Abstract: A curable composition including a thermoset resin a curing agent component, an amount of a thermoplast component having reactive pendant and/or end groups, an organometallic curing catalyst component. The organometallic curing catalyst component is capable of forming cross-links with reactive pendant and/or end groups of the thermoset and thermoplast resins and comprises an organometallic complex compound of the formula I=M(R)n, where M is selected from titanium, zirconium, hafnium, cerium, vanadium, niobium, R is selected from mono-, bi- and tri and/or tetra dentate organic ligands and n is four or six.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A curable composition and a method of making it comprises reacting in the presence of a catalyst epoxy resin(s) having at least 0.05% by weight of epoxy resin oligomer with a solid rubber which is swellable or soluble in the reaction mixture and possessing at least 1% by weight of reactive groups, in a rubber:epoxy resin(s) weight ratio of between 1:1 and 1:20, wherein said epoxy resin(s) comprises (a) at least one 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 but not more than three; heating to effect the reaction, cooling to substantially ambient temperature, and adding any remaining portion of epoxy resin and curing agent(s).

Abstract: Polymer compositions comprising phenol/formaldehyde systems and polyarylsulphones having epoxy pendent or end groups are disclosed together with novel epoxy-ended polyarylsulphones and novel cross-linked epoxy-ended polyarylsulphones. The compositions can be both unreinforced and reinforced with fibres and/or other fillers.

Abstract: A curable moulding composition in the form of a flowable particulate solid substantially non self-adhesive at temperatures up to 60.degree. C., flowable under shear and self-adhesive at temperatures in the range 60.degree.-150.degree. C. and hardenable at temperature over 150.degree. C., said composition comprising an uncured or partly cured thermoset resin precursor and, mixed intimately therewith, a polyarylsulphone containing the repeating units (Ph SO.sub.2 Ph).sub.n and Ph.sup.1.sub.a linked through ether and/or thioether, where Ph is paraphenylene, Ph.sup.1 is phenylene, n is 1 to 2 a is 1 to 3 and groups Ph.sup.1 are (when a exceeds 1) linked through a single chemical bond or a divalent group other than SO.sub.2 or alkylene or are fused together. Preferably the polyarylsulphone contains end-groups of formula --D--Y where D is a divalent aromatic hydrocarbon group and Y is a group reactive with the thermoset precursor and has been incipiently reacted with the thermoset precursor.

Abstract: A moulding composition comprising an uncured or partly, cured thermoset resin precursor and, mixed intimately therewith, a polyarylsulphone containing the repeating unit (Ph, SO.sub.2, PH).sub.n, where Ph is phenylene and n is 1 or 2, linked through ether and/or thioether.