A method of making a thermoplastic honeycomb structure comprising: (A) providing a longitudinally extending fiber-reinforced web comprising a thermoplastic resin and a reinforcing fiber, said fiber-reinforced web comprising from about 20% by weight to about 80% by weight, based on the total weight of said fiber-reinforced web, of said reinforcing fiber, said fiber-reinforced web comprising at least one first fibrous non-woven web material having its fibers substantially aligned in a first direction and at least one second fibrous non-woven web material having its fibers substantially aligned in a second direction; (B) consolidating said fiber-reinforced web by application of sufficient temperature and pressure to allow said thermoplastic resin to melt and flow to form a matrix for said reinforcing fiber; (C) forming said consolidated fiber-reinforced web into sheets having a substantially sinusoidal cross-section of alternating nodes and antinodes, said sinusoidal cross-section having a predetermined wavelength; (D) stacking a first so-formed sheet upon a second so-formed sheet with said second so-formed sheet displaced one-half wavelength from said first so-formed sheet so as to have the antinodes of said second so-formed sheet in contact with the nodes of said first so-formed sheet; and (E) disposing a heating means for selective heating of said node/antinode contact and selectively heating said node/antinode contact for bonding said first and second sheets together.
›24.↳ 23The method according to claim 23, wherein said thermoplastic resin comprises thermoplastic resin fibers.d2+2
The method according to claim 23, wherein said thermoplastic resin comprises thermoplastic resin fibers.
›25.↳ 24The method according to claim 24, wherein said thermoplastic resin fibers are staple fibers of said thermoplastic resin.d3
The method according to claim 24, wherein said thermoplastic resin fibers are staple fibers of said thermoplastic resin.
›54.↳ 24The method according to claim 24, wherein said fibrous web further comprises staple fibers of a microwave radiation absorbent material.d3
The method according to claim 24, wherein said fibrous web further comprises staple fibers of a microwave radiation absorbent material.
›26.↳ 23The method according to claim 23, wherein said fiber-reinforced web comprises fibers of a microwave radiation absorbent material.d2
The method according to claim 23, wherein said fiber-reinforced web comprises fibers of a microwave radiation absorbent material.
›27.↳ 23The method according to claim 23, wherein said reinforcing fiber is an organic fiber.d2+11
The method according to claim 23, wherein said reinforcing fiber is an organic fiber.
›28.↳ 27The method according to claim 27, wherein said organic fiber is cellulosic, polyaramid or polyamide fiber.d3
The method according to claim 27, wherein said organic fiber is cellulosic, polyaramid or polyamide fiber.
›29.↳ 27The method according to claim 27, wherein said fiber-reinforced web comprises an admixture of staple fibers of said thermoplastic resin and said reinf…d3+1
The method according to claim 27, wherein said fiber-reinforced web comprises an admixture of staple fibers of said thermoplastic resin and said reinforcing fiber.
›30.↳ 29The method according to claim 29, wherein said fiber-reinforced web is a non-woven web.d4
The method according to claim 29, wherein said fiber-reinforced web is a non-woven web.
›31.↳ 27The method according to claim 27, wherein said fiber-reinforced web comprises a lamination of a lamina of said reinforcing fibers and at least one lam…d3+6
The method according to claim 27, wherein said fiber-reinforced web comprises a lamination of a lamina of said reinforcing fibers and at least one lamina of said thermoplastic resin.
›32.↳ 31The method according to claim 31, wherein said laminate is produced by hot melt or extrusion coating a non-woven web of said reinforcing fibers with s…d4
The method according to claim 31, wherein said laminate is produced by hot melt or extrusion coating a non-woven web of said reinforcing fibers with said thermoplastic resin.
›33.↳ 31The method according to claim 31, wherein said laminate is produced by melt-bonding a preformed film of said thermoplastic resin to a non-woven web of…d4
The method according to claim 31, wherein said laminate is produced by melt-bonding a preformed film of said thermoplastic resin to a non-woven web of said reinforcing fibers.
›34.↳ 31The method according to claim 31, wherein said lamina of said reinforcing fibers is sandwiched between a first lamina of said thermoplastic resin and …d4+1
The method according to claim 31, wherein said lamina of said reinforcing fibers is sandwiched between a first lamina of said thermoplastic resin and a second lamina of said thermoplastic resin.
›35.↳ 34The method according to claim 34, wherein said first lamina has a first predetermined thickness and said second lamina has a second predetermined thic…d5
The method according to claim 34, wherein said first lamina has a first predetermined thickness and said second lamina has a second predetermined thickness, said first predetermined thickness being different from said second predetermined thickness.
›36.↳ 31The method according to claim 31, wherein said lamina of said thermoplastic resin comprises a preformed film of said thermoplastic resin and a microwa…d4+1
The method according to claim 31, wherein said lamina of said thermoplastic resin comprises a preformed film of said thermoplastic resin and a microwave radiation absorbent material.
›37.↳ 36The method according to claim 36, wherein said microwave radiation absorbent material is coated on said preformed film.d5
The method according to claim 36, wherein said microwave radiation absorbent material is coated on said preformed film.
›47.↳ 27The method according to claim 27, wherein said fiber-reinforced web further comprises staple fibers of a microwave radiation absorbent material.d3
The method according to claim 27, wherein said fiber-reinforced web further comprises staple fibers of a microwave radiation absorbent material.
›38.↳ 23The method according to claim 23, wherein said reinforcing fiber is an inorganic fiber.d2
The method according to claim 23, wherein said reinforcing fiber is an inorganic fiber.
›39.↳ 23The method according to claim 23, wherein said first direction is substantially transverse to said second direction.d2
The method according to claim 23, wherein said first direction is substantially transverse to said second direction.
›40.↳ 23The method according to claim 23, wherein said at least one first fibrous non-woven web material is mechanically affixed to said at least one second f…d2+1
The method according to claim 23, wherein said at least one first fibrous non-woven web material is mechanically affixed to said at least one second fibrous non-woven web material.
›41.↳ 40The method according to claim 40, wherein said mechanical affixation is effected by needlepunching.d3
The method according to claim 40, wherein said mechanical affixation is effected by needlepunching.
›42.↳ 23The method according to claim 23, wherein said at least one first fibrous non-woven web material is chemically affixed to said at least one second fib…d2+1
The method according to claim 23, wherein said at least one first fibrous non-woven web material is chemically affixed to said at least one second fibrous non-woven web material.
›43.↳ 42The method according to claim 42, wherein said chemical affixation is effected by an acrylic adhesive.d3
The method according to claim 42, wherein said chemical affixation is effected by an acrylic adhesive.
›44.↳ 23The method according to claim 23, wherein said at least one first fibrous non-woven web material is thermally affixed to said at least one second fibr…d2+1
The method according to claim 23, wherein said at least one first fibrous non-woven web material is thermally affixed to said at least one second fibrous non-woven web material.
›45.↳ 44The method according to claim 44, wherein said thermal affixation is effected by melt-bonding of said fibers with said thermoplastic resin.d3
The method according to claim 44, wherein said thermal affixation is effected by melt-bonding of said fibers with said thermoplastic resin.
›48.↳ 23The method according to claim 23, wherein said step (C) is effected by pressing between mating dies.d2
The method according to claim 23, wherein said step (C) is effected by pressing between mating dies.
›49.↳ 23The method according to claim 23, wherein said step (C) is effected by vacuum forming.d2
The method according to claim 23, wherein said step (C) is effected by vacuum forming.
›50.↳ 23The method according to claim 23, wherein a honeycomb structure is formed by melt-bonding said nodes and antinodes, which are in contact, to each othe…d2
The method according to claim 23, wherein a honeycomb structure is formed by melt-bonding said nodes and antinodes, which are in contact, to each other.
›51.↳ 23The method according to claim 23, wherein a honeycomb structure is formed by adhesively bonding said nodes and antinodes, which are in contact, to eac…d2
The method according to claim 23, wherein a honeycomb structure is formed by adhesively bonding said nodes and antinodes, which are in contact, to each other.
›52.↳ 23The method according to claim 23, wherein said consolidation step (B) and said forming step (C) are effected simultaneously by a roller die which cons…d2
The method according to claim 23, wherein said consolidation step (B) and said forming step (C) are effected simultaneously by a roller die which consolidates and corrugates said fibrous web into a substantially sinusoidal cross-section of alternating nodes and antinodes, said sinusoidal cross-section having a predetermined wavelength.
›53.↳ 23The method according to claim 23, wherein said longitudinally extending fibrous web is coated with a microwave radiation absorbent material.d2
The method according to claim 23, wherein said longitudinally extending fibrous web is coated with a microwave radiation absorbent material.