Composite material with polyamide particles

1. A pre-impregnated composite material comprising:

A) carbon fibers; and

B) a matrix resin impregnated into said carbon fibers, said matrix resin comprising:

a) a resin component comprising from 20 wt % to 25 wt % bisphenol-F diglycidyl ether, based on the total weight of said matrix resin, and from 20 wt % to 25 wt % triglycidyl-p-aminophenol, based on the total weight of said matrix resin;

b) a thermoplastic particle component comprising at least 95 wt %, based on the weight of said thermoplastic particle component, thermoplastic particles that comprise at least 95 wt % of a polyamide which is the polymeric condensation product of 1,10-decane dicarboxylic acid and an amine component having the formula

Where both R 2 are hydrogen and both R 1 are methyl and wherein said thermoplastic particle component is present in an amount of from 10 wt % to 15 wt %, based on the total weight of said matrix resin;

d) from 10 wt % to 26 wt % polyether sulphone, based on the total weight of said matrix resin; and

e) from 17 wt % to 22 wt % diaminodiphenylsulphone as a curing agent, based on the total weight of said matrix resin wherein said pre-impregnated composite material, when cured, has a compression after impact of over 60 when tested in accordance with BSS7260 per BMS 8-276.

2. The pre-impregnated composite material according to claim 1 wherein said curing agent is 3,3′-diaminodiphenyl sulphone.

3. A composite part comprising a pre-impregnated composite material according to claim 1 which has been cured.

4. The composite part according to claim 3 for which compression after impact is at least 60 and the wet compression strength at 180° F. is at least 180.

5. A The composite part according to claim 3 wherein said composite part forms at least part of an aircraft primary structure.

6. The method for making a composite part comprising the step of curing a pre-impregnated composite material according to claim 1 in order to make said composite part.

7. The method for making a composite part according to claim 6 wherein the compression after impact of said composite part is at least 60 and the wet compression strength of said composite part at 180° F. is at least 180.

8. The method for making a composite part according to claim 6 wherein said composite part forms at least part of an aircraft primary structure.

9. The pre-impregnated composite material according to claim 1 wherein the amount of said bisphenol-F diglycidyl ether in said resin matrix is equal to the amount of said triglycidyl-p-aminophenol in said resin matrix.

10. The pre-impregnated composite material according to claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic particle component consists of said thermoplastic particles.

11. The pre-impregnated composite material according to claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic particle component consists of said thermoplastic particles.

12. The pre-impregnated composite material according to claim 1 wherein the amount of polyether sulphone present in said matrix resin is from 20 wt % to 26 wt %, based on the total weight of said matrix resin.

13. The pre-impregnated composite material according to claim 12 wherein the amount of said thermoplastic particles present in said matrix resin is 12 wt %, based on the total weight of said matrix resin.

14. The pre-impregnated composite material according to claim 13 the amount of polyether sulphone present in said matrix resin is 23 wt %, based on the total weight of said matrix resin.

15. A method for making a pre-impregnated composite material, said method comprising the steps of:

A) providing carbon fibers; and

B) impregnating said carbon fibers with a matrix resin wherein said matrix resin comprises:

a) a resin component comprising from 20 wt % to 25 wt % bisphenol-F diglycidyl ether, based on the total weight of said matrix resin, and from 20 wt % to 25 wt % triglycidyl-p-aminophenol, based on the total weight of said matrix resin;

b) a thermoplastic particle component comprising at least 95 wt %, based on the weight of said thermoplastic particle component, thermoplastic particles that comprise at least 95 wt % of a polyamide which is the polymeric condensation product of 1,10-decane dicarboxylic acid and an amine component having the formula

where both R 2 are hydrogen and both R 1 are methyl and wherein said thermoplastic particle component is present in an amount of from 10 wt % to 15 wt %, based on the total weight of said matrix resin;

d) from 10 wt % to 26 wt % polyether sulphone, based on the total weight of said matrix resin; and

e) from 17 wt % to 22 wt % diaminodiphenylsulphone as a curing agent, based on the total weight of said matrix resin, wherein said pre-impregnated composite material, when cured, has a compression after impact of over 60 when tested in accordance with BSS7260 per BMS 8-276.

16. The method for making a pre-impregnated composite material according to claim 15 wherein the amount of said bisphenol-F diglycidyl ether in said resin matrix is equal to the amount of said triglycidyl-p-aminophenol in said resin matrix.

17. The method for making a pre-impregnated composite material according to claim 16 wherein said thermoplastic particle component consists of said thermoplastic particles.

18. The method of making a pre-impregnated composite material according to claim 15 wherein the amount of polyether sulphone present in said matrix resin is from 20 wt % to 26 wt %, based on the total weight of said matrix resin.

19. The method of making a pre-impregnated composite material according to claim 18 wherein the amount of said thermoplastic particles present in said matrix resin is 12 wt %, based on the total weight of said matrix resin.

20. The method of making a pre-impregnated composite material according to claim 19 the amount of polyether sulphone present in said matrix resin is from 23 wt %, based on the total weight of said matrix resin.