Patent ID: 8641957
Filing Date: 2014-02-04
Classification: B29C,B29K,B29L,B82Y,C08J,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A process comprising: placing a fiber mat and a curable resin in a first cavity of a first compression molding tool, the curable resin comprising an aromatic epoxy resin blend, a hardener, a catalyst, and an ultraviolet light stabilizer, the aromatic epoxy resin blend comprising a relatively low molecular weight diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A and a relatively higher molecular weight diglycidyl ether of a bisphenol-A, the first cavity being at least partially defined by a first gap when the first compression molding tool is closed; applying a first heat and a first pressure to the fiber mat and the curable resin to partially cure the resin to a semisolid state to provide a preform, the first heat ranging from about 80° C. to about 110° C. and the first pressure ranging from about 0.2 MPa to about 0.5 MPa; applying a second heat and a second pressure to the preform to reflow at least a portion of the resin in a second compression molding tool having a second cavity at least partially defined by a second gap when the second compression molding tool is closed, and cure any uncured portion of the resin to form a composite panel having a transparent resin layer over the fiber mat, the second heat ranging from about 130° C. to about 160° C. and the second pressure ranging from about 1.0 MPa to about 2.0 MPa, wherein at least portions of the fiber mat are visible through the resin layer, and wherein the composite panel is substantially free of fiber readout and the second gap is smaller than the first gap.