Importance

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Abstract

A fiber-reinforced composite material having at least one reinforcement layer having one or more woven mats, unwoven mats, or bundle of fibers comprising a plurality of reinforcement fibers that has a binder-resin filling at least a portion of the voids of the reinforcement fibers. In some aspects, the binder-resin adheres to the reinforcement fibers and displaces the air voids at the interface between the reinforcement fibers and the binder-resin. The binder-resin has a relatively low viscosity less than at least about 20,000 centipoise at 176° C. and low molecular weight, which allows the reinforcement layer to maintain a low flex modulus while maintaining or increasing tensile modulus. The fiber-reinforced composite material can be utilized in various articles, such as a flexible fiber reinforced hose adapted for conveying fluids under pressure having at least one polymer layer that bonds to the binder-resin of the reinforcement layer, preferably being cross-linkable or cross-linked to the polymer layer.

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First Claim