MULTICOMPONENT STRUCTURES WITH IMPROVED MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE

1 . A multicomponent structure, comprising:

a multicomponent substrate having a plurality of vertical layers, including at least one first layer and at least one second layer;

wherein the at least one first layer comprises a first polymer and the at least one second layer comprises a second polymer;

wherein the multicomponent structure is formed such that a volume ratio of the first polymer to the second polymer is approximately equal to a preset value;

wherein the at least one second layer includes a plurality of horizontal layers;

wherein the multicomponent structure includes at least one recyclate;

wherein the plurality of horizontal layers alternate between polymer matrix layers and fiber reinforcement layers, wherein the fiber reinforcement layers include fibers extending through a length of the multicomponent structure; and

wherein the multicomponent structure is not electrically conductive and does not include any electrically conductive additives.

2 . The multicomponent structure of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first layer and the at least one second layer are alternating layers within the multicomponent structure.

3 . The multicomponent structure of claim 1 , wherein the Young's modulus of the multicomponent structure is greater than a blended structure having the same volume ratio of the first polymer to the second polymer as the multicomponent structure.

4 . The multicomponent structure of claim 1 , wherein the toughness of the multicomponent structure is greater than a blended structure having the same volume ratio of the first polymer to the second polymer as the multicomponent structure.

5 . The multicomponent structure of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first layer and/or the at least one second layer include at least 25% recyclate by volume.

6 . The multicomponent structure of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first layer and/or the at least one second layer include at least 50% recyclate by volume.

7 . The multicomponent structure of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vertical layers includes between about 2 to about 2,000,000 layers.

8 . The multicomponent structure of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of each of the plurality of vertical layers is between about 5 nm and 1,000 nm.

9 . The multicomponent structure of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vertical layers do not have substantially equal thicknesses.

10 . The multicomponent structure of claim 1 , wherein the first polymer and the second polymer are miscible such that the at least one first layer and at least one second layer adhere to each other.

11 . A multicomponent structure, comprising:

a multicomponent substrate having a plurality of vertical layers, including at least one first layer and at least one second layer;

wherein the at least one first layer comprises a first polymer and the at least one second layer comprises a second polymer;

wherein the multicomponent structure is formed such that a volume ratio of the first polymer to the second polymer is approximately equal to a preset value;

wherein the at least one second layer includes a plurality of horizontal layers;

wherein the plurality of horizontal layers alternate between polymer matrix layers and fiber reinforcement layers, wherein the fiber reinforcement layers include fibers extending through a length of the multicomponent structure;

wherein the toughness of the multicomponent structure is greater than a one-dimensional (1D) layered structure having the same volume ratio of the first polymer to the second polymer material as the multicomponent structure; and

wherein the multicomponent structure is an insulator.

12 . The multicomponent structure of claim 11 wherein the at least one first layer and the at least one second layer are alternating layers within the multicomponent structure.

13 . The multicomponent structure of claim 11 , wherein the at least one first layer and/or the at least one second layer include recyclate.

14 . The multicomponent structure of claim 11 , wherein the at least one first layer and/or the at least one second layer include at least 25% recyclate by volume.

15 . The multicomponent structure of claim 11 , wherein the at least one first layer and/or the at least one second layer include at least 50% recyclate by volume.

16 . The multicomponent structure of claim 11 , wherein the Young's modulus of the multicomponent structure is greater than a 1D layered structure having the same volume ratio of the first polymer to the second polymer as the multicomponent structure.

17 . The multicomponent structure of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of vertical layers includes between about 2 to about 2,000,000 layers.

18 . The multicomponent structure of claim 11 , wherein the thickness of each of the plurality of vertical layers is between about 5 nm and 1,000 nm.

19 . The multicomponent structure of claim 11 , wherein the first polymer and the second polymer are miscible such that the at least one first layer and at least one second layer adhere to each other.

20 . A multicomponent structure, comprising:

a multicomponent substrate having a plurality of vertical layers, including at least one first layer and at least one second layer;

wherein the at least one first layer comprises a first polymer and the at least one second layer comprises a second polymer;

wherein the at least one second layer includes a plurality of horizontal layers;

wherein the multicomponent structure includes at least one recyclate;

wherein the plurality of horizontal layers alternate between polymer matrix layers and fiber reinforcement layers, wherein the fiber reinforcement layers include fibers extending through a length of the multicomponent structure;

wherein the plurality of vertical layers do not have substantially equal thicknesses; and

wherein the multicomponent structure is not electrically conductive and does not include any electrically conductive additives.