Treated glass fibers and aqueous dispersion and nonwoven mat of glass fibers

Abstract

Treated glass fibers having adequate protection for gathering into strands and when chopped being more dispersible in aqueous media. The treated glass fibers have a coating of an aqueous treating composition having nonionic surfactant and a cationic quaternary ammonium salt surfactant and one or more organo polar functional coupling agents. In addition, the aqueous treating composition can also have one or more water dispersible, emulsifiable or soluble polyols. Glass fibers treated with the aqueous treating compositions and produced into wet or dry chopped glass fiber strands having a length of 1/16 of an inch to about 3 inches, and having good dispersibility in aqueous media with or without addition of dispersing agents. Nonwoven, sheet-like mat produced from aqueous dispersions having the chopped treated glass fibers, where an amount of water is removed usually by vacuum, suction or thermal means and where polymeric binders, commonly referred to as wet strength binders, are applied and the mat is cured. The resulting nonwoven, sheet-like mat product has very good strength properties for use as a reinforcing element for roofing products, construction products and flooring products.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.