Cytec Industries Inc.

Fiberite Inc.

Scott D Lucas

Patrick Terence McGrail

Stephen Derek Jenkins

Jeffrey Thomas Carter

Peter R Ciriscioli

Stephen J Howard

Jack D Boyd

Robin Kelvin Maskell

Mark Roman

Robin K Maskell

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.

Curable prepregs with surface openings

A shaped article optionally containing a prepreg, or a composite derived from the shaped article with the prepreg, is prepared from a curable composition derived from the reaction in the presence of a catalyst of epoxy resin having at least 0.05% by weight of an epoxy resin oligomer with a solid rubber possessing at least 1% by weight of reactive groups and which is swellable or soluble in the reaction mixture, in a rubber epoxy resin weight ratio between 1:1 to 1:20, wherein said epoxy resin comprises (a) at least one first epoxy resin having an epoxy functionality of greater than three and (b) at least one second epoxy resin having a functionality of greater than one to three.

Curable compositions

At least trifunctional epoxy resin reacted with solid rubber mixed with

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Scottsdale, AZ, United States of America

Scott D Lucas