Low Melt Fiber Composite Manufacturing Process
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current thermoplastic materials require a manufacturing process involving a fiber and a liquid resin or matrix system, which is inefficient and costly, whereas a thermoplastic material that combines two or more fibers could provide improved properties such as high performance, reduced processing temperatures, and simplified manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
A thermoplastic material comprising a reinforcement fiber and a low melt fiber, where the low melt fiber has a melting point below 140°C, is combined to form a matrix without relying on a resin, allowing for reduced processing temperatures, simplified manufacturing, and enhanced physical properties like impact resistance and recyclability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a fiber and liquid resin system is used for thermoplastic manufacturing, then the material can be processed, but the manufacturing process becomes complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the liquid resin component from the traditional fiber-resin system and replaces it entirely with a low melt fiber. This eliminates the need for separate resin application, impregnation, and curing processes, directly resolving the contradiction by simplifying manufacturing while maintaining material processability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of reinforcement (fiber) and matrix (resin) into a single component: the low melt fiber. This fiber serves dual purposes as both structural reinforcement and binding matrix material, eliminating the need for separate resin systems and reducing manufacturing complexity.
2Temperature
If traditional thermoplastic materials with liquid resin are used, then manufacturing is possible, but processing temperatures are high and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the melting point parameter of the matrix material by selecting a low melt fiber with melting point below 140°C, compared to traditional resins that require much higher processing temperatures. This parameter change directly reduces energy consumption while enabling thermoplastic processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase transition (melting) of the low melt fiber at low temperatures to achieve matrix formation and bonding. This low-temperature phase transition enables thermoplastic processing without the high energies required by traditional resin curing processes.
3Strength
If high performance fibers are combined with low melt fiber, then the composite exhibits high impact resistance and toughness, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite structure using high performance fibers (such as polyolefin, aramid, or carbon fibers) combined with low melt fiber. This composite approach achieves high impact resistance and toughness while the low melt fiber's unique properties simplify the overall manufacturing process by eliminating separate resin systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The resulting thermoplastic composite exhibits improved physical and performance properties, including high impact resistance, reduced processing temperatures, and cost-effectiveness, with the ability to be recycled and formed into lightweight structures without the need for refrigeration or autoclave processing.
Implementation Method 1
a low melt fiber, where the low melt fiber has a melting point below 140°C
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a material, including a thermoset material, comprising: providing a reinforcement fiber; combining a low melt fiber with the reinforcement fiber using the method of plying, twisting, air texturing, air entanglement, yarn made via the coating extrusion process, whereas the coated area has a lower melt than the core and the reinforcement fiber, co-weaving, co-mingling, and any combination thereof; and, applying heat to the combination to melt the low melt fiber to form a fiber composite wherein a melting point of the reinforcement fiber is higher than the operational temperature resulting from the application of the heat. The fiber combination can be a fabric and can be hydrophobic. The fiber combination or fabric can include properties taken from the group consisting of lighter thermoplastic combination, fracture resistance or elimination, increased impact resistance, vibration damping, low conductivity, reduced structural failures, dielectric properties, and any combination thereof.