Abstract: A powder coated roving material for making structural parts is provided. The powder coated roving includes a bundle of fibers at least substantially coated with a powder coating material. The bundle is formed of a plurality of inner fibers and a plurality of outer fibers surrounding the inner fibers. The size composition maintains the fibers in a bundled orientation during processing and releases the fibers during molding. The size composition includes an epoxy resin emulsion containing at least one surfactant and a solid epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalent weight from about 450 to about 950, at least one epoxy silane coupling agent, at least one non-ionic lubricant, at least one cationic lubricant, and at least one organic acid. In addition, the size composition may have an acetone solubility from about 30% to about 75%. A method of making a composite roving is also provided.

Abstract: A fiberglass reinforced composite is provided with improved physical properties. The fiberglass reinforced composite incorporates core-shell rubber nanoparticles within the resinous binder of the composite and/or within a sizing composition coated directly onto the individual glass fibers.

Abstract: A wet fiber based composition that includes wet glass fibers, a water dispersible polymeric resin, and gypsum is provided. Components including melamine formaldehyde, a filler material, coupling agents, acetic acid, an accelerator, and/or a hardener may also be added to the composition. The gypsum may be a-gypsum, B-gypsum, or combinations thereof. The wet glass fibers are wet chopped glass fibers or a wet continuous roving. The combination of the wet glass fibers, the water dispersible polymeric resin, and the gypsum have a synergistic effect that creates a composite product that is water resistant, fire resistant, and has improved mechanical properties. In one exemplary embodiment, the wet fiber based composition is used to form a gypsum board that can be molded into various composite products. In other exemplary embodiments, thin multi-ply gypsum boards may be formed by alternately layering glass mats with layers of a gypsum/polymer slurry.

Abstract: A sizing composition that permits in-line chopping and drying of reinforcement fibers for reinforcing thermoset resins is provided. The size composition includes at least one coupling agent and one or more blocked polyurethane film forming agents. The blocking agent preferably de-blocks at a temperature that permits simultaneous or nearly simultaneous de-blocking and curing of the polyurethane film former. The sized fiber strands may be chopped to form chopped strand segments and dried in a fluidized bed oven, such as a Cratec® drying oven, in-line. The chopped fiber strands may then be used in a bulk molding compound and molded into a reinforced composite article. Chopping the glass fibers in-line lowers the manufacturing costs for products produced from the sized fiber bundles. Further, because the reinforcement fibers can be chopped and dried at a much faster rate with the inventive size composition compared to conventional off-line chopping processes, productivity is increased.

Abstract: A powder coated roving material for making structural parts is provided. The powder coated roving includes a bundle of fibers at least substantially coated with a powder coating material. The bundle is formed of a plurality of inner fibers and a plurality of outer fibers surrounding the inner fibers. The size composition maintains the fibers in a bundled orientation during processing and releases the fibers during molding. The size composition includes an epoxy resin emulsion containing at least one surfactant and a solid epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalent weight from about 450 to about 950, at least one epoxy silane coupling agent, at least one non-ionic lubricant, at least one cationic lubricant, and at least one organic acid. In addition, the size composition may have an acetone solubility from about 30% to about 75%. A method of making a composite roving is also provided.

Abstract: A polymer composite multiend roving material used to make structural composite parts includes a bundle of fibers held together by a high integrity sizing composition and surrounded by a powder coating polymer material. The powder coating material is approximately 10-80% of the dry weight of the multiend composite roving weight. The multiend composite roving material may then be easily processed further to form a molded composite part having good mechanical properties and high fiber content.

Abstract: A sizing composition containing an epoxy resin emulsion, one or more coupling agents, a cationic lubricant, and an acid. The epoxy resin emulsion includes a low molecular weight epoxy and one or more surfactants. The epoxy resin has an epoxy equivalent weight of from 175-225, preferably from 175-190. Optionally, the sizing composition may also contain a non-ionic lubricant, a polyurethane film former, and/or an antistatic agent. The sizing composition may be used to size glass fibers used in filament winding applications to form reinforced composite articles with improved mechanical properties, wet tensile properties, improved resistance to cracking, and improved processing characteristics.

Abstract: A sizing composition that permits in-line chopping and drying of reinforcement fibers for reinforcing thermoset resins is provided. The size composition includes at least one coupling agent and one or more blocked polyurethane film forming agents. The blocking agent preferably de-blocks at a temperature that permits simultaneous or nearly simultaneous de-blocking and curing of the polyurethane film former. The sized fiber strands may be chopped to form chopped strand segments and dried in a fluidized bed oven, such as a Cratec® drying oven, in-line. The chopped fiber strands may then be used in a bulk molding compound and molded into a reinforced composite article. Chopping the glass fibers in-line lowers the manufacturing costs for products produced from the sized fiber bundles. Further, because the reinforcement fibers can be chopped and dried at a much faster rate with the inventive size composition compared to conventional off-line chopping processes, productivity is increased.

Abstract: A method of producing a wet-layed non-woven mat from glass fibers includes the steps of: drawing streams of molten glass into continuous filaments, applying a size to the continuous filaments, gathering the continuous filaments into strands, chopping the strands into discrete length bundles while substantially maintaining the integrity of the bundles, drying the bundles, adding the bundles and a plurality of binder fibers to an aqueous-based mixture, thereby forming a slurry, mixing the slurry to entangle the bundles and the binder fibers, wherein the integrity of the bundles is substantially maintained in the slurry, transferring the slurry to a forming wire, wherein water is removed from the slurry to form a web while substantially maintaining the integrity of the bundles, and heating the web to fuse intersections between the bundles and the binder fibers, thereby forming a mat while substantially maintaining the integrity of the bundles.

Abstract: A fiberglass insulation binder composition made from a polycarboxy polymer, a polyhydroxy crosslinking agent, and a cationic surfactant, amphoteric surfactant, nonionic surfactant, or mixture thereof. Also, a process for manufacturing a fiberglass insulation product, which involves a step of applying the binder composition onto a fiberglass substrate and curing the fiberglass substrate so treated. Binders produced in accordance with the present invention are characterized by improved atomization, improved binder dispersion and fiber wetting properties, and improved protection of individual fibers during processing.

Abstract: A string binder is disclosed which is useful for making reinforcing articles for use in the manufacture of molded composite articles. The string binder comprises a fibrous carrier substrate covered with a solidified coating comprising a binder resin material having an acid value of less than about 30 mg KOH/g of resin. Additionally, the fibrous carrier substrate may be coated with at least one layer of a pre-coating or post-coating comprising a catalyst composition. The string binder may be co-roved with one or more ends of a separate fibrous reinforcing material to make a product suitable for use in various molding applications.

Abstract: A string binder is disclosed which is useful for making reinforcing articles for use in the manufacture of molded composite articles. The string binder comprises a fibrous substrate with a chemical treatment, applied thereto, comprising an epoxy film former, a curing agent, a thickener, and water. Additionally, the string binder may be co-roved with one or more ends of a separate fibrous pre-form material to make a product suitable for use in various molding applications.

Abstract: A string binder is disclosed which is useful for making reinforcing articles for use in the manufacture of molded composite articles. The string binder comprises a fibrous substrate with a chemical treatment, applied thereto, comprising an epoxy film former, a curing agent, a thickener, and water. Additionally, the string binder may be co-roved with one or more ends of a separate fibrous pre-form material to make a product suitable for use in various molding applications.

Abstract: A polymer composite multiend roving material used to make structural composite parts is comprised bundle of fibers held together by a high integrity sizing composition and surrounded by a powder coating polymer material. The powder coating material is approximately 10-80% of the dry weight of the multiend composite roving weight. The multiend composite roving material may then be easily processed further to form a molded composite part having good mechanical properties and high fiber content.

Abstract: A foam core structural laminate material is made by reacting a polymer matrix material with a blowing agent contained on a dry fiber preform within a mold. The laminate material formed therefore has a fiber reinforced core material and a foamed outer region. To add toughness to the laminate material, a glass fiber matting may be introduced to the mold such that the dry fiber preform is centrally located within the mold and the matting is located along the outer periphery.

Abstract: A polymer composite multiend roving material used to make structural composite parts is comprised bundle of fibers held together by a high integrity sizing composition and surrounded by a powder coating polymer material. The powder coating material is approximately 10-80% of the dry weight of the multiend composite roving weight. The multiend composite roving material may then be easily processed further to form a molded composite part having good mechanical properties and high fiber content.

Abstract: A sheet molding composition is provided which exhibits controllable thickening. The composition includes a low molecular weight polyester in which some of the chain ends have been endcapped with functional groups which are unable to react with the thickeners employed in the sheet molding composition. The sheet molding composition has a low viscosity of from about 6 to about 20 million centipoise which allows molding at low pressures of from about 100 to about 300 psi.

Abstract: This development relates to elastomer modified polyester for sheet molding compound (SMC). This development copolymerizes the rubber with the polyester. The reaction provides copolymers with extended storage times without phase separation. It also enhances impact resistance of the molded part.

Abstract: This development provides crystalline unsaturated polyesters having unreacted olefinically unsaturated monomer entrapped within its crystal lattice. The crystalline polyester can be used in high performance, structural SMC products or as a size or binder for glass fiber reinforcements or mats.

Abstract: This development provides glycidyl-acrylates that, when copolymerized with unsaturated polyesters, provide high performance, structural SMC products. The acrylates increase the reactivity of the polyesters. One result has been "zero shrinkage" parts with good heat distortion, pigmentability and excellent mechanical and physical properties.