Abstract: A composite material may include a polymer resin layer; and a plurality of rigid plates to reinforce the polymer resin layer, each rigid plate of the plurality of rigid plates having a polygon shape with rigid sides. The plurality of rigid plates may be fabricated in a pattern in the polymer resin layer to form a plurality of hinges in the polymer resin layer between sides of the plurality of rigid plates, so that the composite is foldable at the plurality of hinges into a collapse state and expandable at the plurality of hinges to deploy into a structure.

Abstract: Various embodiments may include low-creep and low-stress-relaxation polymer composites (or reduced-creep and reduced-stress-relaxation polymer composites) and methods for making low-creep and low-stress-relaxation polymer composites (or reduced-creep and reduced-stress-relaxation polymer composites). Various embodiments may include a polymeric material, comprising: a tetrafunctional epoxy in an epoxy weight amount; an amine hardener in a hardener weight amount, wherein a weight ratio of the epoxy weight amount to the hardener weight amount is 1:0.38 or greater; and an oligomer additive in an additive concentration, the oligomer additive comprising a monomer combined with 4?-hydroxyacetanilide (HAA).

Abstract: Disclosed herein are composite materials comprising a siliconized carbon fiber fabric and polymeric sizing. In one embodiment, the polymeric sizing can be bismaleimide, an epoxy resin, or both. In another embodiment, the composite materials possess mechanical strength and durability and acceptable performance after extended periods of time in storage. In another embodiment, disclosed herein is a method for making the composite materials, the method including at least the steps of (a) siliconizing the carbon fiber fabric to produce a siliconized carbon fiber fabric; and (b) applying a polymeric sizing material to the siliconized carbon fiber fabric to create the composite material. In yet another embodiment, disclosed herein are composite materials formed by the disclosed process and articles comprising the composite materials including, but not limited to, camping equipment, military equipment, clothing, sporting equipment, aerospace equipment, wrinkle-free fabric, or any combination thereof.

Abstract: The benefits of liquid crystal polymers and polyetherimides are combined in an all-aromatic thermoplastic liquid crystalline polyetherimide. Because of the unique molecular structure, all-aromatic thermotropic liquid crystal polymers exhibit outstanding processing properties, excellent barrier properties, low solubilities and low coefficients of thermal expansion in the processing direction. These characteristics are combined with the strength, thermal, and radiation stability of polyetherimides.

Abstract: The benefits of liquid crystal polymers and polyetherimides are combined in an all-aromatic thermoplastic liquid crystalline polyetherimide. Because of the unique molecular structure, all-aromatic thermotropic liquid crystal polymers exhibit outstanding processing properties, excellent barrier properties, low solubilities and low coefficients of thermal expansion in the processing direction. These characteristics are combined with the strength, thermal, and radiation stability of polyetherimides.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the mass density of a moving filament is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a filament across two supports, tensioning the filament, inducing a vibration into the filament segment between the supports, reinforcing the vibration using an amplified feedback signal, detecting the vibrational frequency data, processing the data using a fast-fourier transform analysis, and then displaying the frequency. The use of the feedback signal results in a self-tuning resonant loop. Open loop versions may also be used. The apparatus includes a base supporting a fixed support and a transducer which in turn supports a moveable support. The transducer vibrates the moveable support transversely to the direction of travel of the filament, thereby inducing a transverse vibrational mode. The output of the transducer is amplified and used to drive a second amplifier to produce a self-tuning resonant loop.