At present, to produce and to automate the production of continuous fibre reinforced products using thermoset resins as a matrix is very easy, thanks to the low viscosity. In comparison with thermoplastics resins, thermosets matrixes have great handicaps such as low output, dirty process, and limited number of resins and non-recyclable. However, the impregnation of the continuous fibres using thermoplastic materials is very complex, due to their high viscosity and low wettability.
With this new process fulfilling all these characteristics, we could have a new plaque or sheet to manufacture structural pieces for the automotive sector, with high mechanical resistance (both flexural strength and impact strength), excellent thermal and chemical resistance, low cost (it could be possible to work with recycled material without significant lost of properties), low variability in the pieces properties, environmental friendly (if natural fibres and/or biopolymers are selected to develop the formulation) and recyclable.
