Fiber reinforced composites made with coupling-activator treated fibers and activator containing reactive resin

摘要

This invention relates to a process of making a fiber-reinforced composite. Glass fibers may be provided. These glass fibers may be treated with a sizing composition that has a coupling-activator compound with the formula: S—X-(A)n, where S represents a silicon-containing coupling moiety capable of bonding to the surface of glass fibers, X represents a linking moiety, and (A)n represents one or more polymerization activator moieties. The treated glass fibers may be combined with a resin to make a fiber-resin mixture. The resin may have a monomer, a catalyst, and an activator compound capable of initiating a polymerization of the monomer. The monomer may be a lactam or lactone having 3-12 carbon atoms in the main ring. The fiber-resin mixture may then be cured so that the monomer polymerizes to form a thermoplastic polymer matrix of the fiber-reinforced composite. The thermoplastic polymer matrix may be formed by in situ polymerization initiated from both the surface of the glass fibers and the resin. The fiber-reinforced composite formed may be at least 70 wt. % glass fiber.

主权项

1. A method to make a fiber-reinforced composite, the method comprising:
providing treated glass fibers treated with a sizing composition that has a coupling-activator compound with the formula:
S—X-(A)n  wherein n is an integer having a value between 1 and 5;
S comprises a silicon-containing coupling moiety through which the coupling-activator compound bonds to a surface of the glass fibers;X comprises a linking moiety to link the S moiety with one or more A moieties; and(A)n comprises one or more polymerization activator moieties, wherein each of the activator moieties is capable of initiating a polymerization of the monomer, and wherein each of the activator moieties is the same or different;combining the treated glass fibers with a resin to make a fiber-resin mixture, wherein the resin comprises a monomer, a catalyst, and an activator compound capable of initiating a polymerization of the monomer, and wherein the monomer is a lactam or lactone having 3-12 carbon atoms in the main ring, and further wherein moles of the activator compound in the resin are 10% to 50% of moles of the polymerization activator moieties on the treated glass fibers; andexposing the fiber-resin mixture to curing conditions where the monomer polymerizes to form a polymer matrix of the fiber-reinforced composite;wherein the fiber-reinforced composite is at least 70 wt. % glass fiber.