METHOD OF MULTI-AXIAL CRYSTALLINE THERMOPLASTIC COATING OF COMPOSITE STRUCTURES

1 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . A method for thermoplastic coating a composite structure, comprising:

applying an extruded film of crystalline multi-axially oriented liquid crystal polymer having a softening temperature of about 110° C. to 120° C. onto the working surface of a tool;

applying a layer of composite material onto the crystalline multi-axially oriented liquid crystal polymer film;

curing the crystalline multi-axially oriented liquid crystal polymer film and the layer of composite material at a temperature of about 177° C.; and

removing the crystalline multi-axially oriented thermoplastic film and the layer of composite material from the tool.

22 . The method of claim 21 further comprising:

applying a release agent on a working surface of the tool before applying said liquid crystal polymer film.

23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the working surface of the tool is non-flat.

24 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising applying an adhesive onto the crystalline multi-axially oriented thermoplastic film before applying the layer of composite material.

25 . A method for thermoplastic coating a composite structure, comprising:

applying an extruded film of crystalline multi-axially oriented thermoplastic onto a working surface of a tool, the crystalline multi-axially oriented thermoplastic film having a softening temperature;

applying a layer of composite material onto the crystalline multi-axially oriented thermoplastic film;

curing the crystalline multi-axially oriented thermoplastic film and the layer of composite material at a curing temperature; and

wherein the softening temperature is not substantially greater than the curing temperature.

26 . The method of claim 25 , further comprising applying a release agent onto the working surface before applying the crystalline multi-axially oriented thermoplastic film.

27 . The method of claim 25 , wherein said a crystalline multi-axially oriented thermoplastic film comprises a tool-facing surface and a composite-facing surface, the method further comprising:

abrading the composite-facing surface of the crystalline multi-axially oriented thermoplastic film before applying the composite layer.

28 . The method of claim 25 , further comprising applying an adhesive onto the crystalline multi-axially oriented thermoplastic film before applying the layer of composite material.

29 . The method of claim 25 , further comprising removing the crystalline multi-axially oriented thermoplastic film and the layer of composite material from the tool.

30 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the crystalline multi-axially oriented thermoplastic film comprises a liquid crystal polymer.

31 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the crystalline multi-axially oriented thermoplastic film comprises a biaxially-oriented thermoplastic layer.

32 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the crystalline multi-axially oriented thermoplastic film has a softening temperature of about 110° C. to 120° C.

33 . The method of claim 25 , wherein curing the crystalline multi-axially oriented thermoplastic film and the layer of composite material comprises:

curing the crystalline multi-axially oriented thermoplastic film and the layer of composite material at a temperature of about 177° C.

34 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the working surface is non-flat.

35 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the softening temperature is not more than about 5.5° C. greater than the curing temperature.