US 4,394,418 A · Aqueous sizing composition and glass fibers made therewith for reinforcing thermosetting polymers

Abstract

An aqueous sizing composition for glass fibers and the resultant sized glass fiber strands are provided, where the sized glass fiber strands have an improved slip/flow property and resultant thermosetting articles reinforced with the sized glass fiber strands have improved impact properties. The aqueous sizing composition has a poly(vinyl acetate) silane copolymer, epoxy polymer, one or more lubricants, an organo silane coupling agent, which may be an amino-silane coupling agent, lubricant modified-amino-organo silane coupling agent, epoxy-containing silane coupling agent or a mixture of one or more of these coupling agents, one or more nonionic surfactants, a polyethylene-containing polymer, a wax, a hydrocarbon acid and water. The aqueous sizing composition is applied to glass fibers which are then produced into wet chopped glass fiber strands or continuous sized glass fiber strands. The continuous sized glass fiber strands may be subsequently dried under drying conditions sufficient to remove a substantial amount of the moisture of the strands for subsequent chopping to produce dry chopped glass fiber strands. The sized glass fiber strands have good choppability in that there is not a high amount of fly or fuzz produced during the chopping operation. The sized glass fiber strands in any form may be used for reinforcing thermosetting polymeric material.

Claims36

Dependent claims

An aqueous sizing composition for glass fibers to yield sized glass fiber strands useful in reinforcing thermosetting polymers, comprising:

(a) poly(vinylacetate) silane copolymer,
(b) epoxy polymer,
(c) one or more glass fiber lubricants,
(d) an organo silane coupling agent selected from the group consisting of amino-organo-silane coupling agents, lubricant modified amino-organo-silane coupling agents, epoxy-containing silane coupling agents and a mixture of two or more of these agents,
(e) one or more nonionic surfactants,
(f) polyethylene-containing polymer in an amount of 0 to about 25 weight percent of the solids of the aqueous sizing composition,
(g) wax in an amount of about 0 to about 5 weight percent of the solids of the aqueous sizing composition where an amount of the polyethylene-containing polymer is present when the wax is absent and an amount of wax is present if the polyethylene-containing polymer is absent and when both are present, the weight ratio of the polyethylene-containing polymer to wax is in the range of about 25:1 to about 1:25,
(h) organic hydrocarbon acid to give the composition a pH in the range of about 4 to about 9, and
(i) water to give a total solids content in the range of about 1 to about 30 weight percent.

6 more elements

Aqueous sizing composition for glass fibers used in producing glass fiber strands for use in thermosetting molding compounds for production of reinforced thermoset articles, comprising:

(a) poly(vinylacetate) silane copolymer which is insoluble in styrene and has a silane level of from about 1 to about 7 weight percent of the copolymer which is present in the aqueous sizing composition in an amount of about 40 to about 90 weight percent of the total solids of the aqueous sizing composition,
(b) epoxy polymer having a molecular weight in the range of about 170 to about 900 present in an amount in the range of about 1 to about 60 weight percent of the solids of the aqueous sizing composition,
(c) one or more alkyl aryl polyether nonionic surfactants with an HLB of around 14,
(d) a mixture of organo silane coupling agents having a predominant amount of an epoxy-containing silane coupling agent and a minor amount of a lubricant modified amino-organo silane coupling agent,
(e) pelargonic acid amide of tetraethylene pentamine in an amount in the range of about 0.05 to about 5 weight percent of the aqueous sizing composition,
(f) high density polyethylene polymer present in an amount of about 2 to about 25 weight percent of the solids of the sizing composition,
(g) a microcrystalline paraffinic wax with a melting point greater than 50.degree. C. present in an amount of about 1 to about 5 weight percent of the solids of the aqueous sizing composition, and where the weight ratio of the polyethylene polymer to the wax is in the range of about 10:1 to about 1:10,
(h) organic hydrocarbon acid to give the composition a pH in the range of about 4 to around 7, and
(i) water to give a total solids content in the range of about 1 to about 30 weight percent.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Aqueous sizing composition and glass fibers made therewith for reinforcing thermosetting polymers

Life of this patent

Aqueous sizing composition and glass fibers made therewith for reinforcing thermosetting polymers

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims36