Method for coating fibers with an amorphous hydrated metal oxide

A method for making a fiber reinforced polymeric matrix composite material by impregnating the fibers with a resin, stacking layers of the resin impregnated fibers, and pressing the stacked impregnated fibers with optional heat wherein the improvement comprises:

• (a) mixing M.sub.x OR.sub.y and R'--CO.sub.2 M'(OH).sub.n.zH.sub.m X in amounts to form a solution such that M.sub.x OR.sub.y is substantially water soluble wherein:
• (i) M is any metal that has a valence of 3 or 4;
• (ii) R is an organic radical;
• (iii) x is 1;
• (iv) y is 3 or 4;
• (v) R' is an organic radical;
• (vi) M' is any metal that has a valence of 3 or 4;
• (vii) X is BO.sub.3.sup.-, SO.sub.4.sup.=, Cl.sup.-, NO.sub.3.sup.-, R"CO.sub.2.sup.-, where R" is an organic radical;
• (viii) n and m correspond to the valence of (M'--1) and X respectively;
• and
• (ix) Z has a value sufficient so that said R'-CO.sub.2 M'(OH).sub.n is substantially water soluble;
• (b) applying a layer of said solution to the fiber prior to impregnation with the resin;
• and
• (c) exposing the fiber having a layer of metal alkoxide to a temperature sufficient to form an oxide surface prior to impregnation with the resin.