Fiber-reinforced composites made with multi-part thermoplastic polymers

Abstract

Methods of making fiber reinforced composite articles are described. The methods may include the step of providing a pre-impregnated fiber-containing thermoplastic material to a mold for the article. The pre-impregnated fiber-containing thermoplastic material may include: (i) a plurality of fibers, and (ii) a first thermoplastic polymer made from a first reactive thermoplastic resin. Reactants of a second reactive thermoplastic resin may be introduced to fill open spaces in the mold that are left by the pre-impregnated fiber-containing thermoplastic material. The second reactive thermoplastic resin may then be polymerized to form a second thermoplastic polymer. The final fiber reinforced composite article includes at least two spatially distinct regions of thermoplastic polymer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fiber-reinforced composite article comprising:
 a plurality of fibers; and   a polymerized thermoplastic resin matrix made from:   (i) a first thermoplastic polymer in contact with the plurality of fibers, and   (ii) a second thermoplastic polymer,   wherein the first and second thermoplastic polymers have spatially distinct regions in the polymerized thermoplastic resin matrix.   
     
     
         2 . The fiber-reinforced composite article of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fibers are chosen from glass fibers, carbon fibers, mineral fibers, and organic polymer fibers, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The fiber-reinforced composite article of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fibers are glass fibers chosen from E-glass, A-glass, C-glass, S-glass, ECR-glass, and T-glass. 
     
     
         4 . The fiber-reinforced composite article of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fibers comprise one or more of chopped fibers, continuous fibers, rovings, or wound fibers. 
     
     
         5 . The fiber-reinforced composite article of  claim 1 , wherein the second thermoplastic polymer fills open spaces left by the first thermoplastic polymer in contact with the plurality of fibers. 
     
     
         6 . The fiber-reinforced composite article of  claim 1 , wherein the first thermoplastic polymer comprises polymethyl methacrylate. 
     
     
         7 . The fiber-reinforced composite article of  claim 1 , wherein the first thermoplastic polymer comprises a polyamide polymer. 
     
     
         8 . The fiber-reinforced composite article of  claim 7 , wherein the polyamide polymer is chosen from polyamide-6, polyamide-12, a copolymer of caprolactam and laurolactam, and a blend of polyamide-6 and polyamide-12. 
     
     
         9 . The fiber-reinforced composite article of  claim 1 , wherein the second thermoplastic polymer is made from a methacrylate monomer. 
     
     
         10 . The fiber-reinforced composite article of  claim 1 , wherein the second thermoplastic polymer comprises polymethylmethacrylate. 
     
     
         11 . The fiber-reinforced composite article of  claim 1 , wherein the second thermoplastic polymer comprises polybutylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         12 . The fiber-reinforced composite article of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber-reinforced composite article comprises a vehicle part or a turbine blade. 
     
     
         13 . The fiber-reinforced composite article of  claim 1 , wherein the first thermoplastic polymer is different from the second thermoplastic polymer. 
     
     
         14 . A fiber-reinforced composite article comprising:
 a plurality of fibers; and   a two-part thermoplastic matrix,   wherein the two-part thermoplastic matrix is formed by:   (a) providing a pre-impregnated thermoplastic material to a mold, wherein the pre-impregnated thermoplastic material comprises:
 (i) the plurality of fibers; and 
 (ii) a first thermoplastic polymer made from a first reactive thermoplastic resin; 
   (b) introducing reactants for a second reactive thermoplastic polymer to the mold, wherein the reactants fill open spaces in the mold that are left by the pre-impregnated thermoplastic material; and   (c) polymerizing the reactants for the second reactive thermoplastic polymer to form the two-part thermoplastic matrix.   
     
     
         15 . The fiber-reinforced composite article of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of fibers are chosen from at least one of glass fibers, carbon fibers, mineral fibers, and organic polymer fibers. 
     
     
         16 . The fiber-reinforced composite article of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of fibers are glass fibers chosen from at least one of E-glass, A-glass, C-glass, S-glass, ECR-glass, and T-glass. 
     
     
         17 . The fiber-reinforced composite article of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of fibers are chosen from at least one of chopped fibers, continuous fibers, rovings, and wound fibers. 
     
     
         18 . The fiber-reinforced composite article of  claim 14 , wherein the first thermoplastic polymer is chosen from at least one of a polyamide polymer, a polybutylene terephthalate polymer, a polymethyl methacrylate polymer, and a polycycloolefin polymer. 
     
     
         19 . The fiber-reinforced composite article of  claim 14 , wherein the reactants for the second reactive thermoplastic polymer are chosen from methyl methacrylate, lactams, and cyclic butylene terephthalates. 
     
     
         20 . The fiber-reinforced composite article of  claim 14 , wherein the fiber-reinforced composite article comprises a vehicle part or a turbine blade.