Elastomer composites reinforced with randomly dispersed long nonwoven fibres

Vacuum, sometimes in combination with pressure, is used to introduce the polymer into the mold cavity and to force it to penetrate the fiber reinforcement structure and form the polymer matrix. For elastomer composite formation, this molding concept is new. New types of molds for Structural reaction injection molding have been developed for the study of polymer flow mechanisms in nonwoven fibrous structures and for the production of samples for the mechanical testing of composites. The mold development was made because of the higher viscosity in typical two-component elastomers compared to normal polyester- or epoxy-based rigid matrix polymers. The matrix polymer consisted of a system and the polyol was a polyether compound containing small amounts of tertiary aliphatic amine and a primary aromatic diamine and with an added activator. The matrix polymer must quickly fill the cavity of the mold and wet all fibers in the structural reaction injection molding process.