Fiber reinforced thermoplastic sheets with surface coverings

Abstract

A composite sheet material in one embodiment includes a porous core layer. The porous core layer includes a thermoplastic polymer, about 20 weight percent to about 80 weight percent of reinforcing fibers based on a total weight of the porous core layer, and an effective amount of a flame retardant agent.

1 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A thermoplastic composite comprising a web of open celled structures formed from a thermoplastic material and plurality of two or more fibers of different composition, in which one of the plurality of two or more fibers of different composition is present in an effective amount to enhance cohesion of the web during manufacture, in which the web comprises open celled structures defined by random crossing over of the plurality of two or more fibers of different composition. 
     
     
         31 . The thermoplastic composite of  claim 30 , in which the web comprises a polyether sulfone polymer. 
     
     
         32 . The thermoplastic composite of  claim 30 , in which the thermoplastic material is present in fibrous form. 
     
     
         33 . The thermoplastic composite of  claim 32 , in which the thermoplastic material is present in an unconsolidated fibrous form. 
     
     
         34 . The thermoplastic composite of  claim 32 , in which the thermoplastic material is present in an amount of 20% to 80% by weight. 
     
     
         35 . The thermoplastic composite of  claim 30 , in which one of the plurality of fibers are glass fibers. 
     
     
         36 . The thermoplastic composite of  claim 30 , in which the web comprises a density of about 0.2 g/cc to about 1.8 g/cc. 
     
     
         37 . The thermoplastic composite of  claim 30 , in which the thermoplastic material is present in particulate form. 
     
     
         38 . The thermoplastic composite of  claim 30 , in which one of the plurality of fibers have a length between 7-200 mm. 
     
     
         39 . The thermoplastic composite of  claim 30 , in which the composite comprises a maximum Ds of 200 or less at 4 minutes as tested by ASTM method E-662. 
     
     
         40 . The thermoplastic composite of  claim 30 , in which the composite comprises a heat release of less than 65 kW/-min/m2 under FAR 25.853(a). 
     
     
         41 . The thermoplastic composite of  claim 30 , in which the composite does not include a flame retardant. 
     
     
         42 . A method of forming a thermoplastic composite comprising:
 forming a web comprising an aqueous suspension of a thermoplastic material and at least two or more plurality of fibers of different composition, in which one of the plurality of fibers is present in an effective amount to enhance cohesion of the web during forming;   heating the formed web to remove any liquid and melt at least some of the fibers of the web; and   cooling the web to provide a thermoplastic composite, in which the web comprises open celled structures defined by random crossing over of the plurality of two or more fibers of different composition.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising using a wet laid process to form the thermoplastic composite. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42 , in which the web is heated above the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising consolidating the cooled web. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising passing the web through a consolidation device to consolidate the web, in which the gap of the consolidation device is set to a dimension less than that of an unconsolidated web and greater than that of a fully consolidated web.