Prepregs, cores and composite articles including powder coated layers

Abstract

Composite articles comprising a porous prepreg or core layer and a powder coated layer thereon are described. In some instances, a thermoplastic composite article comprises a porous core layer comprising a web of reinforcing fibers held together by a thermoplastic material, and a powder coated layer disposed on the porous core layer, in which a particle size of the powder coated layer is selected to provide an interface between the powder coated layer and the porous core layer, wherein at least 50% by weight of the disposed powder coated layer is present above the interface.

1 .- 110 . (canceled) 
     
     
         111 . A method of producing a thermoplastic composite article comprising:
 combining a thermoplastic material and reinforcing fibers to form an agitated aqueous foam;   disposing the agitated aqueous foam onto a wire support;   evacuating water from the disposed aqueous foam to form a web;   heating the web to a first temperature at or above a melting temperature of the thermoplastic material;   compressing the web to a first thickness to provide a porous core layer;   powder coating a powder material onto the porous core layer to provide a powder coated layer; and   disposing a skin on the powder coated layer to provide the thermoplastic composite article.   
     
     
         112 . The method of  claim 111 , further comprising heating the porous core layer prior to disposing the powder material. 
     
     
         113 . The method of  claim 112 , further comprising disposing the a skin on the heated porous core layer comprising the powder coated layer. 
     
     
         114 . The method of  claim 113 , further comprising molding the thermoplastic composite article. 
     
     
         115 . The method of  claim 111 , further comprising lofting the thermoplastic article. 
     
     
         116 . The method of  claim 111 , further comprising configuring the agitated aqueous foam to comprise a lofting agent. 
     
     
         117 . The method of  claim 111 , further comprising configuring the powder material to comprise a thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         118 . The method of  claim 117 , in which the thermoplastic material of the powder material comprises a non-polyolefin powder material and the thermoplastic material of the foam comprises a polyolefin. 
     
     
         119 . The method of  claim 118 , further comprising configuring the non-polyolefin powder material to comprise a polyurethane powder. 
     
     
         120 . The method of  claim 118 , further comprising configuring the thermoplastic material of the foam to comprise polypropylene and configuring the reinforcing fibers to comprise glass fibers. 
     
     
         121 .- 122 . (canceled) 
     
     
         123 . The method of  claim 111 , wherein the powder coated layer comprises a thermoplastic material, in which the thermoplastic material of the porous core layer is the same as the thermoplastic material of the powder coated layer. 
     
     
         124 . The method of  claim 111 , wherein the powder coated layer comprises a thermoplastic material, in which the thermoplastic material of the porous core layer is different than the thermoplastic material of the powder coated layer. 
     
     
         125 . The method of  claim 111 , in which no barrier is present between the porous core layer and the powder coated layer such that the powder coated layer is disposed directly on the porous core layer. 
     
     
         126 . The method of  claim 111 , further comprising disposing a skin layer on the powder coated layer. 
     
     
         127 . The method of  claim 126 , in which the powder coated layer is effective to provide an average peel strength for the skin layer of at least 125 N/m in the machine direction and at least 125 N/m in the cross direction as tested by ASTM D903 Peel 180° dated 2010. 
     
     
         128 . The method of  claim 126 , in which the powder coated layer is effective to provide an average peel strength for the skin layer of at least 390 N/m in the machine direction and at least 390 N/m in the cross direction as tested by ASTM D903 Peel 180° dated 2010. 
     
     
         129 . The method of  claim 126 , in which the powder coated layer is effective to provide an average peel strength for the skin layer of at least 250 N/m in the machine direction and at least 250 N/m in the cross direction as tested by ASTM D903 Peel 180° dated 2010. 
     
     
         130 . The method of  claim 126 , further comprising disposing a decorative layer on the skin layer. 
     
     
         131 . The method of  claim 111 , in which the thermoplastic material of the porous core layer is selected from the group consisting of a polyethylene, a polypropylene, a polystyrene, a polyimide, a polyetherimide, a polyamide an acrylonitrylstyrene, a butadiene, a polyethyleneterephthalate, a polybutyleneterephthalate, a polybutylenetetrachlorate, a polyvinyl chloride, a polyphenylene ether, a polycarbonate, a polyestercarbonate, a polyester, an acrylonitrile-butylacrylate-styrene polymer, an amorphous nylon, a polyarylene ether ketone, a polyphenylene sulfide, a polyaryl sulfone, a polyether sulfone, a poly(l,4 phenylene) compound, a silicone and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         132 . The method of  claim 111 , in which the reinforcing fibers are selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, aramid fibers, graphite fibers, carbon fibers, inorganic mineral fibers, metal fibers, metalized synthetic fibers, and metallized inorganic fibers and combinations thereof.