Patent ID: 8790486

Claim:
A process for bonding a semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer to a thermosetting polymer component, the process including: selecting compatible semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer and uncured thermosetting polymer component wherein the curing temperature of the uncured thermosetting polymer component is above the melting temperature of the semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer, locating the thermoplastic polymer in contact with the uncured thermosetting polymer component; wherein the semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer and uncured thermosetting polymer components have Hansen solubility parameters indicative of the thermoplastic polymer and thermosetting components ability to interpenetrate; heating the semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer and uncured thermosetting polymer component, wherein the component is a thermosetting polymer or thermosetting polymer composite, to the curing temperature of the thermosetting polymer component, where the uncured thermosetting polymer component and the thermoplastic polymer are able to at least partly interpenetrate before the thermosetting polymer cures; and cooling the thermoplastic polymer and cured thermosetting polymer component such that the thermoplastic polymer is very strongly bonded to the cured thermosetting polymer component.