초록 ▼

New fiber-reinforced composite materials of improved moldability and methods for making them, in which an initial material comprising long length ("continuous filament") reinforcement set in a matrix material is treated to enable these filaments to be severed in situ into fibers of smaller length wh

New fiber-reinforced composite materials of improved moldability and methods for making them, in which an initial material comprising long length ("continuous filament") reinforcement set in a matrix material is treated to enable these filaments to be severed in situ into fibers of smaller length while maintaining a control over the length and location of these resulting shortened fibers while preserving the orientation desired to give strength to the materials. The severance is preferably achieved using radiant energy from a laser or the like, and most conveniently by using a laser to make a series or pattern of perforations (usually 0.5 mm or less in diameter) so that the reinforcing filaments are attacked but the surrounding matrix material is not appreciably affected or weakened. The treated materials can be used to fabricate larger products or articles of wide variety, by further processing, especially molding or thermo-forming.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [1.] A method for the manufacture of a composite material of improved mouldability which comprises providing a composite material containing aligned continuous filaments embedded within a matrix material; and applying energy by laser to said composite material in a periodic and localized

[ I claim:] [1.] A method for the manufacture of a composite material of improved mouldability which comprises providing a composite material containing aligned continuous filaments embedded within a matrix material; and applying energy by laser to said composite material in a periodic and localized manner to thereby form discontinuities as a pattern of microperforations, in said continuous filaments so that they can be severed into shorter lengths in a controlled and pre-determined manner without unduly affecting the matrix material within which the said continuous filaments are embedded, said laser application producing microperforations in said filaments which have a diameter of less than 0.50 mm.