ABSTRACT
Polyamides (PA) are a prominent class amongst the semicrystalline polymers. PA are produced either by the reaction of a diacid with a diamine or by ring-opening polymerization of lactams. PA has very good mechanical properties, is particularly tough, and has excellent sliding and wears characteristics. In the field of single-polymer composites (SPCs), I. M. Ward and his group were the first to report a study on PA, where an assembly of oriented elements, often in the form of a woven cloth, is held under pressure. Y. Gong used resin transfer molding for manufacturing all-polyamide (all-PA) composites in which PA6 matrix was formed in situ by the anionic polymerization of e-caprolactam. All-PA composites were manufactured in the form of a flat laminate on the fabric substrate by a method of isothermal immersion-precipitation. The complete consolidation of all-PA composites and the very high reinforcing effect of PA66 fibers on PA6 matrix were secured by high-caprolactam conversion though in a wide TM range.
