초록 ▼

A fiber tow and methods for separating a fiber tow are disclosed. The fiber tow may include adjacent filaments and a polymer coating covering at least a portion of the adjacent filaments. The polymer coating may include a polymer that is configured to contract in a direction generally parallel to th

A fiber tow and methods for separating a fiber tow are disclosed. The fiber tow may include adjacent filaments and a polymer coating covering at least a portion of the adjacent filaments. The polymer coating may include a polymer that is configured to contract in a direction generally parallel to the adjacent filaments and expand in a direction generally perpendicular to the adjacent filaments. The polymer coating may contract/expand in response to an energy source, such as heat or a UV light source. The methods may include coating at least a portion of a plurality of filaments with a polymer, bundling the filaments into a fiber tow, and exposing the fiber tow to an energy source to contract the polymer in a direction generally parallel to the filaments and to expand the polymer in a direction generally perpendicular to the filaments. The filaments may be carbon fiber filaments.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of separating filaments coated with a polymer in a fiber tow, comprising: cutting the fiber tow into segments;dropping the segments such that the segments fall in a vertical direction; andas the segments fall, exposing the segments to first energy sources aligned in a first plane orthogo

1. A method of separating filaments coated with a polymer in a fiber tow, comprising: cutting the fiber tow into segments;dropping the segments such that the segments fall in a vertical direction; andas the segments fall, exposing the segments to first energy sources aligned in a first plane orthogonal to the vertical direction and second energy sources aligned in a second plane vertically spaced from and parallel to the first plane. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the filaments are carbon fiber filaments. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second energy sources are heat sources selected from the group consisting of a flame heater and a furnace. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the heat sources heat the segments to a temperature of 50° C. to 250° C. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy source is adapted to emit energy selected from the group consisting of X-rays, gamma rays, microwaves, and radio waves. 6. The method of claim 1 further comprising dropping the fiber tow segments onto a receiving surface that is a moving receiving surface. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the receiving surface is a first carrier film having a resin applied thereon, and wherein the method further comprises: applying a second carrier film having a resin applied thereon to the segments. 8. The method of claim 7 further comprising: forming a sheet molding compound including the segments; andcompacting the SMC material including the segments with a roller. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein during the dropping, the segments receive energy intermittently as they fall from the first energy sources to the second energy sources. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein during the dropping, the segments receive energy continuously as they fall from the first energy sources to the second energy sources. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein during the dropping, the polymer splits into spaced apart, discontinuous portions. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the spaced apart, discontinuous portions and adjacent filaments define gaps within the segment. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein during the dropping, the polymer expands at least 25% in the direction generally perpendicular to the adjacent filaments such that a diameter of a segment expands at least 25% when the polymer is exposed to the energy source. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein during the dropping, a filament is detached from an adjacent filament. 15. A method comprising: cutting and dropping polymer-coated segments from a tow;as the segments fall, intermittently exposing the segments to heaters such that a segment is exposed to a first plurality of heaters at a first fall location,is not exposed to a heater at a second fall location vertically below the first fall location, andis exposed to a second plurality of heaters at a third fall location vertically below the second fall location. 16. A method of separating polymer-coated filaments of a fiber tow, comprising: passing the fiber tow through a roller-integrated cutter such that the fiber tow is cut into segments, andthe segments fall vertically from the roller-integrated cutter;as the segments fall, exposing the segments to a first plurality of at least four energy sources that define a square about the vertically-falling segments and a second plurality of energy sources vertically offset from the first plurality.