Method for producing a reinforcement rod from a fibrous composite material using ultraviolet radiation

Abstract

A method for producing a reinforcement rod from a fibrous composite material comprising continuous mineral fibers and at least one resin, the resin being mixed with the dry mineral fibers, then wrapped with a strand of material, and the resin then being instantaneous or nearly instantaneously cured (e.g., snap cured) to form an optionally round rod with an optionally helical rib. In aspects, a mixture comprising an environmentally friendly and zero or low volatile organic compound (VOC) emitting resin and a resin-curing agent mixture is used. In aspects, helical ribs are added to the surface of the rod in a manner not to disrupt the longitudinal orientation of the core reinforcing mineral fibers. In aspects, ultraviolet irradiators are used to snap cure the reinforcement. When cured, corrosion resistant mineral fibers are encapsulated in a corrosion resistant matrix. The process allows for a simplified, condensed, and single operation for producing a corrosion resistant fibrous composite reinforcement rod.

1 . A method for making a pultruded reinforcement rod comprising the following steps, wherein the following steps are capable of being performed in a continuously operating process:
 impregnating continuous fibers with a thermosetting resin comprising a photoinitiator or a blend of more than one photoinitiator;   winding the impregnated continuous fibers with one or more strand of material to consolidate the impregnated continuous fibers, to provide a textured or ribbed surface to an outer surface of the pultruded reinforcement rod, or both, while maintaining a longitudinal orientation of the impregnated continuous fibers;   applying a coat of resin to the outer surface of the pultruded reinforcement rod prior to curing both the pultruded reinforcement rod and the coat of resin in a single curing step;   optionally applying a grit material to the outer surface of the pultruded reinforcement rod, the one or more strand of material, or both;   producing the pultruded reinforcement rod using the single curing step to cure some or all of the thermosetting resin and some or all of the coat of resin using ultraviolet radiation or ultraviolet light, wherein the photoinitiator or the blend of more than one photoinitiator forms a reactive species when exposed to the ultraviolet radiation or ultraviolet light, and wherein the pultruded reinforcement rod has a substantially uniform ratio of the continuous fibers to the thermosetting resin throughout a cross-section of the pultruded reinforcement rod.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thermosetting resin is partially or fully cured during the single curing step in a span of the method having a length under 10 inches. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thermosetting resin is partially or fully cured during the single curing step in under 20 seconds. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the photoinitiator or the blend of more than one photoinitiator are chosen from a radical former, a peroxide, an azo compound, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the photoinitiator or the blend of more than one photoinitiator are used in conjunction with or mixed with one or more additional radical forming initiators. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the photoinitiator or the blend of more than one photoinitiator are used in conjunction with or mixed with one or more thermally activated initiators. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thermosetting resin comprising the photoinitiator or the blend of more than one photoinitiator releases zero volatile organic compound emissions into a surrounding atmosphere. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pultruded reinforcement rod has a tensile modulus greater than 65 gigapascals. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pultruded reinforcement rod has a tensile modulus greater than 50 gigapascals. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pultruded reinforcement rod has a tensile modulus greater than 40 gigapascals.