Infusion fabric for molding large composite structures

Abstract

An infusion fabric includes a mat selected from a group consisting of continuous filament mat, direct chopped mat, direct continuous mat and combinations thereof and a woven roving or bonded reinforcement layer. The mat and woven roving reinforcement layer are stitched together. The continuous filament mat includes E-glass and/or ECR-glass fibers, a binder and a size.

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         45 . A continuous filament mat, comprising:
 glass fibers selected from a group consisting of E-glass fibers, ECR-fibers and mixtures thereof;   a binder; and   a size;   said continuous filament mat being characterized by a loop formation ratio of about 2.0 to about 8.0 and a cure of between about 50 and about 100 percent when measured as acetone extractables.   
     
     
         46 . The continuous filament mat of  claim 45 , wherein said glass fibers are provided as glass filament bundles. 
     
     
         47 . The continuous filament mat of  claim 46 , wherein said glass filament bundles include between about 20 and about 140 glass filaments per bundle. 
     
     
         48 . The continuous filament mat of  claim 47 , wherein said glass filaments of said glass filament bundles have a mean diameter of between about 11 and about 20 microns. 
     
     
         49 . The continuous filament mat of  claim 48 , wherein said glass filament bundles have a mean diameter of about 0.3048 mm and a diameter range of between about 0.127 and about 1.27 mm. 
     
     
         50 . The continuous filament mat of  claim 45 , wherein said binder is a polyester. 
     
     
         51 . The continuous filament mat of  claim 50 , wherein said polyester binder is ground to a particle size of between about 25 to about 200 mm. 
     
     
         52 . The continuous filament mat of  claim 51 , wherein said binder also includes talc. 
     
     
         53 . The continuous filament mat of  claim 51 , wherein said binder also includes benzoyl peroxide. 
     
     
         54 . The continuous filament mat of  claim 51 , wherein said binder includes:
 between about 95 and about 99.8 weight percent polyester;   between about 0.05 and about 3 weight percent talc; and   between about 0.2 and about 2 weight pet cent benzoyl pet oxide.   
     
     
         55 . The continuous filament mat of  claim 51  wherein said cure is between about 60 and about 90 percent when measured as acetone extractables. 
     
     
         56 . The continuous filament mat of  claim 45  wherein said cute is between about 60 and about 90 percent when measured as acetone extractables. 
     
     
         57 . The continuous filament mat of  claim 49  wherein said cure is between about 60 and about 90 percent when measured as acetone extractables. 
     
     
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