- Email: [email protected]
Multi-function composite material utilizing embedded optical fibres
Flame retardant polyamide compositions Williams, LG. (Imperial Chemical Industries plc, London, England) US Pat4 530 951 (23 July 1985) This fire-retardant, arc-track resistant composition is given as 35 wt % fibre-forming polyamide, 15-25 wt % glass fibres, 16-30 wt % melamine cyanurate, 2-7 wt % of the condensation product of 2 moles of chlorocyclopentadiene and 1 mole of cyclooctadiene and antimony oxide. The weight ratio of the latter two components is 1:1 to 5:1. Polyethereimide bearing compositions Johnson, R.O. (General Electric Company, Pittsfield, MA, USA) US Pat 4 532 054 (30 July 1985) The composition of the material is polyetherimide of a given formula and the following modifiers and reinforcements: (1) 1-25 wt % fluoropolymer, (2) 1-25 wt % of a lubricating agent (either silicone fluid, a molybdenum disulphide, graphite or molybdenum disulphidecontaining solid lubricant, or any mixture thereo0; a n d (3) 0-50 wt % of a reinforcement (either glass fibres, carbon fibres, glass beads or mixtures thereol). Conductive structure and method of manufacture thereof (Kaji, I,, Kyol, Japan) US Pat 4 532 099 (30 July
1985) A conductive structure is manufactured by subjecting a non-woven fabric containing 0.01-99 wt % of copper-adsorption fibres and 99.99-1 wt % thermally fusible fibres and a moulded, non-fibrous, film, sheet or board of thermoplastic resin to heat and pressure so that the thermally fusible fibres melt a n d form a translucent layer.
Silicon carbide whisker sheet composites Short, LA. and Homer, O.J. (Atlantic Richfield Company, Los Angeles, CA, USA) US Pat4 532 182.(30 July 1985) A planar sheet substrate of metal, glass, plastic or ceramic is coated with interspersed SiC whiskers in a process in which solvent is driven from a polar slurry of deagglomerated SiC whiskers to deposit the whiskers on the surface of the substrate by static or molecular attraction. Composite materials Sewell, J.H. (The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, London, UK) US Pat4 533 589 (6 August 1985) This material comprises at least one layer of woven or unidirectional carbon or aramid fibres impregnatedwith resin, bonded to at least one layer of wood veneer coated and partially impregnated with resin. Reinforced polyester composition having an improved strength Rawlings, H. L (Mobay Chemical Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA, USA) US Pat4 533 679 (6 August 1985) Glass fibres are coated with a polyepoxy compound before incorporation into a polyethylene terephthalate resin. Curable epoxy resin compositions Hirschbuehler, K. and Susman, S.E (American C y a n a m i d Co, Stamford, CT, USA) US Pat4 533 686 (6 August 1985) The composition of an epoxy resin for use in manufacturing composites is given as 114-126
174
parts of N,N,N', N'-tetraglycidyl-4,4'-diaminophenyl methane, 14.25-15.75 parts o f t polyetherpolyimide resin of specified formula, 45.6-50.4 parts of 1,3-propylenebis-(p-aminobenzoate) and 0.475-0.525 parts of boron trifluoride,/ organic amine complex
Composite armor plating Huet, R. ( A l u m i n u m C o m p a n y of America, Pittsburgh, PA, USA) US Pat 4 534 266 (13 August 1985) A cast metal armour plating comprises a metal panel and individual ceramic inserts embedded and regularly arranged in the panel to form a ballistically efficient network. Each of the inserts includes a surrounding metal shell which has at least one protrusion linked with the shell of an adjacent insert to maintain their relative positions` Molded-to-size silver-graphite articles and process for making same Broady, F.J. and Jasel~ J.R. (Union Carbide Corporation, Danbury, CT, USA) US Pat4 534 887 (13 August 1985) A moulded silver/graphite article in which silver particles are uniformly distributed throughout the article is formed by first mixing graphite particles with a silver-containing c o m p o u n d (AgNO3, Ag CH3COO, (Ag)2CO3 or Ag/protein complexes) and heating the mixture to reduce the silver c o m p o u n d to metallic silver. The resulting product is milled, mixed with pitch binder and solvent to form a slurry, and the volatiles removed from the slurry. The residue is milled, moulded and heated in an inert atmosphere to carbonize the pitch binder. Fibre reinforced composites Bishop, S.M. and Curtis, P.T. (The Secretary of State for Defence of Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, London, England) US Pat 4 536 432 (20 August 1985) In this composite, one or more layers of unidirectional non-woven fibres are alternated with one or more layers of woven fabric having a pattern of weave which is five or more shaft satin weave, and embedded in a plastic matrix. The outermost layers at the surface of the composite are the woven satin fibres` Matched metal die compression molded structural random fiber sheet molding compound flywheel Kulkarni, S.V., Christensen, R.M. and Toland, R.H. (United States Department of Energy, Washington, DC, USA) US Pat 4 537 091 (27 August 1985) A flywheel, compression moulded in a matched metal die, which is planar isotropic only in all planes perpendicular to an axis of rotation is formed from plies of SMC. Multi-function composite material utilizing embedded optical fibres Kircher, H.J. ( G r u m m a n Aerospace Corporation, Bethpage, NY, USA) US Pat4 537 469 (27 August 1985) A structural m e m b e r for detecting fires comprises high tensile strength optical fibres embedded in a binder material, On the occurrence of a fire near the member, ends of the fibres are optically exposed to the flames. Light from the flames travelling along the length of the fibres is received by a device which warns of the fire. Composites and size coated glass fibers used therein Hergenrother, W.L (The Firestone Tire &
Rubber Company, Akron, OH, USA) US Pat 4 537 917 (27 August 1985) The glass fibre-reinforced composite, whose method of manufacture was given in US Pat4 524 040 (18 June 1985, is further described.
PROCESSES Method for pressing a composite assembly Churchland, M _ T . (MacMillan Bloedel Limited, Vancouver, Canada) US Pat4 517 148 (14 May 1985) In a process of forming an elongated product from a plurality of strands by applying heat and pressure, the internal stresses are reduced by increasing the pressure on the strands as they pass through a compression zone so that the strands do not move relative to one another. Arc spray fabrication of metal matrix composite monotape WestfalL LJ. (Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC, USA) US Pat 4 518 625 (21 May 1985) An array of fibres are mounted on a support in a ch amber which is first evacuated and then filled with a neutral gas at above atmospheric pressure. An arc struck between the ends of wires of the matrix metal causes the metal to melt. A high velocity stream of the neutral gas at 413-826 kPa is passed through the arc into the chamber causing the metal to spray onto the fibres, Method for forming a lightweight cementitious structural product and product formed thereby Willoughby, M.D. (United States Gypsum Company, Chicago, I L USA) US Pat4 518 652 (21 May 1985) In this method, a foaming agent consisting essentially of polyvinyl alcohol and water is passed through an aqueous slurry of cementitious material. Manufacture of filamentary composites Gill D.R and Marks, RB. (Hercules Incorporated, Wilmington, DE, USA) US Pat4 519 869 (28 May 1985) A segmented mandrel used in the production of filament wound composite tubes is described. Method for manufacturing an elastic composite body with metal wires embedded therein Sado, R. and Tahara, K. (Shin-Etsu Polymer Co Ltd, Tokyo, Japan) US Pat 4 520 562 (4 June 1985) A composite comprising an elongated polymeric body and a plurality of linear wires of electroconductive material transverse to the long axis of the body is described. First, wires of the metal are aligned and bonded to a polymeric sheet, which is then corrugated. Next, a layer of rubber is overlaid on the array to give an integrated composite body which is then cut perpendicularly to the linear direction of the wires, Process for preparing laminated plate Kunihiko, I. a n d Kiyoshi, M. (Mitshbishi Light Metal Industries Limited, Tokyo, Japan) US Pat 4 521 265 (4 June 1985) In this method, two metallic sheets stretched under constant tension are preheated and fed one on either side of a molten resin sheet between heat-press rolls. The laminate is passed through the roils, arranged in a zig-zag pattern, to form a curved laminate.
COMPOSITES . APRIL 1986
1985) A conductive structure is manufactured by subjecting a non-woven fabric containing 0.01-99 wt % of copper-adsorption fibres and 99.99-1 wt % thermally fusible fibres and a moulded, non-fibrous, film, sheet or board of thermoplastic resin to heat and pressure so that the thermally fusible fibres melt a n d form a translucent layer.
Silicon carbide whisker sheet composites Short, LA. and Homer, O.J. (Atlantic Richfield Company, Los Angeles, CA, USA) US Pat4 532 182.(30 July 1985) A planar sheet substrate of metal, glass, plastic or ceramic is coated with interspersed SiC whiskers in a process in which solvent is driven from a polar slurry of deagglomerated SiC whiskers to deposit the whiskers on the surface of the substrate by static or molecular attraction. Composite materials Sewell, J.H. (The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, London, UK) US Pat4 533 589 (6 August 1985) This material comprises at least one layer of woven or unidirectional carbon or aramid fibres impregnatedwith resin, bonded to at least one layer of wood veneer coated and partially impregnated with resin. Reinforced polyester composition having an improved strength Rawlings, H. L (Mobay Chemical Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA, USA) US Pat4 533 679 (6 August 1985) Glass fibres are coated with a polyepoxy compound before incorporation into a polyethylene terephthalate resin. Curable epoxy resin compositions Hirschbuehler, K. and Susman, S.E (American C y a n a m i d Co, Stamford, CT, USA) US Pat4 533 686 (6 August 1985) The composition of an epoxy resin for use in manufacturing composites is given as 114-126
174
parts of N,N,N', N'-tetraglycidyl-4,4'-diaminophenyl methane, 14.25-15.75 parts o f t polyetherpolyimide resin of specified formula, 45.6-50.4 parts of 1,3-propylenebis-(p-aminobenzoate) and 0.475-0.525 parts of boron trifluoride,/ organic amine complex
Composite armor plating Huet, R. ( A l u m i n u m C o m p a n y of America, Pittsburgh, PA, USA) US Pat 4 534 266 (13 August 1985) A cast metal armour plating comprises a metal panel and individual ceramic inserts embedded and regularly arranged in the panel to form a ballistically efficient network. Each of the inserts includes a surrounding metal shell which has at least one protrusion linked with the shell of an adjacent insert to maintain their relative positions` Molded-to-size silver-graphite articles and process for making same Broady, F.J. and Jasel~ J.R. (Union Carbide Corporation, Danbury, CT, USA) US Pat4 534 887 (13 August 1985) A moulded silver/graphite article in which silver particles are uniformly distributed throughout the article is formed by first mixing graphite particles with a silver-containing c o m p o u n d (AgNO3, Ag CH3COO, (Ag)2CO3 or Ag/protein complexes) and heating the mixture to reduce the silver c o m p o u n d to metallic silver. The resulting product is milled, mixed with pitch binder and solvent to form a slurry, and the volatiles removed from the slurry. The residue is milled, moulded and heated in an inert atmosphere to carbonize the pitch binder. Fibre reinforced composites Bishop, S.M. and Curtis, P.T. (The Secretary of State for Defence of Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, London, England) US Pat 4 536 432 (20 August 1985) In this composite, one or more layers of unidirectional non-woven fibres are alternated with one or more layers of woven fabric having a pattern of weave which is five or more shaft satin weave, and embedded in a plastic matrix. The outermost layers at the surface of the composite are the woven satin fibres` Matched metal die compression molded structural random fiber sheet molding compound flywheel Kulkarni, S.V., Christensen, R.M. and Toland, R.H. (United States Department of Energy, Washington, DC, USA) US Pat 4 537 091 (27 August 1985) A flywheel, compression moulded in a matched metal die, which is planar isotropic only in all planes perpendicular to an axis of rotation is formed from plies of SMC. Multi-function composite material utilizing embedded optical fibres Kircher, H.J. ( G r u m m a n Aerospace Corporation, Bethpage, NY, USA) US Pat4 537 469 (27 August 1985) A structural m e m b e r for detecting fires comprises high tensile strength optical fibres embedded in a binder material, On the occurrence of a fire near the member, ends of the fibres are optically exposed to the flames. Light from the flames travelling along the length of the fibres is received by a device which warns of the fire. Composites and size coated glass fibers used therein Hergenrother, W.L (The Firestone Tire &
Rubber Company, Akron, OH, USA) US Pat 4 537 917 (27 August 1985) The glass fibre-reinforced composite, whose method of manufacture was given in US Pat4 524 040 (18 June 1985, is further described.
PROCESSES Method for pressing a composite assembly Churchland, M _ T . (MacMillan Bloedel Limited, Vancouver, Canada) US Pat4 517 148 (14 May 1985) In a process of forming an elongated product from a plurality of strands by applying heat and pressure, the internal stresses are reduced by increasing the pressure on the strands as they pass through a compression zone so that the strands do not move relative to one another. Arc spray fabrication of metal matrix composite monotape WestfalL LJ. (Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC, USA) US Pat 4 518 625 (21 May 1985) An array of fibres are mounted on a support in a ch amber which is first evacuated and then filled with a neutral gas at above atmospheric pressure. An arc struck between the ends of wires of the matrix metal causes the metal to melt. A high velocity stream of the neutral gas at 413-826 kPa is passed through the arc into the chamber causing the metal to spray onto the fibres, Method for forming a lightweight cementitious structural product and product formed thereby Willoughby, M.D. (United States Gypsum Company, Chicago, I L USA) US Pat4 518 652 (21 May 1985) In this method, a foaming agent consisting essentially of polyvinyl alcohol and water is passed through an aqueous slurry of cementitious material. Manufacture of filamentary composites Gill D.R and Marks, RB. (Hercules Incorporated, Wilmington, DE, USA) US Pat4 519 869 (28 May 1985) A segmented mandrel used in the production of filament wound composite tubes is described. Method for manufacturing an elastic composite body with metal wires embedded therein Sado, R. and Tahara, K. (Shin-Etsu Polymer Co Ltd, Tokyo, Japan) US Pat 4 520 562 (4 June 1985) A composite comprising an elongated polymeric body and a plurality of linear wires of electroconductive material transverse to the long axis of the body is described. First, wires of the metal are aligned and bonded to a polymeric sheet, which is then corrugated. Next, a layer of rubber is overlaid on the array to give an integrated composite body which is then cut perpendicularly to the linear direction of the wires, Process for preparing laminated plate Kunihiko, I. a n d Kiyoshi, M. (Mitshbishi Light Metal Industries Limited, Tokyo, Japan) US Pat 4 521 265 (4 June 1985) In this method, two metallic sheets stretched under constant tension are preheated and fed one on either side of a molten resin sheet between heat-press rolls. The laminate is passed through the roils, arranged in a zig-zag pattern, to form a curved laminate.
COMPOSITES . APRIL 1986