Abstract: An electroconductive resin composition, which comprises a thermosetting resin as a matrix and 40 to 90% by weight, on the basis of the composition, of carbon fibers and graphite as fillers, has a high electroconductivity and is suitable for use as a molding material for fuel cell separators. By using a molding material comprising phenol resin as a matrix and at least one kind of carbon fibers and graphite being coated by an electroconductive metal and molding fuel cell separators from the molding material, followed by post-curing at 130 to 300° C., fuel cell separators with a stable power generation capacity can be obtained.

Abstract: A porous sheet is provided suitable for use as a substitute for natural leather for shoes, clothes, and a fiber composite sheet. The porous sheet is formed of an elastic polymer, has a thickness of 10 to 500 ?m, and has 500 to 15,000 fine pores mm2 inside, the fine pores having an average pore diameter of 1 to 20 ?m, and which has a breaking strength of 1 to 15 N/mm2 and a breaking elongation of 100 to 500%. A fiber composite sheet is also provided, wherein the porous sheet is laminated on a substrate made of a fiber aggregate as a main component.

Abstract: A decorative material is provided which particularly possesses excellent adhesion properties. The decorative material comprises: a substrate; a print layer provided on the substrate; a protective layer provided on the print layer, the protective layer comprising an ionizing radiation-cured resin; and a stress relaxing layer as a primer layer provided between the print layer and the protective layer, for relaxing shrinkage stress caused at the time of curing of an ionizing radiation-curable resin for the formation of the ionizing radiation-cured resin constituting the protective layer.

Abstract: A monofilament plastic fiber useful in reducing plastic shrinkage cracking of concrete articles has been discovered. The fiber has a core that is a polyolefin that is at least partially enveloped by a sheath that is a copolymer of an olefin and at least one olefinically unsaturated comonomer selected from the group consisting of an unsaturated carboxylic acid, alkyl acrylate, alkyl methacrylate and vinyl ester.

Abstract: The present invention provides thermal devices, materials and methods for use in transferring heat from heat sources. One embodiment comprises a thermal transfer body that has first and second end portions and includes a thermally anisotropic material that conducts more thermal energy in a longitudinal direction than in a direction transverse thereto, wherein at least one of the first and second end portions includes a projection having a surface area oriented obliquely to the longitudinal direction. Multiple projections may be provided of various geometries, such as pyramids, cones, triangular prismoids and domes. The thermally anisotropic material may include an ensemble of longitudinally thermally conductive fibers, such as carbon fibers derived from precursors such as petroleum or coal pitch, which may be embedded in a support matrix of various materials.

Abstract: A long-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin sheet comprises short strands, each of which has a width of from 0.2 to 5 mm and a length of from 10 to 150 mm and is made of a unidirectionally long-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin. The short strands are oriented at random and are fixed together at intersections thereof. The long-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin sheet has a basis weight of from 30 to 500 g/m2 and is provided with openings therein. The long-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin sheet can be produced by evenly spreading and piling up short strands of substantially circular or elliptical sections, and subjecting the short strands to pressureless hot-melt adhesion or to hot-melt compression bonding under pressure such that the sheet has a basis weight of from 30 to 500 g/m2 and is provided with openings therein. The short strands of the substantially circular or elliptical sections have an average diameter of from 0.1 to 1.

Abstract: The invention relates to an SMC (sheet moulding compound) for producing fibre-reinforced duroplastic components. Said SMC consists of a resin matrix (2) which is fibre-reinforced with unidirectional fibres (UD-fibres) (7) that are arranged in axial alignment and preferably with additional cut fibres (random fibres) (4) that are arranged in a non-aligned manner in the resin matrix. According to the invention, in order to achieve extremely high rigidity in a multi-axial direction with a low surface weight, several layers of SMC are arranged in the component, each layer containing UD-fibres (7) with a different alignment from one another.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for scattering particles, in particular particles admixed with at least one binder, such as, for example, fibers, chips or like particles containing ligno-cellulose and/or cellulose, to form a mat, in particular for manufacturing shaped articles, primarily in the form of boards. On the one hand, chipboards, fiberboards and chip/fiber combination boards can be manufactured in an economically favorable manner with the apparatus and method described. Furthermore, boards of variable width can be produced without a time-consuming conversion of the apparatus being necessary.

Abstract: A molded sheet has a core which is composed of a number of core layers and, located on both sides of the core, substrate layers, decorative layers, and clear layers. Flame retardants have been added to the various layers of the molding, and specifically in a manner such that the distribution of the flame retardants is non-uniform across the thickness of the molding, and the distribution here may be selected to be symmetrical or asymmetrical with respect to the center of the thickness of the molding.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a clad board includes: sticking a releasing film to a pre-preg sheet; forming a non-through-hole or through-hole in the pre-preg sheet including the releasing film; filling the hole with conductive paste; peeling off the film; and heating and pressing a metal foil onto the pre-preg sheet. The clad board has a smooth face formed on one face or both the faces of the pre-preg sheet, so that the conductive paste is restrained from spreading in an interface between the pre-preg sheet and the releasing film. This structure can avoid short-circuit between circuits and prevent insulating reliability from lowering. As a result, an yield rate is improved, and a reliable circuit board is obtainable.

Abstract: A friction disk suitable for running as an assembly of interleaved disks in a transmission is disclosed. A rigid metallic core on backing plate is covered on one or both sides with a wafer of non-woven yarn wherein the yarn comprises a continuous wound length of heat resistant yarn in a non-overlapping fashion. The yarn is bonded to the core by a thermosetting resin, which is impregnated into the yarn by less than 80% by weight to preserve porosity and allowing penetration of the cooling transmission fluid. The yarn preferably is composed of carbon fibers or filaments.

Abstract: In order to reduce the heat transfer coefficient of coated building panels, the coating and the building panel have a high voidage. This high voidage can be obtained by using a fiber mat and a porous coating applied to the fiber mat. The porous coating includes porous glass particles and a low amount of a binder. The porous glass particles are held together by binder bridges, including a silicate binder and a low amount of an organic dispersion binder, for example an polymeric styrol acrylate. The partial volume filled by the binder bridges is small and therefore there is a remarkable first empty partial volume in between the porous particles. A second empty partial volume is located within the glass particles. The total volume of all pores of the glass particles is a relevant part of the total coating volume. This second empty partial volume is a very good thermal isolation because the individual pores are small and to a high percentage closed chambers not connected to the ambient.

Abstract: A preform can be molded by resin transfer molding and yields a composite material having excellent strength and excellent interlaminar debonding resistance. The preform, which is for producing a fiber-reinforced composite, comprises layers of laminated structure of a reinforcing material comprising reinforcement fibers and has, between these layers, a layer comprising a thermoplastic resin and having space so as not to inhibit a liquid resin from flowing therethrough. The preform is molded to yield a fiber-reinforced composite material.

Abstract: Fiber-reinforced ceramic composites contain bundles, tows or hanks of long fibers, wherein the long fiber bundles, tows or hanks are completely surrounded by a short fiber-reinforced matrix, with the long and short fibers having, independently of one another, a mean diameter of from 4 to 12 &mgr;m and the long fibers having a mean length of at least 50 mm and the short fibers having a mean length of not more than 40 mm, a process for producing them and their use for producing clutch disks or brake disks.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reinforced thermoform or blow-molded article, and the process for preparing the same, where the reinforcement is provided by a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite that contains a thermoplastic resin, such as a rigid thermoplastic polyurethane, and a plurality of continuous reinforcing fibers impregnated with the resin. The reinforced thermoform blow-molded article is useful in a variety of products such as boat hulls, table tops, automotive and non-automotive seat structures, small vehicle structures such as golf carts and golf cart roofs, pallets, containers, and skis.

Abstract: Fiber-reinforced ceramic composites which comprise at least two layers of a multidirectional woven fiber fabric as reinforcement, with at least 5% of the area of each layer of woven fiber fabric being permeated by matrix material, friction disks comprising these composites as core zone or support zone, a process for producing them and their use as brake disks or clutch disks.

Abstract: A composition including, but not limited to, a mixture of a calcium sulfate material, water, and a tetrametaphosphate compound is disclosed. Desirably, the inclusion of the tetrametaphosphate compound (e.g., salt or ion) in a pre-set treatment of a calcium sulfate material enhances the resistance to permanent deformation (e.g., sag), dimensional stability, and/or compressive strength of the composition while also preferably avoiding any significant retardive effect on the rate of hydration of calcined gypsum to calcium sulfate dihydrate. A set gypsum-containing product and a method for producing a set gypsum-containing product having increased resistance to permanent deformation are also disclosed.

Abstract: A low thermal expansion laminated plate which has excellent heat resistance, water resistance and toughness and whose average linear expansion coefficient within the temperature ranging from 40 to 150° C. is not higher than 20×10−6/° C. can be obtained by laminating and curing fiber-reinforced layers impregnated with a resin composition consisting of a radically polymerizable resin, radically polymerizable monomer and inorganic filler combined with a specific amount of a thermoplastic resin.

Abstract: The present invention provides a resin composition for a slide fastener. In one embodiment, upon setting, the resin composition does not melt even upon contact with a hot surface. In addition, the fastener provides low sliding resistance or friction, as well as durability and structural strength to withstand repeated opening and closing operations. Finally, the fastener can be dyed with cloth in the same bath.

Abstract: A reinforcing structure designed for handling compression stress states when the structure is molded into a composite. The structure, specifically a wrapped cord with metallic filaments contained therein, is suitable for both compression and tension load forces. The reinforcing structure has a core comprising a plurality of essentially straight, nested filaments arranged in parallel, the filaments forming a line of contact with adjacent filaments that extends along the length of the filaments. Wrapped about the core is at least one helically wound wire.