CONTINUOUS GLASS-FIBER-REINFORCED NYLON-6 BY USING A NEW IMPREGNATIONDIE

This paper describes a process for the manufacture of thermoplastic co mposites reinforced with continuous fibers and the equipment for produ cing such a product. The process makes it possible to expand and recon solidate the fibers of rovings by passing them into the impregnation d ie filled with molten thermoplastic. The die consists of three rollers and numerous pins fixed on the roller surfaces over which the roving is drawn under tension. The material chosen to illustrate the die proc ess is a glass-fiber reinforced nylon-6, PA6. The void content and mec hanical properties were measured to investigate the influence of proce ssing variables on properties. These process experiences indicated tha t poor fiber resin impregnation and fiber damage, due to harsh prepreg fabrication, result in low values for longitudinal tensile strength a nd impact properties. However, the composites manufactured by this tec hnique show a significant improvement in mechanical properties over co nventionally prepared thermoplastic composites.