Nanoparticle-Containing Thermoplastic Composites and Methods of Preparing Same

Abstract

High quality thermoplastic composites and composite laminates containing nanoparticles and/or nanofibers, and methods of producing such composites and laminates are disclosed. The composites comprise a thermoplastic polymer and a plurality of nanoparticles, and may include a fibrous structural reinforcement. The composite laminates are formed from a plurality of nanoparticle-containing composite layers and may be fused to one another via an automated process.

1 . A nanoparticle-containing composite comprising a thermoplastic polymer matrix resin and a plurality of nanoparticles. 
     
     
         2 . The nanoparticle-containing composite according to  claim 1  wherein said plurality of nanoparticles are substantially uniformly dispersed in said thermoplastic polymer matrix resin. 
     
     
         3 . The nanoparticle-containing composite according to  claim 1  wherein said thermoplastic polymer matrix resin comprises a thermoplastic polymer selected from thermoplastic polyetherketones and thermoplastic polyimides. 
     
     
         4 . The nanoparticle-containing composite according to  claim 1  wherein said plurality of nanoparticles is selected from carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, inorganic nanoparticles, organic nanoparticles, and clay nanoparticles. 
     
     
         5 . The nanoparticle-containing composite according to  claim 1  comprising from about  0 . 1  to about  40  weight percent of said nanoparticles. 
     
     
         6 . The nanoparticle-containing composite according to  claim 1  wherein said nanoparticles have a particle size of less than about 999 nm. 
     
     
         7 . The nanoparticle-containing composite according to  claim 6  wherein said nanoparticles have a particle size of less than about 200 nm. 
     
     
         8 . The nanoparticle-containing composite according to  claim 1  further comprising a fibrous structural reinforcement. 
     
     
         9 . The nanoparticle-containing composite according to  claim 8  wherein said fibrous structural reinforcement comprises fibers selected from continuous fibers, long-discontinuous fibers, discontinuous fibers, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The nanoparticle-containing composite according to  claim 9  wherein said fibers are selected carbon fibers, glass fibers, organic fibers, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The nanoparticle-containing composite according to  claim 8  comprising from about 20 to about 80 volume percent of said fibrous structural reinforcement. 
     
     
         12 . The nanoparticle-containing composite according to  claim 8  wherein said plurality of nanoparticles is selected from carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, inorganic nanoparticles, organic nanoparticles, and clay nanoparticles, and said composite comprises from about 0.1 to about 25 weight percent of said plurality of nanoparticles. 
     
     
         13 . The nanoparticle-containing composite according to  claim 9  wherein said continuous fibers comprise one of uniformly disposed, parallel filaments of continuous fibers and cloth woven from continuous fibers. 
     
     
         14 . A nanoparticle-containing composite laminate comprising a plurality of fused layers of nanoparticle-containing composites. 
     
     
         15 . The nanoparticle-containing composite laminate according to  claim 14  wherein said nanoparticle-containing composites comprise thermoplastic polymer matrix resin and a plurality of nanoparticles. 
     
     
         16 . The nanoparticle-containing composite laminate according to  claim 15  wherein said nanoparticle-containing composites further comprise fibrous structural reinforcements, 
     
     
         17 . The nanoparticle-containing composite laminate according to  claim 14  wherein said plurality of fused layers comprises from about  2  layers to about  400  layers of nanoparticle-containing composites. 
     
     
         18 . A method of producing a nanoparticle-containing composite laminate comprising combining a thermoplastic polymer matrix resin with a plurality of nanoparticles to form a plurality of nanoparticle-containing composites, layering the plurality of nanoparticle-containing composites, and applying heat and/or pressure to the layered composites to fuse the composites. 
     
     
         19 . The method of producing a nanoparticle-containing composite laminate according to  claim 18  further comprising contacting a fibrous structural reinforcement with the thermoplastic polymer matrix resin and the plurality of nanoparticles to form the plurality of composite layers. 
     
     
         20 . The method of producing a nanoparticle-containing composite laminate according to  claim 19  wherein the thermoplastic polymer matrix resin and plurality of nanoparticles are combined and the fibrous structural reinforcement is contacted with the combination of thermoplastic polymer resin and plurality of nanoparticles. 
     
     
         21 . The method of producing a nanoparticle-containing composite laminate according to  claim 18  wherein applying heat and/or pressure to the layered nanoparticle-containing composites comprises an automated process. 
     
     
         22 . The method of producing a nanoparticle-containing composite laminate according to  claim 21  wherein the automated process is selected from automated heated head tape placement, automated heated head tow placement, automated heated head fiber placement, and automated heated head tape laying.