PROCESS FOR PRODUCING LONG GLASS FIBRE-REINFORCED THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITIONS

摘要

The invention relates to a process for producing a long glass fibre-reinforced thermoplastic polymer composition, comprising the subsequent steps of a) unwinding from a package of at least one continuous glass multifilament strand containing at most 2% by mass of a sizing composition; b) applying from 0.5 to 20% by mass of an impregnating agent to said at least one continuous glass multifilament strand to form an impregnated continuous multifilament strand; and c) applying a sheath of thermoplastic polymer around the impregnated continuous multifilament strand to form a sheathed continuous multifilament strand, wherein the impregnating agent is non-volatile, has a melting point of at least 20`C below the melting point of the thermoplastic matrix, has a viscosity of from 2.5 to 100 cS at application temperature, and is compatible with the thermoplastic polymer to be reinforced. This process allows trouble-free handling and unwinding of packages, no fouling of the equipment used, stable and constant production and good reproducibility during the sheathing step, and results in long glass fibre-reinforced thermoplastic products that can be made into articles having good mechanical properties and high quality surface appearance.