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A process for the manufacture of a cured composite material, the process comprising the steps of blending together a liquid curable resin and a curing agent having a melting point greater than 100° C. to form a liquid blend of curable resin and curing agent, at least partially impregnating a structu

A process for the manufacture of a cured composite material, the process comprising the steps of blending together a liquid curable resin and a curing agent having a melting point greater than 100° C. to form a liquid blend of curable resin and curing agent, at least partially impregnating a structural fiber arrangement with the blended curable resin and curing agent to form a curable composite material, followed by curing the composite material by exposure to elevated temperature and at a pressure of no greater than 3 bar absolute to form a cured composite material.

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1. A process for preparing a reinforcement resin comprising the steps of: a) providing a liquid curable resin comprising an epoxy resin component and a thermoplastic toughener component;b) providing a curing agent for said epoxy resin that is in the form of solid particles having particle sizes rang

1. A process for preparing a reinforcement resin comprising the steps of: a) providing a liquid curable resin comprising an epoxy resin component and a thermoplastic toughener component;b) providing a curing agent for said epoxy resin that is in the form of solid particles having particle sizes ranging from 10 microns to 100 microns;c) continuous blending of said curing agent with said liquid curable resin to dissolve the solid particles of curing agent within said liquid curable resin to form a liquid blend, wherein said continuous blending comprises passing said curable resin and said curing agent through a blender that comprises a conduit comprising a heated wall that defines an entrance, a blending zone having a circular cross-section with a diameter of less than 5 cm and an exit, applying a vacuum to said blending zone wherein the residence time of said curable resin and said curing agent within said blending zone is from 1 second to 2 minutes and wherein said liquid blend that flows from said exit is at a temperature of from 100° C. to 140° C.; andd) cooling said liquid blend after said liquid blend flows from the exit of said blender to form the reinforcement resin. 2. The process of claim 1, wherein the residence time of said curing agent and liquid curable resin as they pass through said blender ranges from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. 3. The process of claim 1, wherein said cooling is conducted by increasing the surface area of said liquid blend that is exposed to a cooling medium. 4. The process of claim 1, wherein said liquid blend is cooled by casting of the liquid blend or by impregnation of a structural fibre component with said liquid blend. 5. The process according to claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic toughener comprises polyethersulphone. 6. The process of claim 1 which includes the additional step of partially impregnating a structural fibre arrangement with said reinforcement resin to form a curable composite material. 7. The process according to claim 1 wherein the curing agent has a melting point greater than 100° C. 8. A process for the manufacture of a cured composite material comprising a process according to claim 6 followed by curing the curable composite material by exposure to a temperature of at least 60° C. and at a pressure greater than one bar without use of an autoclave to form a cured composite material. 9. The process according to claim 1, wherein the wall of said conduit is heated at a temperature of 110° C. 10. The process according to claim 6, wherein the temperature of the blended curing agent and curable resin prior to fibre impregnation, is greater than 100° C. for less than one minute. 11. The process according to claim 6, wherein the structural fibres are planar, so that they form a prepreg once impregnated. 12. The process according to claim 6, wherein the curable composite material is formed into an aerospace structural component. 13. The process according to claim 6, wherein the curing process is carried out at a pressure of less than 2.0 bar absolute. 14. The process according to claim 1, wherein said curing agent is selected from the group consisting of 3,3′ diaminodiphenyl sulphone and 4,4′ diaminodiphenyl sulphone. 15. The process according to claim 14, wherein said curing agent comprises both 3,3′ dianunodiphenyl sulphone and 4,4′ diaminodiphenyl sulphone. 16. The process according to claim 1 wherein a twin screw extruder is located in said blending zone. 17. The process according to claim 1 wherein said blending zone has a circular cross-section with a diameter of 2.5 cm. 18. The process according to claim 16 wherein said blending zone has a circular cross-section with a diameter of 2.5 cm. 19. The process according to clam 17 wherein the heated wall of said conduit is at a temperature of 110° C. 20. The process according to claim 18 wherein the heated wall of said conduit is at a temperature of 110° C.