THERMOPLASTIC FORMED PANEL, INTERMEDIATE PANEL FOR THE FABRICATION THEREOF, AND METHOD FOR FABRICATING SAID PANEL AND SAID INTERMEDIATE PANEL

摘要

The invention relates to a thermoformable panel. According to the invention, the panel is composed of thermoplastic fibers forming a nonwoven fabric particularly having double crossed, randomized and thermally bonded webs, pressed under heating to cause a partial "melting" of the fibers, i.e. at least a partial loss of their fibrous phase and change into a viscous or viscoelastic phase, the relative distributions of the fraction of fibers that retain the fibrous phase and the fraction of plastic material that took the viscous or viscoelastic state depending on the depth thereof in the sheet thickness. The invention further relates to a formed, especially a highly embossed panel made of a thermoformable plastic material. The latter may be an intermediate semifinished product of a starting material. The invention also relates to a method for fabricating highly embossed panel. Particularly, the invention relates to a formed, especially a highly embossed panel and to the method for fabrication thereof, which highly embossed panel finds use in the automotive, naval, aerospace, railway and building industries, for the fabrication of interior or exterior coverings or structural members.