Carbon Fiber Reinforcements for Sheet Molding Composites

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016288371-A1
Application number	US-201514672703-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 30, 2015
Priority date	Mar 30, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of processing a carbon fiber tow includes the steps of providing a carbon fiber tow made of a plurality of carbon filaments, depositing a sizing composition at spaced-apart sizing sites along a length of the tow, leaving unsized interstitial regions of the tow, and cross-cutting the tow into a plurality of segments. Each segment includes at least a portion of one of the sizing sites and at least a portion of at least one of the unsized regions of the tow, the unsized region including and end portion of the segment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of processing a carbon fiber tow comprising the steps of:
a. providing a carbon fiber tow comprising a plurality of carbon filaments; b. depositing a sizing composition at spaced-apart sizing sites along a length of said tow, leaving unsized interstitial regions of said tow; and c. cross-cutting said tow into a plurality of segments, each of said segments defining an end portion, each of said segments comprising at least a portion of one of said sizing sites and at least a portion of at least one of said unsized regions of said tow, said unsized region including said end portion.

2 . A method of processing a carbon fiber tow in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the additional step between step b and step c of surface-activating said unsized regions of said tow with oxygen-associated groups so that surfaces of said filaments become polar and repel each other after the cross-cutting step.

3 . A method of processing a carbon fiber tow in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said segments defines two end portions, and wherein each of said segments comprises one of said sizing sites and a portion of two of said unsized regions of said tow, said unsized region portions respectively including said two end portions.

4 . A method of processing a carbon fiber tow in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the additional, subsequent step of dispersing said plurality of said segments in a resin matrix so that said resin matrix penetrates interstices between said filaments.

5 . A reinforcement component comprising a bundle of carbon filaments, said bundle defining at least one unsized end region wherein said filaments can repel each other and separate, said bundle further defining a sized region wherein said filaments are bound together by a sizing composition.

6 . A reinforcement component accordance with claim 5 wherein said bundle defines two unsized end regions, said sized region being disposed between said two unsized end regions.

7 . A composite comprising a resin matrix and a reinforcement component dispersed therein, said reinforcement component comprising a plurality of bundles of carbon filaments, each of said bundles defining at least one unsized end region wherein said filaments can repel each other and separate, said bundle further defining a sized region wherein said filaments are bound together by a sizing composition.

8 . A composite accordance with claim 7 wherein a majority of said bundles define two unsized end regions, said sized region being disposed between said two unsized end regions.

Assignees

• Ut Battelle Llc

Inventors

• Ozcan Soydan
• Paulauskas Felix L

Classifications

• C08J5/042

  with carbon fibres · CPC title

• B29K2307/04

  Carbon · CPC title

• B29C70/12

  using fibres of short length, e.g. in the form of a mat {(non-woven fabrics per se D04H1/00)} · CPC title

• B29B15/125 Primary

  by dipping · CPC title

• C08J2367/06

  Unsaturated polyesters · CPC title