Method for treating reinforcing fibre and method for producing a reinforced composite article from the treated fibre

摘要

The present invention relates to a reinforced composite material and a method for its production. The composite material comprises at least one cured resin having a reinforcing material. Preferably the reinforcing material is a plurality of glass fibers which are treated such that the properties of the interphase substantially surrounding each fiber are substantially equivalent to those of the bulk cured resin. The fiber treatment may be selected from the group consisting of a polymeric coating, a hydrophilic surface coating, a surface coating of a free radical inhibitor, or a reduction in the total surface area of the fibers. The reinforced composite material of the invention provides improved long-term mechanical properties compared to traditional glass fiber reinforced materials.

主权项

1. A reinforced composite material, comprising:
i) a plurality of hydrophilic surface-modified reinforcing glass fibers, wherein the hydrophilic surface-modified reinforcing glass fiber comprises a reinforcing glass fiber modified with a hydrophilic surface coating comprising:
a) a first coating of a vinyl functional silane coupling agent; andb) a second coating of the product of a vinyl functional silane coupling agent reacted with a polyol; ii) at least one cured polyester resin; and iii) at least one interphase defined by the at least one cured polyester resin adjacent to the at least one hydrophilic surface-modified reinforcing glass fiber of the plurality of hydrophilic surface-modified reinforcing glass fibers;wherein the at least one interphase has one or more properties substantially equivalent to those of the bulk at least one cured polyester resin, selected from the group consisting of: strength, flexural toughness, brittleness, density, cross-link density, chemical resistance, molecular weight, and degree of crystallinity.