THE BEST PROPERTIES FROM THERMOPLASTIC AND THERMOSETTING RESINS COMBINED IN FIBER REINFORCED PLASTICS FOR IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY AND PROPERTIES

Structural parts made of fiber reinforced plastics do not play a predominant role in automobile mass production due to the costs associated with storage condition, low level of automation, long processing times and safety and health regulations. The idea was to develop a holistic approach which can solve the problems with understanding the whole process chain from molecule to the finished product and integration in common technical infrastructure. A promising strategy was to create a matrix resin which combines easy processing of thermoplastics with superior mechanical properties of thermosets. The new matrix can pre-applied on all type of fibers. The resulting tack-free prepreg has a long shelf life at room temperature in consequence of phase separation of matrix raw materials which can be eliminated by raising the temperature. The resulting material has high reactivity and can be cured to a thermoset within a few minutes. Individual specification of the material like glass temperature, cure rate and toughness can be adjusted.