Method for manufacturing a composite material

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of manufacture of a composite product including at least one layer of reinforced woven material and at least one layer of PTFE foil or ePTFE foil, where the foil or foils are laminated together with the layer or layers of woven material under the use of heating and pressurizing, where the composite material subsequently is cooled to a fully or partly fixed state. According to a preferred embodiment the composite is fixated by means of one or two cooperating pressure surfaces under a relative high pressure. By the invention a form stable composite material having a considerable enhanced E-modulus is achieved.

1 . A composite product comprising at least one layer of reinforcing woven material and at least one layer of PTFE or ePTFE foil, wherein said at least one foil is laminated together with said at least one layer of woven material by heat and pressure, wherein the composite material is subsequently cooled in a fully or partly fixed state, and wherein said composite material is cooled from about 300 to 420° C. to about 50° C. in about 0.1 to 240 seconds.  
     
     
         2 . A composite product according to  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing woven material comprises glass fiber fabric or PTFE coated glass fiber fabric.  
     
     
         3 . An apparatus for manufacture of a composite material comprising at least one layer of reinforcing woven material and at least one layer of PTFE foil or ePTFE foil, where said at least one layer of foil is laminated together with said at least one layer of woven material by heat and pressure, said apparatus comprising: 
 means for laminating said at least one layer of reinforcing woven material and said at least one layer of foil together, wherein said at least one layer of foil is laminated together with said at least one layer of woven material at approximately 380° C. to 400° C. under a pressure of 0.1 to 20 N/mm 2 , wherein said means for laminating said at least one layer of reinforcing woven material and at least one layer of PTFE foil or ePTFE foil comprises a combined pressure and heat supply;    means for fixation of the uncooled or partly cooled laminated at least one layer of reinforcing woven material and at least one layer of PTFE foil or ePTFE foil; and    a controllable cooling means,    wherein said fixation means cooperates with said controllable cooling means, wherein said apparatus is suitable for cooling said composite material under pressure from about 300 to 420° C. to about 50° C. in about 0.1 to about 240 seconds.    
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the means for fixation and the associated controllable cooling means comprise at least one pressure surface having integrated cooling means.  
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the means for fixation and the associated controllable cooling means comprise at least one roller having integrated cooling means.