Abstract: A binder composition comprising [A] an amorphous polyamide with a glass transition temperature of 140° C. or higher having a dicyclohexylmethane skeleton in the molecule and [B] a sulfonamide compound is used to provide a binder composition, a reinforcing-fiber base material and a preform respectively most suitable for RTM, which respectively exhibit excellent impact resistance and physical properties remaining stable over the variations of molding conditions and can be used for producing a fiber-reinforced composite material most suitable for members such as primary structures of aircraft.

Abstract: The embodiments herein relate to a benzoxazine resin composition, a prepreg, and a carbon fiber-reinforced composite material. More specifically, the embodiments herein relate to a benzoxazine resin composition that provides a carbon fiber-reinforced composite material that is suitable for use as a manufacture material due to its superior mechanical strength in extreme use environments, such as high temperature and high moisture, as well as a prepreg, and a carbon fiber-reinforced composite material. An embodiment comprises a benzoxazine resin composition having a multifunctional benzoxazine resin; a multifunctional epoxy resin that is a liquid at 40° C. and has three or more glycidyl groups; a sulfonate ester; and optionally at least one thermoplastic resin. The resin may include an interpenetrating network structure after curing.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a prepreg comprising a thermosetting resin, and reinforcing fibers in the thermosetting resin, wherein when the prepreg is cured in vacuum bag only conditions, and a method of making the same. The method also applies for autoclave processing. Embodiments also relate to a cured fiber reinforced composite material made by thermally curing the prepreg.

Abstract: A control rod for nuclear reactors includes four wings including neutron absorbers containing hafnium, a front end structural member which has a cross shape in cross section and includes brackets bonded to the leading ends of the wings, and a terminal end structural member which has a cross shape in cross section and includes brackets bonded to the tailing ends of the wings. The four wings are bonded to a wing-bonding member including a cross-shaped center shaft so as to form a cross shape. The front end structural member and the wing-bonding member are made of a zirconium alloy. The wings include neutron-absorbing plates having neutron-absorbing portions and each have an outer surface which is opposed to a fuel assembly and at which a hafnium-zircaloy composite member covered with zircaloy is disposed. The neutron-absorbing plates are opposed to each other with trap spaces disposed therebetween.

Abstract: A control rod for nuclear reactors includes four wings including neutron absorbers containing hafnium, a front end structural member which has a cross shape in cross section and includes brackets bonded to the leading ends of the wings, and a terminal end structural member which has a cross shape in cross section and includes brackets bonded to the tailing ends of the wings. The four wings are bonded to a wing-bonding member including a cross-shaped center shaft so as to form a cross shape. The front end structural member and the wing-bonding member are made of a zirconium alloy. The wings include neutron-absorbing plates having neutron-absorbing portions and each have an outer surface which is opposed to a fuel assembly and at which a hafnium-zircaloy composite member covered with zircaloy is disposed. The neutron-absorbing plates are opposed to each other with trap spaces disposed therebetween.

Abstract: An embodiment relates to a prepreg having a structure comprising a first layer and a second layer, wherein the prepreg comprises component (A) comprising a reinforcing fiber, component (B) comprising a thermosetting resin, and component (C) comprising a particle or a fiber of a thermoplastic resin, the component (C) is substantially locally distributed in the first layer and the prepreg is a partially impregnated prepreg.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a structure comprising an adherend and an adhesive composition, wherein the adhesive composition comprises at least a thermosetting resin, a curing agent, and an interfacial material, wherein the adherend is suitable for concentrating the interfacial material in an interfacial region between the adherend and the adhesive composition upon curing of the adhesive composition; a method of manufacturing a composite article by curing the adhesive composition and a reinforcing fiber; and a method of manufacturing an adhesive bonded joint comprising applying the adhesive composition to a surface of one of the two or of different kinds the adherend, and curing the adhesive composition to form an adhesive bond between the adherends. The resulting interfacial region, viz., the reinforced interphase, is reinforced by one or more layers of the interfacial material such that substantial improvements in bond strength and fracture toughness are observed.

Abstract: An epoxy resin composition containing an epoxy resin [A1], epoxy resin [B1], epoxy resin [C1] and curing agent [D] wherein [A1] is a bisphenol-type epoxy resin with a softening point of 90° C. or more, [B1] is a tri- or higher functional amine-type epoxy resin, [C1] is a bisphenol F-type epoxy resin with a number average molecular weight of 450 or less, and the epoxy resins [A1] to [C1] satisfy the following contents per 100 parts by mass of total epoxy resin content: [A1] 20 to 50 parts by mass, [B1] 30 to 50 parts by mass and [C1] 10 to 40 parts. The present invention provides low-viscosity epoxy resin compositions that are excellent in impregnating reinforcing fibers and capable of producing cured resins with excellent modulus and toughness, as well as prepregs and fiber-reinforced composite materials based on those epoxy resin compositions.

Abstract: There is provided a prepreg which contains components (A) to (C) as mentioned below, wherein the component (A) is arranged on one surface or both surfaces of a layer comprising the components (B) and (C): (A) a nonwoven fabric comprising a thermoplastic elastomer and/or a polyolefin each of which has a value of tan ? of 0.06 or more at 10° C. as measured in a viscoelasticity measurement and is incompatible with the component (B); (B) a first epoxy resin composition; and (C) a reinforcing fiber. There are also provided a fiber-reinforced composite material which has excellent rigidity, strength, and vibration-damping performance, a prepreg which can be used suitably for the production of the fiber-reinforced composite material, and a process for producing the prepreg.

Abstract: A first intensity Az expressed as Az=az×E?, a first reference intensity A0 expressed as A0=a0×E?, a second intensity Bz expressed as Bz=bz×E, and a second reference intensity B0=b0×E, are evaluated. The first intensity and the first reference intensity are of radioactive nuclides generated by a neutron capture reaction of a heavy nuclide or a fission product nuclide. The second intensity and the second reference intensity are of radioactive fission product nuclides except nuclides generated by a neutron capture reaction. The reference intensities are measured where the void fraction is known. Also a correlation curve of (az/a0) and a void fraction is evaluated. Finally an axial void fraction distribution is evaluated based on the value of (az/a0) and the correlation curve.

Abstract: A prepreg containing a carbon fiber [A] and a thermosetting resin [B], and in addition, satisfying at least one of the following (1) and (2). (1) a thermoplastic resin particle or fiber [C] and a conductive particle or fiber [D] are contained, and weight ratio expressed by [compounding amount of [C] (parts by weight)]/[compounding amount of [D] (parts by weight)] is 1 to 1000. (2) a conductive particle or fiber of which thermoplastic resin nucleus or core is coated with a conductive substance [E] is contained.

Abstract: A prepreg containing components (A) to (C) defined below, wherein component (A) is placed on one surface or both surfaces of a layer comprising components (B) and (C), 90% or more by area of component (A) being present in a region(s) extending from the surface(s) of the resulting prepreg containing components (A) to (C) to a depth equal to 20% of the average thickness of the prepreg: (A) urethane particles having tan ? of 0.15 or more at 10° C. and having a three-dimensional cross-linked structure, (B) a first epoxy resin composition, and (C) reinforcing fiber. The present invention provides a fiber-reinforced composite material which excels in rigidity, strength, and vibration damping properties, and a prepreg which is suitably used for production thereof, and also provides methods for production thereof.

Abstract: A gas is detected using a MEMS gas sensor. The electrical power to a heater in the gas sensor is changed between a low level, a high level suitable for detection of detection target gas, and a 0 level, and, therefore, poisonous gas is evaporated or oxidized at the low level, and the detection target gas is detected at the high level.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fiber-reinforced composite material that is high in heat resistance and strength while being low in the content of volatile matter that volatilizes during curing. Also disclosed are an epoxy resin composition for production thereof, and a prepreg produced from the epoxy resin composition. Specifically the invention provides an epoxy resin composition comprising: [A] an epoxy resin comprising two or more ring structures each consisting of four or more members, and at least one amine type or ether type glycidyl group directly connected to the ring structures, [B] a tri- or more-functional epoxy resin, and [C] a curing agent, and also provides a prepreg produced by impregnating reinforcing fiber with the epoxy resin composition and a fiber-reinforced composite material produced by curing the prepreg.

Abstract: A binder composition comprising [A] an amorphous polyamide with a glass transition temperature of 140° C. or higher having a dicyclohexylmethane skeleton in the molecule and [B] a sulfonamide compound is used to provide a binder composition, a reinforcing-fiber base material and a preform respectively most suitable for RTM, which respectively exhibit excellent impact resistance and physical properties remaining stable over the variations of molding conditions and can be used for producing a fiber-reinforced composite material most suitable for members such as primary structures of aircraft.

Abstract: A prepreg containing a carbon fiber [A] and a thermosetting resin [B], and in addition, satisfying at least one of the following (1) and (2). (1) a thermoplastic resin particle or fiber [C] and a conductive particle or fiber [D] are contained, and weight ratio expressed by [compounding amount of [C] (parts by weight)]/[compounding amount of [D] (parts by weight)] is 1 to 1000. (2) a conductive particle or fiber of which thermoplastic resin nucleus or core is coated with a conductive substance [E] is contained.

Abstract: A prepreg containing a carbon fiber [A] and a thermosetting resin [B], and in addition, satisfying at least one of the following (1) and (2) (1) a thermoplastic resin particle or fiber [C] and a conductive particle or fiber [D] are contained, and weight ratio expressed by [compounding amount of [C] (parts by weight)]/[compounding amount of [D] (parts by weight)] is 1 to 1000. (2) a conductive particle or fiber of which thermoplastic resin nucleus or core is coated with a conductive substance [E] is contained.

Abstract: A method of controlling the criticality of a nuclear fuel cycle facility includes steps of producing a reactor fuel by adding less than 0.1% by weight of gadolinia to a uranium dioxide powder with a uranium enrichment of greater than 5% by weight and controlling the effective neutron multiplication factor of a uranium dioxide system in a step of handling the reactor fuel to be less than or equal to the maximum of the effective neutron multiplication factor of a uranium dioxide system with a uranium enrichment of 5% by weight.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fiber-reinforced composite material that is high in heat resistance and strength while being low in the content of volatile matter that volatilizes during curing. Also disclosed are an epoxy resin composition for production thereof, and a prepreg produced from the epoxy resin composition. Specifically the invention provides an epoxy resin composition comprising: [A] an epoxy resin comprising two or more ring structures each consisting of four or more members, and at least one amine type or ether type glycidyl group directly connected to the ring structures, [B] a tri—or more—functional epoxy resin, and [C] a curing agent, and also provides a prepreg produced by impregnating reinforcing fiber with the epoxy resin composition and a fiber-reinforced composite material produced by curing the prepreg.

Abstract: A prepreg containing a carbon fiber [A] and a thermosetting resin [B], and in addition, satisfying at least one of the following (1) and (2). (1) a thermoplastic resin particle or fiber [C] and a conductive particle or fiber [D] are contained, and weight ratio expressed by [compounding amount of [C] (parts by weight)]/[compounding amount of [D] (parts by weight)] is 1 to 1000. (2) a conductive particle or fiber of which thermoplastic resin nucleus or core is coated with a conductive substance [E] is contained.