing the unvulcanized rubber of the precursor of the elastic member 20' to obtain an elastic member 20 having a rubber material, and integrating the metal member 30, the elastic member 20, and the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 together.

[0042] (1) A step of preparing a precursor 10' of a fiber-reinforced plastic member, which is an uncured or semi-cured material in which fibers are impregnated with resin. This is a process for preparing a prepreg, which is an uncured or semi-cured material in which reinforcing fibers such as carbon fibers are impregnated with a matrix resin such as a thermosetting resin. A single-layer prepreg or a laminated prepreg in which multiple prepregs are laminated may be used as the precursor 10' of the fiber-reinforced plastic member. The number of prepreg layers can be appropriately selected depending on the conditions of use of the composite material 1. As will be described later, in FIG. 3, for the sake of convenience, the precursor 10' of the fiber-reinforced plastic member is shown as a laminated prepreg 11 having a first prepreg 11 (11-1) with a fiber orientation angle in a first direction and a second prepreg 11 (11-2) disposed on the first prepreg 11 (11-1) with a fiber orientation angle in a second direction different from the first direction.

[0043] (2) A step of obtaining a laminate of a precursor 10' of a fiber-reinforced plastic member and a precursor 20' of an elastic member As shown in FIG. 3, this is a process of laminating a precursor 20' of an elastic member having unvulcanized rubber blended with a vulcanizing agent onto the surface of a precursor 10' of a fiber-reinforced plastic member having a first prepreg 11 (11-1) and a second prepreg 11 (11-2). In this process, the precursor 20' of an elastic member having unvulcanized rubber blended with a vulcanizing agent is laminated directly onto the surface of the precursor 10' of the fiber-reinforced plastic member without using an adhesive member. When laminating the precursor 20' of the elastic member onto the surface of the precursor 10' of the fiber-reinforced plastic member, the laminate of the precursor 10' of the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the precursor 20' of the elastic member may be pressed, for example, as necessary.

[0044] The precursor 10' of the fiber-reinforced plastic member may be a laminated prepreg having three or more layers of prepregs 11. In the case of a laminated prepreg having three or more layers of prepregs 11, a plurality of prepregs 11 having different fiber orientation angles may be laminated, such as a third prepreg 11 having a fiber orientation angle in a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction, or a fourth prepreg 11 having a fiber orientation angle in a fourth direction different from the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction.

[0045] (3) A process for obtaining a composite precursor This is a process in which a laminate of a fiber-reinforced plastic member precursor 10' and a precursor of an elastic member 20' is directly laminated onto a surface-treated metal member 30, with the precursor of the elastic member 20' facing the surface-treated surface of the metal member 30. The surface treatment of the metal member 30 is a surface treatment that contributes to integration with the elastic member 20, and as described above, examples of the surface treatment include surface roughening. Therefore, after the surface treatment of the metal member 30, the laminate of the fiber-reinforced plastic member precursor 10' and the precursor of the elastic member 20' is directly laminated onto the metal member 30. When the metal member 30 is pipe-shaped, the laminate of the fiber-reinforced plastic member precursor 10' and the precursor of the elastic member 20' is directly wound around the surface-treated outer peripheral surface of the metal member 30 without an adhesive member interposed therebetween to obtain a composite material precursor. That is, the laminate of the precursor 10' of the fiber reinforced plastic member and the precursor 20' of the elastic member is wound around the surface of the metal member 30 in a state where the precursor 20' of the elastic member faces the surface-treated outer peripheral surface of the metal member 30, thereby stacking the laminate of the precursor 10' of the fiber reinforced plastic member and the precursor 20' of the elastic member on the metal member 30. Because the metal member 30 is a tubular material formed into a pipe shape and is a component of the composite material 1, no core metal (mandrel) is required to manufacture the composite material 1 having the fiber reinforced plastic member 10 formed into a pipe shape.

[0046] (4) An integration step of integrating the metal member 30, the elastic member 20, and the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10. With a laminate of the fiber-reinforced plastic member precursor 10' and the elastic member precursor 20' wound around the outer peripheral surface of the metal member 30, a heat-shrinkable tape or the like is spirally wound around the outer peripheral surface of the fiber-reinforced plastic member precursor 10' in the longitudinal direction to fix the laminate to the outer peripheral surface of the metal member 30, and the composite precursor having the laminate of the fiber-reinforced plastic member precursor 10' and the elastic member precursor 20' wound around the outer peripheral surface of the metal member 30 is heat-treated. By heat-treating the composite precursor, the matrix resin of the fiber-reinforced plastic member precursor 10' is thermoset to form fiber-reinforced plastic from the prepreg, thereby obtaining the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10, and the unvulcanized rubber of the elastic member precursor 20' is vulcanized to obtain the elastic member 20 having a rubber material. Furthermore, the fiber reinforced plastic member 10 and the elastic member 20 are obtained, and the fiber reinforced plastic member 10 and the elastic member 20 are integrated together, and the metal member 30 and the elastic member 20 are integrated together to obtain a composite material 1 in which the fiber reinforced plastic member 10 and the elastic member 20 are wound around the metal member 30. Therefore, the composite material 1 is obtained by integrating the metal member 30, the elastic member 20, and the fiber reinforced plastic member 10.

[0047] That is, in the integration process for integrating the metal member 30, the elastic member 20, and the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10, the composite precursor is heat-treated to thermoset the prepreg, an uncured or semi-cured material in which reinforcing fibers are impregnated with a matrix resin, and the unvulcanized rubber is vulcanized to simultaneously obtain a fiber-reinforced plastic and a vulcanized rubber material, and the resulting fiber-reinforced plastic and vulcanized rubber material are integrated. When forming the fiber-reinforced plastic from the prepreg, part of the matrix resin constituting the fiber-reinforced plastic member precursor 10' penetrates into the unvulcanized rubber constituting the elastic member precursor 20', and when vulcanizing the unvulcanized rubber to form the rubber material, part of the unvulcanized rubber constituting the elastic member precursor 20' penetrates into the matrix resin constituting the fiber-reinforced plastic member precursor 10'. The fiber reinforced plastic member 10 and the elastic member 20 are joined together by the interaction between the precursor 10' of the fiber reinforced plastic member and the precursor 20' of the elastic member, forming a joint 15, and the fiber reinforced plastic member 10 and the elastic member 20 are integrated together. As a result, a portion of the matrix resin in the surface portion and its vicinity of the fiber reinforced plastic that constitutes the fiber reinforced plastic member 10 penetrates into the surface portion and its vicinity of the rubber material that constitutes the elastic member 20, and a portion of the surface portion and its vicinity of the rubber material that constitutes the elastic member 20 penetrates into the surface portion and its vicinity of the fiber reinforced plastic that constitutes the fiber reinforced plastic member 10, forming a joint 15.

[0048] Furthermore, in the integration process for integrating the metal member 30, the elastic member 20, and the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10, the composite precursor is heat-treated to vulcanize the unvulcanized rubber to obtain a vulcanized rubber material, and the vulcanized rubber material is integrated with the metal member 30. When vulcanizing the unvulcanized rubber to form the rubber material, a portion of the unvulcanized rubber constituting the elastic member precursor 20' penetrates into the surface portion of the metal member 30 that has been surface-roughened or otherwise treated (e.g., the uneven portion formed on the surface of the metal member 30). The interaction between the elastic member precursor 20' and the surface-treated metal member 30 bonds the metal member 30 and the elastic member 20 to form a joint 35, thereby integrating the metal member 30 and the elastic member 20. As a result, the surface portion of the rubber material constituting the elastic member 20 and a portion of its vicinity penetrate into the surface portion of the surface-treated metal member 30, forming a joint 35.

[0049] As a method for heat-treating the precursor of the composite material obtained by winding a laminate of the precursor 10' of the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the precursor 20' of the elastic member around the outer surface of the metal member 30, heat-treating conditions suitable for the precursor 10' of the fiber-reinforced plastic member can be appropriately selected.

[0050] According to an embodiment of the composite material manufacturing method of the present invention, when integrating a fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 containing fiber-reinforced plastic and an elastic member 20 containing rubber material, the adhesive application step itself is not required, and therefore uniform application of the adhesive is not necessary. Similarly, when integrating an elastic member 20 containing rubber material and a metal member 30, the adhesive application step itself is not required, and therefore uniform application of the adhesive is not necessary. As a result, the manufacturing process of a composite material 1 made of a fiber-reinforced plastic member 10, an elastic member 20, and a metal member 30 can be prevented from becoming complicated, and manufacturing of the composite material 1 can be facilitated. Furthermore, in the composite material manufacturing method of the present invention, a composite material precursor obtained by winding a laminate of a fiber-reinforced plastic member precursor 10' and an elastic member precursor 20' around the outer peripheral surface of a metal member 30 is heat-treated, thereby thermosetting the matrix resin of the fiber-reinforced plastic member precursor 10' to obtain a fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 containing the fiber-reinforced plastic, and vulcanizing the unvulcanized rubber of the elastic member precursor 20' to obtain an elastic member 20 containing a rubber material, and integrating the metal member 30, the elastic member 20, and the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10. Therefore, in the composite material manufacturing method of the present invention, delamination between the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 containing the fiber-reinforced plastic and the elastic member 20 containing the rubber material is prevented, and a composite material 1 of the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10, the elastic member 20, and the metal member 30 can be obtained in which delamination between the elastic member 20 containing the rubber material and the metal member 30 is prevented.

[0051] Furthermore, in the composite manufacturing method of the present invention, by laminating the precursor 20' of the elastic member having unvulcanized rubber directly onto the precursor 10' of the fiber-reinforced plastic member without using an adhesive member, uneven adhesion caused by the adhesive member can be prevented, and peeling between the fiber-reinforced plastic member 10 and the elastic member 20 can be reliably prevented.

[0052] Furthermore, in the manufacturing method of the composite material of the present invention, the surface-treated metal member 30 is pipe-shaped, and a laminate of the precursor 10' of the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the precursor 20' of the elastic member is directly wound around the surface-treated outer peripheral surface of the metal member 30 without an adhesive member therebetween to obtain the precursor of the composite material, thereby preventing uneven adhesion caused by the adhesive member and reliably preventing peeling between the elastic member 20 and the metal member 30.

[0053] Next, other embodiments of the composite material of the present invention will be described. The composite material 1 according to the above-described embodiment is a tubular material formed into a pipe shape, but the shape of the composite material 1 is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the usage mode of the composite material 1, and may be, for example, a plate-like body. Therefore, the shape of the metal member 30 is not particularly limited and may be, for example, a plate-like body instead of a pipe shape. [Industrial Applicability]

[0054] The composite material of the present invention relieves heat-induced stress generated at the connection between a fiber-reinforced plastic member and a metal member, prevents electrolytic corrosion between the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the metal member, and prevents peeling between the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the metal member. Therefore, it can be used in a wide range of fields, and is highly useful in, for example, production-related equipment such as industrial robots, and transportation-related equipment such as aircraft, automobiles, and bicycles. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 1 Composite material 10 Fiber-reinforced plastic components 20 Elastic member 30 Metallic parts

Claims

1. A step of preparing a precursor of a fiber-reinforced plastic member, which is an uncured or semi-cured material in which fibers are impregnated with a resin; a step of directly laminating a precursor of an elastic member having unvulcanized rubber onto at least a partial region of the prepared precursor of the fiber-reinforced plastic member to obtain a laminate of the precursor of the fiber-reinforced plastic member and the precursor of the elastic member; a step of directly laminating the obtained laminate onto at least a portion of a surface-treated metal member in a state where the precursor of the elastic member faces the surface-treated surface of the metal member, thereby obtaining a precursor of a composite material; an integration process in which the obtained precursor of the composite material is heat-treated to thermally cure the resin of the precursor of the fiber-reinforced plastic member to obtain a fiber-reinforced plastic member having fiber-reinforced plastic, and the unvulcanized rubber of the precursor of the elastic member is vulcanized to obtain an elastic member having a rubber material, and the metal member, the elastic member, and the fiber-reinforced plastic member are integrated together; A method for producing a composite material having the following structure:

2. 2. A method for manufacturing a composite material according to claim 1, wherein a precursor of an elastic member having unvulcanized rubber mixed with a vulcanizing agent is laminated directly onto the precursor of the prepared fiber-reinforced plastic member without using an adhesive member.

3. 3. A method for producing a composite material according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the metal member is pipe-shaped, and the obtained laminate is directly wound around the outer peripheral surface of the metal member without an adhesive member therebetween to obtain a precursor of the composite material.

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