Thermoplastic Composite Strand Impregnation with Reactive Resin
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for producing thermoplastic composites face challenges such as high viscosity thermoplastic polymer melts leading to incomplete resin impregnation, fiber degradation, and poor mechanical properties, making them difficult to repair and recycle.
Innovation Solution
The use of low-viscosity reactive thermoplastic resin compositions that can polymerize at lower temperatures, allowing for full impregnation of continuous fibers and formation of thermoplastic composites with improved mechanical properties through methods like injection molding and compression molding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional high-viscosity thermoplastic polymer melts are used for impregnating reinforcing fibers, then the resin can provide structural integrity, but the high viscosity causes incomplete resin impregnation and poor bonding between matrix and fibers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the viscosity parameter of the thermoplastic resin by using reactive oligomers or monomers instead of high-viscosity polymer melts. This parameter change enables complete impregnation of reinforcing fibers while maintaining structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between bonding strength and impregnation completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by first impregnating fibers with low-viscosity reactive resin before polymerization. This preliminary impregnation step ensures complete fiber coating, followed by in-situ polymerization to achieve strong bonding, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and strength.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional extrusion compounding techniques are used to produce thermoplastic composites, then the manufacturing process is simple, but fibers are broken down to very short lengths which limits mechanical properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical extrusion compounding system with a chemical reaction-based system. Instead of mechanically forcing high-viscosity polymer melts through extruders that break fibers, the patent uses low-viscosity reactive oligomers/monomers that can chemically polymerize after impregnating long continuous fibers, thus maintaining both manufacturing simplicity and mechanical properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the molecular weight parameter of the resin from high (polymer melts) to low (oligomers/monomers), enabling the use of long continuous fibers while maintaining processability. This parameter change resolves the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and mechanical properties.
3Ease of manufacture
If thermoset plastics are used for fiber-reinforced articles, then ease of manufacture is improved due to low viscosity at room temperature, but the articles become difficult to repair or recycle due to high crosslinking degree
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical structure parameter from highly crosslinked thermoset networks to linear or branched thermoplastic chains. This parameter change enables the composite to be melted and reprocessed while maintaining ease of manufacture through reactive oligomer/monomer impregnation followed by in-situ polymerization.
4Ease of repair
If thermoplastic resin systems are used to replace thermosets, then repairability and recyclability are improved, but high melt viscosities cause difficulties in impregnating reinforcing fibers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the viscosity parameter of thermoplastic resins by using reactive oligomers or monomers instead of high-viscosity polymer melts. This parameter change enables complete fiber impregnation while maintaining the thermoplastic nature that allows repair and recycling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by first impregnating fibers with low-viscosity reactive resin, then polymerizing in-situ to achieve complete impregnation. This preliminary impregnation step resolves the contradiction between ease of manufacture and repairability/recyclability.
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 method results in thermoplastic composites with increased tensile strength, impact strength, and stiffness, enabling effective repair and recycling by fully impregnating fibers with a polymerized resin matrix.
Implementation Method 1
a curing stage (sometimes called a hardening stage) commences to polymerize the thermoset into a polymer matrix
Implementation Method 2
The uncured thermoset resins used to make the composite are generally inexpensive, but often off-gas irritating and sometimes dangerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Implementation Method 3
when the exothermic nature of many thermoset curing reactions raise the temperature of the composite and drive more VOCs into the gas phase
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the present technology may include a method of making a thermoplastic composite strand. The method may include melting a reactive thermoplastic resin to form a molten reactive resin. The method may also include fully impregnating a plurality of continuous fibers with the molten reactive resin in an impregnation device. The method may further include polymerizing the molten reactive resin to form a thermoplastic resin matrix. In addition, the method may include cooling the thermoplastic resin matrix to form a thermoplastic composite strand.