This document provides summaries of 15 patents related to composite materials from July 1972. It describes various methods of producing fiber-reinforced polymer composites, including using irradiation to improve bonding between fibers and resin. It also summarizes patents for reinforced polystyrene foam laminates, glass-fiber reinforced elastomers, and laminated articles with silicon carbide fibers.

1. Irradiation method for the production
of fibre-reinforced polymeric composites
Lemelson, J. It. US Pat 3 676 249 (11 Jul
1972)
A polymer is continuously ted in sheet
form, a plurality of fibres being encap-
sulated by polymer on a continuous
basis. Composites are irradiated to
improve physical properties and improve
thc bond between resin and fibre
Reinforced polystyrene foam laminates
Blomners, E. (Koppers Co Inc) US Pat
3 676 284 (11 Jul 1972)
This composite consists of a layer of
foamed polystyrene, a layer of glass
cloth and an adhesive layer formed from
(a) a resin mixture of polysulphide and
a phenol-resorcinol-formaldehyde polymer.
and (b) a hardener for the resin mixture.
This hardener can also be used for coating
the foam.
Glass-fibre reinforced elastomers
Flautt, M. C. and Moran, L.G. (Owens-
Corning Fiberglas Corp) US Pat 3 6 76 287
(11 Jul 1972)
Individual glass fibres are treated with a
microcrystalline polyamide, a lubricant
and an organo-silicone coupling agent
and a gel agent to form a thin coating on
the fibre followed by proccssing into
bundles and coating with elastomcr.
Laminated articles
Gruber, B. A. (Monsanto Co) USPat
3 676 293 ill Jul 1972)
Skeletal fibrous silicon carbide in cubic
crystalline form with length to diameter
ratio of above 5 is intimately bonded
with at least one layer of carbon. These
laminates have extreme strength and
temperature stability and find applica-
tion in rocket nose cones and missiles.
Process for carbonisation of a stabilised
acrylic fibrous material
Ram, M. J. and Riggs, J. P. (Celanese
Corp) US Pat 3 676 295 ill Jul 1972)
Continuous lengths of inherently hydro-
scopic stabilized acrylic homo or copolymcr
is rapidly carbonized to yield fibre with
improved physical properties. The fibre
is pre-dried immediately before carboniz-
ing in an inert atmosphere followed by
graphitization.
UK PA TEN TS
Reinforced articles
Haley, D. (Triton Plastics Ltd) UK Pat
I 272 749 (3May 1972)
A reinforced composite consists of a
sheet base member, a mass of wires
extending on one surace of this member
and a fibre reinforced resin sheet over-
lying the wircs and being secured to the
base member. Applications include
boards and panels for constructional use.
Artificial mineral fibres
De Mercillac, A. C. J. and Delfosse, C.
(Ciments Lafarge) UK Pat 1 273 205
(3 May 1972)
l:ibres are obtained by fibrillation of
molten oxides, the fibres being non-
vitreous and having Wollastonite as the
main component. These are useful in
concrete composites, up to 30 wt ~
resulting in heat and soundproof and
high strength or porous materials. See
also UK Pat 1 277180,
Reinforcing materials
Young, M. A. (Dunlop Holdings Ltd)
UK Pat I 273 556 (10 May 1972)
The reinforcing material is chopped
multifilament encapsulated textile yarns
of Rayon. The encapsulation medium is
an elastic polymer with a Poisson ratio
of above 0-45 at tensile strains of below
5%, sufficient penetration occurring to
bond 30% of the yarn filaments. See
also UK Pat 1 273 884.
Plastic concrete mixes
Farber, M. F. and Gun, R. B. (Institut
Neftekhimicheskoi i Gazavoi Promyrshlen-
nosti lmeni I. M. Cubkina Moscow)
UK Pat 1 274326 (17May 1972)
The composite consists of an organic
resin, plasticiser, inert fillers (asbestos,
sand) and a solvent. The plasticizer
is an aromatic extract residue with one
or more components selected from petro-
latum, ceresine, or asphalts.
Tungsten betide containing articles and
production thereof
Mandineau, D. P. It. and Mourey, M. Y. C.
(Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines
de Paris) UK Pat 1 274 696 (17May 1972)
A filament is prepared consisting essentially
of one or more tungsten borides of which
above 80% is W2B s. A core of tungsten
surrounded by borides is heated to 1 050
1 150°C for sufficient time to convert
part of the tungsten to tungsten borides,
Productmn of carbon filaments
Doyle, A. J. (Morganite R and D Ltd)
UK Pat 1 274 847 (17May 1972)
High strength, very high modulus carbon
fibre is produced by carbonizing poly-
acrylonitrile filaments at 900°C in a non-
oxidizing atmosphere. After formation, the
carbon fibre is cooled at a rate in excess of
1 000 ° C/h.
Sound absorptive material
Foone, B. and Jesper, A. C. (Rolls Royce
Ltd) UK Pat 1 274871(17May 1972)
A sound absorptive material consists of
two or more layers of angularly displaced
resin bonded glass fibre cloth. One face
is coated with corrosion resistant material,
the other bonded to a cellular honeycomb
Carbonitride coatings
Bloom, J. A. (Texas Instruments lnc)
UK Pat 1 274 947 (17May 1972)
Substrates such as missile nose cones and
turbine blades are treated with an organic
vapour containing silicon, boron and the
transition metals in groups IVB, VB,
VIB and nitrogen in the reactive state
yielding a solid coating of thermal and
oxidative resistant carbonitridc.
Process for the manufacture of carbon
fibres
(AKZONV) UK Pal I 374 963 (17May
1972)
An organic fibre consisting mainly of
poly-(2, 6-diphenylparaphenylene oxide)
is carbonized in an oxygen-free atmosphere
above 480°C tollowing a preliminary
oxidation in the range 300-480°C. The
weight loss is lower than for other processes.
A composite material and method of
making same
(Battelle Memorial Institute) UK Pat
1 275 014 (24May 1972)
A composite consists of a solid matrix
(metal, alloy, cement, etc) containing
embedded porous carbon bodies of low
density which occupy the major volume
of the composite, these being formed
from non-oxidative carbonization of
porous bodies (phenolics).
Process for carbonizing cellulose fibre
material
(Nitto Boseki Co) US Pat 1 27.5 080
(24 May 1972)
Cellulose fibre is treated with strength-
increasing agents and heated at 200-350"("
in an oxidizing atmosphere and then to
l 000° C in an inert atmosphere. These
agents are ammonia compounds either
alone or mixed with an amine or an amine
and an acid.
Reinforcing materials
Young, M. A. (Dunlop ttoldings Ltd)
UK Pat 1 275 258 (24 May 1972)
Chopped brittle reinforcing carbon
fibres are impregnated with an elastomer
of Poisson ratio above 0.45 at tensile
strains below 5%, filaments having a
specific modulus of more than 200 x 106
in.
A high tensile metal fibre laminate
(Maschinenfabrik Augsburg- Nurnberg AG)
UK Pat I 275 376 (24May 1972)
A metal or metal alloy (nickel-iron)
matrix has high tensile fibre (boron,
carbon) embedded by heat and/or
pressure treatment where the coefficient
of thermal expansion of both are sub-
stantially equal and so low that no shear
stress occurs between each.
Fibrous reinforcing components for
reinforced plastic
De Vlam, P. H. M. UK Pat 1 2 7.5 705
(24May 1972)
Fibrous reinforcement consists of two
or more layers. One layer of carbon or
glass fibres in mainly one direction where
tile fibres are loosely connected by stitches
formed by one or more threads and where
the threads completely penetrate the
layers.
A method of producing fibrous board
(Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp) UK Pat
I 275 957 (1 Jun 1972)
Discontinuous fibres from molten glass
are directed downwards, admixed with
a heat settable resin binder, some mixed
with discrete proportions of continuous
glass strand and collected transversely
as a pack, some of the fibre strand
forming a distinct layer separate from the
rest. The pack is set by heat and pressure
to stabilize dimensionally.
Method of forming an aerofoil-shaped blade
Palfreyman, J. and Middleton, 11. E.
(Rolls Royce Ltd) UK Pat 1 276 356
(1 Jun 1972)
Aerofoil-shaped blades for fluid flow
machines consist of several layers of
helically-wound carbon fibre round a
COMPOSITES . JANUARY 1973 45