Abstract: Method of moulding a moulding material to form a moulded part of carbon fibre-reinforced resin matrix composite material in which a sheet moulding compound is moulded which can provide panels, for example for use as vehicle body panels, which have the combination of very low thickness, very light weight, very low warping and surface defects, and very low anisotropy with regard to localised fibre and resin distribution and their associated appearance and mechanical properties.

Abstract: A prepreg having at least one layer of fibres and a curable thermosetting resin system at least partly impregnating the at least one layer of fibres, wherein the curable thermosetting resin system includes a curable thermosetting resin including at least two epoxide groups, a curing agent that includes at least one amine group, and an accelerator that includes an azole group; wherein the curable thermosetting resin, the curing agent and the accelerator are provided in respective concentrations in the prepreg to provide that, after curing the thermosetting resin at a cure temperature of at least 140° C. for a period of from 1 to 6 minutes, (i) the cured thermosetting resin has a glass transition temperature Tg which is greater than the cure temperature and is within the range of from 150° C. to 180° C. and (ii) the cured thermosetting resin is at least 90% cured.

Abstract: A prepreg for the manufacture of a fibre-reinforced composite material having fire retardant properties, the prepreg comprising from 42 to 52 wt % of an epoxide resin matrix system and from 48 to 58 wt % fibrous reinforcement, each wt % being based on the total weight of the prepreg, the fibrous reinforcement being at least partially impregnated by the epoxide resin matrix system; wherein the epoxide resin matrix system includes as components: a. a mixture of (i) at least one epoxide-containing resin and (ii) at least one catalyst for curing the at least one epoxide-containing resin; and b. a plurality of solid fillers for providing fire retardant properties to the fibre-reinforced composite material formed after catalytic curing of the at least one epoxide-containing resin, wherein the weight ratio of component a. to component b. is from 1.4:1 to 1.86:1.

Abstract: A prepreg having at least one layer of fibres and a curable thermosetting resin system at least partly impregnating the at least one layer of fibres, wherein the curable thermosetting resin system includes a curable thermosetting resin including at least two epoxide groups, a curing agent that includes at least one amine group, and an accelerator that includes an azole group; wherein the curable thermosetting resin, the curing agent and the accelerator are provided in respective concentrations in the prepreg to provide that, after curing the thermosetting resin at a cure temperature of at least 140° C. for a period of from 1 to 6 minutes, (i) the cured thermosetting resin has a glass transition temperature Tg which is greater than the cure temperature and is within the range of from 150° C. to 180° C. and (ii) the cured thermosetting resin is at least 90% cured.

Abstract: The present invention describes a prepreg for the manufacture of fibre reinforced resin matrix composite materials, the prepreg comprising: a surface film comprising a thermosetting resin and a particulate filler material dispersed therein, and a fibrous layer on which the surface film is disposed, the fibrous layer comprising a plurality of non-woven carbon fibres which are substantially randomly oriented, wherein the fibrous layer has interstices between the carbon fibres dimensioned for absorbing at least a portion of the thermosetting resin during a resin infusion step and filtering at least a portion of the particulate filler material in the surface film to remain in the surface film during the resin infusion step.

Abstract: A composite panel including a multilayer laminate with a plurality of central plies of fibre reinforced resin matrix composite material, wherein at least one of the central plies includes a first fibrous layer of a plurality of non-woven carbon fibres which are substantially randomly oriented, and a rear reinforcement layer which is integrally moulded with the central multilayer portion the reinforcement layer being comprised of a rear ply of fibre reinforced resin matrix composite material, wherein the rear ply includes a second fibrous layer of a plurality of continuous fibres which extend continuously from at least one portion of a first edge of the rear ply to at least one portion of an opposite second edge of the rear ply.

Abstract: A prepreg comprising a fibrous material contacting a polymerizable resin, at least 50 wt % of the polymerizable resin comprising at least one polymerizable monomer having at least two carbon-carbon unsaturated functional groups, the monomer being polymerizable by reaction of the unsaturated functional groups to form a cured resin, wherein the resin has a heat of polymerization of less than 230 KJ/kg to provide a maximum increase in temperature of the prepreg of 60° C. during polymerization under adiabatic conditions.

Abstract: A prepreg having at least one layer of carbon fibers and a curable thermosetting resin system, the curable thermosetting resin system at least partly impregnating the at least one layer of carbon fibers, wherein the curable thermosetting resin system includes: a curable thermosetting resin including at least one epoxide group, the curable thermosetting resin having an epoxy equivalent weight of from 140 to 180 g/eq; a curing agent for curing the curable thermosetting resin, wherein the curing agent is present in the liquid phase and includes a cyanamide reactive group; and a rheology modifier for the curable thermosetting resin system, wherein the rheology modifier includes at least one of a thermoplastic resin and an inorganic particulate thickener or a mixture thereof.

Abstract: A prepreg comprising at least one layer of carbon fibers and a curable thermosetting resin system, the curable thermosetting resin system at least partly impregnating the at least one layer of carbon fibers, wherein the curable thermosetting resin system comprises: a. a curable thermosetting resin including at least one epoxide group; b. a curing agent for curing the curable thermosetting resin, wherein the curing agent is present in the liquid phase and includes a cyanamide reactive group; c. an accelerator for accelerating the curing of the thermosetting resin by the curing agent, wherein the accelerator includes at least one urea reactive group; and d. a rheology modifier for the curable thermosetting resin system, wherein the rheology modifier is at least one of a thermoplastic resin and an inorganic particulate thickener or a mixture thereof.

Abstract: A method of press molding a molding material to form a vehicle body panel of fiber-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the vehicle body panel having a front A-surface and a rear B-surface, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a heated mold tool having a lower mold part and an upper mold part, the upper mold part having a first molding surface for molding a front A-surface of the vehicle body panel and the lower mold part having a second molding surface for molding a rear B-surface of the vehicle body panel; ii. providing a multilaminar panel of molding material comprising at least one layer of fibers and at least one layer of resin, the multilaminar panel having first and second opposite major surfaces, a surface resin layer of the multilaminar panel being at or adjacent to the first major surface; iii. locating the molding material in the mold tool; iv. closing the mold tool to define a substantially closed mold cavity containing the molding material; v.

Abstract: A method of press molding a molding material to form a molded part of fiber-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the method comprising the steps of: i. locating a molding material in a mold tool, the molding material containing fibers, resin and a syntactic layer comprising a polymer matrix and a plurality of hollow bodies distributed within the polymer matrix; ii. permitting the molding material to drape at least partly under the action of gravity within the mold so as to configure at least part of the draped molding material in a partly molded shape; iii. fully closing the mold tool to define a closed mold cavity containing the molding material; iv. applying pressure to the mold cavity to cause resin to flow and impregnate the fibers and to configure the molding material in a fully molded shape; and v. substantially fully curing the resin to form a molded part from the molding material.

Abstract: A method of at least partially sealing surfaces of a body of a cellular foam, preferably comprising polyethylene terephthalate, the cellular foam having an initial compression strength, the method comprising the steps of: providing a body of an cellular foam comprising polyethylene terephthalate, the body having opposite surfaces; disposing the body between first pressure elements; in a first pressure applying step at a first temperature above 100° C., applying a first compression pressure to the opposite surfaces by the first pressure elements, the first compression pressure being less than 10% of the initial compression strength; disposing the pressed body between second pressure elements; and in a second pressure applying step at a second temperature at least 25° C. lower than the first temperature, applying a second compression pressure to the opposite surfaces, the second compression pressure being less than 15% of the initial compression strength.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a core for a composite material sandwich panel, the method comprising the steps of: providing a sheet of balsawood with opposite major surfaces, with vessels and axial parenchyma cells of the balsawood extending between the opposite major surfaces in a thickness direction of the sheet; coating a layer of a curable resin composition onto respective opposite major surfaces of the sheet of balsawood; and curing the curable resin composition, wherein the resin composition is applied and cured so that the coating layer of cured resin composition unevenly fills or only partly fills outermost ends of at least some of the vessels in the balsawood and thereby provides, at least in the vicinity of at least some of the vessels, a non-planar outer surface of the coating layer of the cured resin composition over the opposite major surfaces.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a foam body having an anisotropic cell structure, the method including the steps of: expanding a polymer at an elevated temperature to form an initial foam body; and cooling the initial foam body under a negative pressure. There is also provided a method of manufacturing a foam body having an anisotropic cell structure, the method including the steps of: (a) in a first expansion step, expanding a foamable polymer composition substantially isotropically to form an initial foam body having an isotropic cell structure; and (b) in a second expansion step, expanding the initial foam body anisotropically in a selected direction under a negative pressure which applies an expanding force in the selected direction to provide a final foam body having an anisotropic cell structure. Apparatus for the methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A prepreg for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced composite material, the prepreg comprising a body comprising a layer of fibrous reinforcement impregnated with a matrix resin material, and a powder coating layer of resin material on at least one major surface of the body and adhered to the matrix resin material.

Abstract: A method of press molding a molding material to form a molded part of fiber-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a mold tool having a lower mold part and an upper mold part, the upper mold part having a first molding surface for molding a first molded surface of the molded part and the lower mold part having a second molding surface for molding a second molded surface of the molded part; ii. providing a multilaminar panel of molding material comprising at least one layer of fibers and at least one layer of resin, the multilaminar panel having first and second opposite major surfaces, a surface resin layer of the multilaminar panel being at or adjacent to the first major surface; iii. locating the molding material in the mold tool; iv. closing the mold tool to define a substantially closed mold cavity containing the molding material, the closing step including the sub-steps of: a.

Abstract: A method of press molding a molding material to form a molded part of fiber-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a mold tool having a lower mold part and an upper mold part, the upper mold part having a first molding surface for molding a first molded surface of the molded part and the lower mold part having a second molding surface for molding a second molded surface of the molded part; ii. providing a multilaminar panel of molding material comprising at least one layer of dry fibers and at least one layer of resin, the multilaminar panel having first and second opposite major surfaces; iii. locating the molding material in the mold tool; iv. progressively closing the mold tool to define a substantially closed mold cavity containing the molding material, the closing step having: I. a first stage prior to both the first molding surface contacting the first major surface and the second molding surface contacting the second major surface and II.

Abstract: A method of press moulding a moulding material to form a moulded part of fiber-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a mould tool having a lower mould part and an upper mould part, the upper mould part having a first moulding surface for moulding a first moulded surface of the moulded part and the lower mould part having a second moulding surface for moulding a second moulded surface of the moulded part; ii. providing a multilaminar panel of moulding material comprising at least one layer of fibers and at least one layer of resin, the multilaminar panel having first and second opposite major surfaces, a surface resin layer of the multilaminar panel being at or adjacent to the first major surface and a dry fiber layer of the multilaminar panel forming the second major surface; iii.

Abstract: A method of press molding a molding material to form a molded part of fiber-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a mold tool having a lower mold part and an upper mold part, the upper mold part having a first molding surface for molding a first molded surface of the molded part and the lower mold part having a second molding surface for molding a second molded surface of the molded part; ii. providing a multilaminar panel of molding material comprising at least one layer of fibers and at least one layer of resin, the multilaminar panel having first and second opposite major surfaces; iii. locating the molding material in the mold tool; iv. progressively closing the mold tool to define a substantially closed mold cavity containing the molding material, the closing step including: a. a preliminary closing phase to achieve mutual engagement between the lower and upper mold parts, b.

Abstract: A prepreg for the manufacture of a fiber-reinforced composite material, the prepreg including: i. an epoxy-resin matrix including: a. at least one non-halogenated epoxide-containing resin which has been chemically modified with at least one of a nitrogen- and/or phosphorous-containing molecule which has been chemically reacted with the epoxide-containing molecule; b. at least one toughening additive comprising an elastomeric or thermoplastic material chemically reacted with the at least one epoxide-containing resin; c. at least one mineral filler to provide fire-retardancy; and d. at least one catalyst for curing the epoxide-containing resin; and ii. a fibrous reinforcement at least partially impregnated by the epoxy resin matrix.