Ppg Industries, Inc.

Steven J Morris

David E Dana

Thomas P Unites

Howard J Hudson

Richard A Davis

Edward A Martine

The present invention provides a mat adapted to reinforce a thermosetting matrix material to form a composite, composites formed therefrom, and methods related thereto. The mat includes a primary, supporting layer having a plurality of randomly oriented essentially continuous glass fiber strands. The primary layer has about 1 to about 10 weight percent of the mat on a total solids basis. The mat also includes a secondary layer positioned upon and supported by a surface of the primary layer, the secondary layer including a plurality of glass fiber strands. The mean average length of the glass fiber strands of the secondary layer ranges from about 20 to about 125 millimeters. The strands of the primary layer are entangled with the strands of the secondary layer by needling the primary layer and the secondary layer together.

Glass fiber strand mats, thermosetting composites reinforced with the

Chemically treated glass fibers of the present invention provide good processing properties in reinforcing thermosetting polymers while resulting in fiber reinforced thermosetting materials having good strength properties. The chemically treated glass fibers have a dried residue of an aqueous chemical treating composition having: two film forming polymers, at least an acryloxy alkyl trialkoxysilane, a fiber lubricant and polyester curing agent and water. One film forming polymer is a polyvinylacetate copolymer having a low solubility in acetone and the other film forming polymer is unsaturated, curable, essentially linear polyester polymer. The fiber lubricant is a nonionic polyethylene-containing polymer or a cationic lubricant like polyalkylene polyamine polyamino amide, and partially amidated polyalkylenimines and mixtures thereof present in an effective lubricating amount. The nonionic lubricant may be used and the cationic lubricant is used in conjunction with a fuzz reducing agent such as silylated polyazamide. Additional components which may be present include: an amino organofunctional silane coupling agent, and a polyoxyethylene polymer having a molecular weight in the range of 100,000 to 5 million. The dried residue is present on the fibers in the strand in an amount in the range of around 1.5 to 3 percent LOI. Also, the dried strands have a post treatment with an antistatic agent before the strands are utilized as reinforcement for thermosetting materials.

Chemically treated glass fibers for reinforcing polymers

Chemically treated glass fiber reinforcement for thermosetting polymers having a moisture reduced residue of an aqueous chemical treating composition consisting essentially of a vinyl acetate-organosilane copolymer, a vinyl silane coupling agent, an amino-organo silane coupling agent, at least one cationic lubricant, polyoxyethylene, an antistatic agent, an aqueous dispersible or emulsifiable wax with a surfactant and water.

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Freeport, PA, United States of America

Steven J Morris