Patent ID: 6346319
Filing Date: 2002-02-12
Classification: C08J,Y10T

Abstract:
A flexible composite comprising a high tensile strength fibrous component selected from the group consisting of polyester fibers, ultra high molecular weight, high tensile strength extended chain polyethylene fibers and aramid fibers dispersed within a flexible or resilient polyurethane matrix which is formed in situ about the fibrous component at a temperature below the melting point of the fibrous component by positioning the urethane-forming components about the fibrous component and allowing the urethane-forming reaction to occur, the fibrous component and urethane-forming components being such that the matrix and fibrous component are essentially chemically unbonded to each other whereby the composite retains essentially the flexibility of the polymeric matrix and the fibers of the fibrous component remain able to move with in the matrix, the flexibility of the composite being such that the composite may be bent or distorted until some or all its fibers are snubbed by the bent or distorted matrix such that their mobility at their interfaces with the matrix is reduced, the energy stored in the bent or distorted composite helping the composite to recover to its original unbent or undistorted form when the distorting force is released.