Sizing compositions for carbon fibers
AssigneeDow Global Technologies LLC
InventorsBhawesh Kumar, Manesh Nadupparambil Sekharan, Tzu-Chi Kuo, Timothy J. Young, Adam H. Broderick
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Abstract
The present invention provides aqueous, epoxy-based sizing compositions for carbon fibers. The size composition incorporates highly functionalized film forming epoxy novolac phenolic resins in combination with highly functionalized sulfonated polyesters having high Tg characteristics, sulfonate equivalent weights in the range from 2000 to 20,000 and number average molecular weights in the range from about 1000 to about 100,000. The present invention also provides corresponding sized carbon fibers and fiber-reinforced matrices.
Claims20
A sizing composition, comprising:
- a) at least one film forming, epoxy functional, novolac phenolic resin;
- and
- b) at least one film forming, sulfonated polyester resin having a sulfonate equivalent weight in the range from 2000 to 20,000 and a number average molecular weight in the range from about 1000 to about 100,000;
- and
- c) an aqueous liquid carrier.
A fiber reinforced matrix, comprising:
- a) a matrix;
- and
- b) at least one coated carbon fiber incorporated into the matrix, said coated carbon fiber comprising:
- (i) a carbon fiber;
- and
- (ii) a coating provided on at least a portion of the carbon fiber, said coating being derived from ingredients comprising at least one film forming, epoxy functional, novolac phenolic resin;
- and at least one film forming, sulfonated polyester resin having a sulfonate equivalent weight in the range from 2000 to 20,000 and a number average molecular weight in the range from about 1000 to about 100,000.
A method of making a sizing composition, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing at least one film forming, epoxy functional, novolac phenolic resin;
- b) providing at least one film forming, sulfonated polyester resin having a sulfonate equivalent weight in the range from 2000 to 20,000 and a number average molecular weight in the range from about 1000 to about 100,000;
- c) melting the at least one film forming, epoxy functional, novolac phenolic resin and the at least one film forming, sulfonated polyester resin;
- d) blending the melted resins to provide a blended admixture comprising at least one melted, film forming, epoxy functional, novolac phenolic resin and at least one melted film forming, sulfonated polyester resin;
- and
- e) combining the blended admixture with water in a manner effective to provide an aqueous dispersion, wherein at least a portion of said combining occurs while the blended admixture comprises at least one melted, film forming, epoxy functional, novolac phenolic resin and at least one melted film forming, sulfonated polyester resin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.