Cytec Technology Corporation

Basf Aktiengesellschaft

Cytec Industries Inc.

Basf Corporation

Other

Jack D Boyd

Stephen J Howard

Steve Peake

Hong-Son Ryang

Mark Roman

Theodore F Biermann

Spencer Donald Jacobs

Helmut Tesch

Albert S Kuo

Mark Bonneau

Thomas Weber

Scott D Lucas

Hans G Recker

Hermann Sitt

Lawrence C Hopper

Gordon T Emmerson

David A Shimp

Linas N Repecka

Thomas Folda

Jean Lee

Christopher Lee Bongiovanni

Gunnar Schornick

Bernd Reck

Rudolf Schuhmacher

Philipp Eisenbarth

Steve Mortimer

Daniel Chang

Guo Feng Xu

Volker Altstaedt

Dale Gerth

J Timothy Hartness

Christopher Pederson

William T Mead

Rita A Laschober

Christopher L Bongiovanni

A walker specialized for use on trails by pushing and walking, rather than riding on, with no drivetrain, along with a method of using the walker on trails is provided. The walker can include a frame, two inline wheels, and a handlebar steering mechanism. The walker can further include a braking mechanism, an elbow rest, an electric motor, and racks and/or carriers for gear.

Walker specialized for trail use

A walker specialized for use on trails by pushing and walking, rather than riding on, with no drivetrain is provided. The walker can include a frame, two inline wheels, and a handlebar steering mechanism. The walker can further include a braking mechanism, an elbow rest, an electric motor, and racks and/or carriers for gear.

Curable prepregs possessing enhanced ability for the removal of gases from within prepregs and between prepreg plies in a prepreg layup prior to and/or during consolidation and curing. Each curable prepreg is a resin-impregnated, woven fabric that has been subjected to a treatment to create an array of openings in at least one major surface. Furthermore, the location of the openings is specific to the weave pattern of the fabric.

Curable prepregs with surface openings

Curable prepregs possessing enhanced ability for the removal of gases from within prepregs and between prepreg plies in a prepreg layup prior to and/or during consolidation and curing. Each curable prepreg is a resin-impregnated, woven fabric that has been subjected to a treatment to create an array of openings in at least one major surface. The location of the openings is specific to the weave pattern of the fabric. Furthermore, when these prepregs are laid up and subjected to a debulking process to form a composite part, a shorter debulking time can be achieved as compared to using prepregs without the same surface openings.

Systems and methods for the reduction of volatile component content from shaped prepregs and prepreg layups and the layups and composites formed therefrom are disclosed. One or more shaped prepregs or prepreg layups are placed within an enclosure and a flow of a non-condensing gas is introduced adjacent at least one surface of the shaped prepregs or prepreg layups, accelerating the rate and/or the completeness of removal of volatile components from the shaped prepregs or prepreg layups. The shaped prepregs or prepreg layups may be further subjected to heat, vacuum, and external pressure to facilitate removal of the volatile components. Shaped prepregs and prepreg layups with volatiles reduced in this manner may be further consolidated with heat, external pressure and/or vacuum. Beneficially, reduced matrix bleed and reduced fiber movement may be achieved during processing, reducing manufacturing time and improving part quality.

Processing of polymer matrix composites

Systems and methods for the fabrication of prepregs possessing enhanced ability for the removal of gases from within prepregs and prepreg layups prior to and/or during at least a portion of consolidation and cure process to form composite structures are disclosed. In certain embodiments, perforations of selected configurations may be introduced into the prepregs prior to, during, and after layup. The perforations provide routes for gases trapped within and between the perforated prepregs and prepreg lay-ups to escape during consolidation and cure process, reducing the residual porosity within the resulting composite. For example, composites having residual porosities less than 10 vol. %, on the basis of the volume of the composite, may be achieved in this manner.

Prepregs with improved processing

The present invention is a thermosetting bismaleimide resin system comprising a liquid phase and a solid phase where the non-crystallizing liquid phase contains the curing agents diallyl ether of a substantially aromatic radical and a bis(alkenylphenoxy) ether of a substantially aromatic radical along with a substantially aromatic bismaleimide as a particle slurry and optionally a free radical inhibitor. The curing agents are non-crystallizing compositions for use in bismaleimide resin formulations to increase the thermal durability of a cured resin composite as shown by reduced microcracking as measured by reduced weight loss after thermal aging. The present invention resists microcracking over bismaleimide resin systems which incorporate other curing agents or combinations of curing agents. The present invention further provides a bismaleimide resin formulation suitable to make prepregs with reduced crystallization for reduced viscosity supporting improved manufacturing properties and improved tack.

Bismaleimide resin system with improved manufacturing properties

Particle toughened, fiber-reinforced composites include a fiber region and an interlayer region between the fibers. The fiber region includes a plurality of fibers at least partially within a first polymer composition including a first base polymer formulation and a first plurality of toughening particles. The interlayer region includes a second polymer composition including a second base polymer formulation and at least one of the first plurality of toughening particles and a second plurality of toughening particles. Examples of first and second pluralities of toughening particles, respectively, may include core shell rubbers and polyimides. Increasing concentration of the first plurality of toughening particles may improve the composite toughness while preserving thermal properties of the composite, such as weight loss after extended duration exposure to elevated temperature. It is further discovered that the relative placement of the toughening particles influences composite mechanical properties, such as compression after impact (CAI) strength.

Particle-toughened fiber-reinforced polymer composites

Particle-toughened polymer compositions include a base polymer formulation and a plurality of toughening particles. In certain embodiments, the base polymer formulation includes bismaleimides or other polymer resins capable of high temperature service. A first plurality of toughening particles may include core shell rubbers. A second plurality of toughening particles may be selected from a variety of polymer compositions, including polyimides, polyether ketone (PEK), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyether ketone ketone (PEKK), polyether imide, polyether sulfones, and polyphenylene oxide. It is found that increasing concentration of the core shell rubbers may improve the toughness of the composition while preserving thermal properties of the composition, such as glass transition temperature.

Particle-toughened polymer compositions

Manufacture of void-free laminates and use thereof

Thermosetting polymers with high temperature capability and superior oxidative stability for composite and adhesive applications are disclosed. These polymers are ideally suited for adhesives and RTM, resin film infusion, and prepreg methods to make polymer matrix, fiber reinforced composite parts.

Thermosetting polymers with improved thermal and oxidative stability for composite and adhesive applications

Thermosetting polymers with high temperature capability for composite and adhesive applications are disclosed. Inhibitors for improving pot life, gel time and storage stability are disclosed. These polymers are ideally suited for adhesives and RTM, resin film infusion, and prepreg methods to make polymer matrix, fiber reinforced composite parts.

Thermosettable resin compositions with improved storage stability and

Growing community of inventors

Westminster, CA, United States of America

Jack D Boyd