Twistable chemically treated glass fibers, fabrics and coated articles

Abstract

Twisted bundle of glass fibers have on a substantial portion of the surface of each fiber a moisture reduced residue of an aqueous chemical treating composition (size). The size has an epoxy polymer as the major film forming polymer, at least one emulsifying agent for the epoxy polymer, at least one fiber lubricant in an effective fiber lubricating amount, at least one organofunctional metallic coupling agent in an effective coupling agent amount, polyvinylpyrrolidone, water dispersible or emulsifiable ultrahigh, high, or medium density polyethylene and water. The amount of the polyvinylpyrrolidone and polyethylene is in the range of around 1 to 15 weight percent of the nonaqueous components of the size for each of the polymers. When the bundle has less than around 400 filaments, starch is also present in an amount in the range of 0.5 to 15 weight percent of the nonaqueous components. The twisted bundle is produced by forming the fibers and chemically treating the fibers, gathering the fibers into a bundle, winding the fibers onto a package having a plurality of superimposed annular layers of bundles and conditioning the package to develop a moisture-reduced residue of the treatment, and unwinding the package in a horizontal position onto a vertical bobbin spinning about its longitudinal axis to produce a twist in the bundle. The twisted strand or yarn is suitable for coating with polymeric coatings like poly(vinyl chloride) plastisol coatings.