Thermoplastic Prepreg Impregnation Using Reactive Resin Curing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites faces challenges in achieving fully impregnated prepregs with high throughput and quality due to the high viscosity of molten thermoplastic resins, leading to incomplete resin impregnation and fiber orientation issues during the consolidation process.
Innovation Solution
A continuous manufacturing system that moves a fabric or mat through a series of processes, including drying, resin application, and curing, using a reactive resin mixture of monomers or oligomers with catalysts and activators to ensure full impregnation and polymerization, maintaining a substantially moisture-free environment to achieve high conversion rates of the resin to thermoplastic polymer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If molten thermoplastic resin is applied to fibers, then resin impregnation occurs, but the high viscosity of molten resin results in incomplete impregnation and low throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the resin from molten (high viscosity) to reactive liquid monomer/oligomer (low viscosity) form. This parameter change enables complete impregnation of high fiber content materials while maintaining high throughput continuous production, as the low viscosity reactive resin can fully penetrate the fiber matrix without requiring high pressure or extended processing time.
2Manufacturing precision
If high pressure is applied in the consolidation step to promote additional impregnation, then resin penetration improves, but excessive resin flow occurs and fiber orientation changes detrimentally
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by fully impregnating the fibers with reactive resin before the consolidation step. Since the resin is already in low-viscosity liquid form during application, complete penetration is achieved without requiring high pressure during consolidation. This preliminary impregnation eliminates the need for subsequent high-pressure treatment that would cause fiber misalignment and excessive resin flow.
3Productivity
If conventional partially impregnated prepregs are used, then production throughput is maintained, but additional impregnation is needed in the consolidation step which causes detrimental changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuity of useful action by using reactive resin that maintains low viscosity throughout the continuous production process. The resin remains in liquid form during application and continues to penetrate fibers completely as the material moves through the production line, eliminating the need for interrupted consolidation steps. This continuous impregnation process maintains both high throughput and complete impregnation quality simultaneously.
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 system achieves greater than 90% conversion of the resin to thermoplastic polymer, allowing for efficient and defect-free production of fully impregnated prepregs with high fiber reinforcement, reducing manufacturing time and cost, and enabling the production of flexible prepregs that can be easily molded into various shapes.
Implementation Method 1
a drying mechanism that is configured to remove residual moisture from at least one surface of the fabric or mat
Implementation Method 2
The catalyst and activator facilitate in polymerizing the monomer or oligomer to form a thermoplastic polymer
Implementation Method 3
a press mechanism that is configured to press the monomer or oligomer through the fabric or mat so that the monomer or oligomer fully saturates the fabric or mat
Implementation Method 4
a curing oven having a temperature of greater than 120° C., which is sufficient to effect polymerization of the monomer or oligomer to form the thermoplastic polymer
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a system for manufacturing a fully impregnated thermoplastic prepreg includes a mechanism for moving a fabric or mat and a drying mechanism that removes residual moisture from at least one surface of the fabric or mat. The system also includes a resin application mechanism that applies a reactive resin to the fabric or mat and a press mechanism that presses the coated fabric or mat to ensure that the resin fully saturates the fabric or mat. The system further includes a curing oven through which the coated fabric or mat is moved to polymerize the resin and thereby form a thermoplastic polymer so that upon exiting the oven, the fabric or mat is fully impregnated with the thermoplastic polymer. During at least a portion of the process, humidity in the vicinity of the coated fabric or mat is maintained at substantially zero.