Toray Industries, Inc.

Swezin Than Tun

Nobuyuki Arai

Kenichi Yoshioka

Alfred P Haro

Felix N Nguyen

Jonathan C Hughes

Jonathan Hughes

Benjamin Lehman

An epoxy resin composition is provided which includes a poly-naphthalene-based epoxy resin having two or more epoxy groups per molecule combined with a non-linear multi-phenyl epoxy resin and an additional epoxy resin having an epoxy functionality of 3 or more, as well as a prepreg, and a fiber-reinforced composite material prepared using the epoxy resin composition. More specifically, an epoxy resin composition is provided which contains a combination of particular types of epoxy resins and curatives that, when cured, provides high flexural modulus and that is suitable for preparing a fiber-reinforced composite material capable of withstanding extreme use environments such as low-temperature environments and high-temperature moisture-absorbing environments. In addition, epoxy resin systems are provided which are capable of achieving a high Tg along with good thermal stability for long periods of time at elevated temperatures (e.g., 180° C. or more) when cured at 210° C. for 2 hours.

Epoxy resin compositions, prepreg, and fiber-reinforced composite materials

An epoxy resin composition for a fiber-reinforced composite material, containing at least components [A], [B], [C], [D], and [E], wherein the epoxy resin composition when cured has a glass transition temperature greater than 220&#xb0; C. and a storage modulus, as defined by a specific method, less than 35 MPa, as determined from an elastic shear modulus measured at a temperature of at least 35&#xb0; C. higher than the glass transition temperature, wherein the components [A], [B], [C], [D], and [E] are: [A] at least one naphthalene-based epoxy resin having an EEW between 190 and 260 g/mol; [B] at least one epoxy resin having a functionality of three or more; [C] at least one amine curing agent; [D] at least one latent acid catalyst; and [E] at least one cycloaliphatic epoxy resin. This epoxy resin composition is useful in the molding of fiber-reinforced composite materials. More particularly, it is possible to offer an epoxy resin composition for a fiber-reinforced composite material where the cured material obtained by heating has high levels of heat resistance and microcrack resistance.

Epoxy resin compositions and fiber-reinforced composite materials prepared therefrom

A fiber reinforced polymer composition is provided comprising a fiber and an adhesive composition, wherein the adhesive composition comprises at least a thermosetting resin, a curing agent, and a hard interfacial material. When cured, the adhesive composition forms good bonds to the reinforcing fiber, and an interfacial region between the reinforcing fiber and the adhesive composition is formed which comprises the hard interfacial material. Additional embodiments include a prepreg and a method of manufacturing a composite article by curing the adhesive composition and the reinforcing fiber.

Fiber reinforced polymer composite with a hard interphase

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Tacoma, WA, United States of America

Swezin Than Tun