Ocv Intellectual Capital, LLC

Owens Corning Intellectual Capital, LLC

Owens-corning Fiberglass Technology, Inc.

Timothy A Miller

Timothy R Gilbert

Liang Chen

Helen Huang

Leonard Joseph Adzima

David R Jones, Iv

Jesus Manuel Hernandez-Torres

Michael D Samueloff

Jerry H C Lee

Mohammed Tazi

Dennis R Brown

Jeffery W Smith

Paul Klett

A sizing composition for reinforcement fibers that includes one or more film forming agents, a silane coupling agent package, and at least one lubricant surfactant is provided. Optional components such as rheology modifiers, fillers, biocides, and pH modifiers may also be included. Preferred film forming polymers are amide-based polymers. Additionally, the sizing composition is free of polyvinyl alcohol. The absence of polyvinyl alcohol in the size composition reduces or eliminates the production of precipitates from white water in wet-laid processes. The size composition is applied to reinforcement fibers and formed into chopped strand, wet-laid mats that can be used for a variety of purposes, including roofing products. Chopped strand mats formed from fibers sized with the inventive sizing composition maintains or improves the dry tear and tensile strengths compared to chopped strand mats made from fibers sized with a commercial sizing composition that does not contain polyvinyl alcohol.

Wet-laid chopped strand fiber mat for roofing mat

A paving mat for use in a paved surface includes a fibrous mat in the form of a paving mat. The fibrous mat includes a fibrous matrix containing a mixture of polymer fibers, first mineral fibers having a first median length, and second mineral fibers having a second median length that is different from the first median length. In another embodiment, the paving mat includes a fibrous mat including a fibrous matrix which is bonded together by a binder. In one embodiment, the binder is a mixture of different binders. The fibrous matrix includes a mixture of mineral fibers in an amount within a range of from 61 wt % to 85 wt % and polymer fibers in an amount within a range of from 15 wt % to 39 wt %. The polymer fibers have a melting point greater than 320&#xb0; F. (160&#xb0; C.). The mat has a stiffness in the machine direction within a range of from 65 g-cm to 110 g-cm. The mat has a load-elongation behavior such that when the mat is subject to tensile stress, the mat achieves at least 90% of its ultimate load at an elongation not greater than 5% of the specimen length in the direction of applied stress. Another embodiment of the paving mat is made with a carboxy-modified acrylic binder.

Mats for use in paved surfaces

Methods for improving the tear strength in non-woven chopped strand mats during the manufacturing process of the mats are provided. In particular, the tear strength of the mat can be improved as the mat is being formed in response to current manufacturing conditions by the addition of a water soluble polyol, such as polyvinyl alcohol, or a cationic dispersant to the binder seal pit. Alternatively, a cationic dispersant may be added to the white water chest to improve the tear strength of the chopped strand mat. The addition of polyvinyl alcohol or a cationic dispersant to the binder seal pit results in an immediate or nearly immediate improvement of the tear strength of the chopped strand mat. Both the polyvinyl alcohol and the cationic dispersant can be utilized to improve the tear strength of a chopped strand mat regardless of the type of binder or components in the white water.

Methods for improving the tear strength of mats

A method of co-texturizing glass fibers and thermoplastic fibers comprises passing a glass fiber strand through a texturizing gun, simultaneously passing a thermoplastic fiber strand through the texturizing gun with the glass fiber strand and injecting pressurized air into the texturizing gun concurrently with the glass fiber strand and thermoplastic fiber strands. This method produces a co-texturized fiber material comprising between 20-85% by weight glass fiber and 15-80% by weight thermoplastic fiber having an overall density of from about 20 grams/liter to about 200 grams/liter, and preferably from about 20 grams/liter to less than about 30 grams/liter.

Co-texturization of glass fibers and thermoplastic fibers

Growing community of inventors

Newark, OH, United States of America

Timothy A Miller