Pultrusion of glass and glass-ceramic matrix composites

Claim 1

A method for making fiber reinforced glass composite articles comprising: passing glass impregnated fiber preforms containing a temporary thermoplastic resin binder through a bakeout gradient oven for burnout of the binder; and passing the preform through a pultrusion die assembly to effect consolidation by matrix flow and diffusion bonding, thus yielding formed structural members; wherein passing the preform through the pultrusion die assembly comprises drawing said preform through a heated pultrusion die; heating said assembly and preform to between about 1000 degrees C. and about 1300 degrees C.; providing intermediate deformation of said preform at a temperature of about 1300 degrees C.; and providing final deformation and bonding of said preforms as the temperature decreases between about 1300 degrees C. and about 600 degrees C.

Claim 2

A method for making fiber reinforced glass composite articles comprising: passing glass impregnated fiber preforms containing a temporary thermoplastic resin binder through a bakeout gradient oven for burnout of the binder; and passing the preform through a pultrusion die assembly to effect consolidation by matrix flow and diffusion bonding, thus yielding formed structural members; wherein passing the preform through the pultrusion die assembly comprises drawing said preform through a heated pultrusion die; heating said assembly and preform to between about 1000 degrees C. and about 1300 degrees C.; providing intermediate deformation of said preform at a temperature of about 1300 degrees C.; and providing final deformation and bonding of said preforms as the temperature decreases between about 1300 degrees C. and about 600 degrees C.

Claim 3

A method of making fiber reinforced glass composite articles comprising the steps of: passing continuous strip glass impregnated fiber preforms containing a temporary thermoplastic resin binder through a bakeout gradient oven for burnout of the binder; and passing the preform through a pultrusion die assembly to effect consolidation by matrix flow and diffusion bonding, thus yielding formed structural members; wherein said preforms are woven about a sting longitudinally disposed through said gradient oven and pultrusion die assembly, said sting cooperating with said die assembly to deform said preform; and wherein said preform is removed from said sting such that said formed structural members are hollow.

Claim 4

A method of making fiber reinforced glass composite articles comprising the steps of: passing continuous strip glass impregnated fiber preforms containing a temporary thermoplastic resin binder through a bakeout gradient oven for burnout of the binder; and passing the preform through a pultrusion die assembly to effect consolidation by matrix flow and diffusion bonding, thus yielding formed structural members; wherein said preforms are woven about a sting longitudinally disposed through said gradient oven and pultrusion die assembly, said sting cooperating with said die assembly to deform said preform; and wherein said preform is removed from said sting such that said formed structural members are hollow.

Claim 5

A method of making fiber reinforced glass composite articles comprising: passing glass impregnated fiber preforms containing a temporary thermoplastic resin binder through a bakeout gradient oven for burnout of the binder; and passing the preform through a pultrusion die assembly to effect consolidation by matrix flow and diffusion bonding, thus yielding formed structural members; wherein the said step of passing the preform through a pultrusion die assembly comprises the further steps of mechanically drawing said preform through an oven wherein the preform is heated to a temperature below the working point of the glass but yet high enough to be effective for burnout of the said thermoplastic resin binder; thereafter drawing said preform into the said pultrusion die; continuously heating the preform beyond the working point thereof without deformation; causing an initial deformation by heating the preform to a temperature beyond the working point; and cooling the preform below the working point.

Claim 6

A method of making fiber reinforced glass composite articles comprising: passing glass impregnated fiber preforms containing a temporary thermoplastic resin binder through a bakeout gradient oven for burnout of the binder; and passing the preform through a pultrusion die assembly to effect consolidation by matrix flow and diffusion bonding, thus yielding formed structural members; wherein the said step of passing the preform through a pultrusion die assembly comprises the further steps of mechanically drawing said preform through an oven wherein the preform is heated to a temperature below the working point of the glass but yet high enough to be effective for burnout of the said thermoplastic resin binder; thereafter drawing said preform into the said pultrusion die; continuously heating the preform beyond the working point thereof without deformation; causing an initial deformation by heating the preform to a temperature beyond the working point; and cooling the preform below the working point.