REINFORCING FIBER BUNDLES FOR MAKING FIBER REINFORCED POLYMER COMPOSITES

摘要

Short-cut synthetic or cellulose-based natural reinforcing fiber is provided for polymer composites in a form that feeds uniformly into a compounding process such as is carried out in a single or twin screw extruder or double armed batch mixer using conventional volumetric or gravimetric metering equipment. Upon being fed to the compounding process, the reinforcing fiber disperses and becomes uniformly distributed in a matrix resin. The reinforcing fibers are provided in the form of cut fiber bundles with a finish composition coating the fibers and forming fugitive inter-fiber bonds within each cut fiber bundle. This provides inter-fiber coherency such that the cut fiber bundles can be fed uniformly via a loss-in-volume or loss-in-weight screw feeder device to a compounding process. Upon mixing in the compounding process with a matrix polymer, the fugitive bonds break, and the cut fiber bundles disintegrate into separate individual fibers dispersed in the matrix polymer. A process for producing the short-cut reinforcing fiber is also provided.