Compacted, chopped fiber glass strands

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to compacted chopped strands. In one embodiment, a compacted chopped strand comprises a plurality of fiber glass filaments and a residue of a sizing composition at least partially coating at least one of the filaments, the sizing composition comprising: a film-former, a coupling agent, and at least one alkylene oxide polymer, the alkylene oxide polymer comprising at least one of polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide, and polybutylene oxide. The compacted chopped strand, in some embodiments, has a cross-sectional area that is greater than the cross-sectional area of the continuous strand that was chopped prior to forming the compacted chopped strand. In some embodiments, the compacted chopped strand comprises a larger number of filaments per unit of cross-sectional area than the continuous strand that was chopped prior to forming the compacted chopped strand.

1 . A compacted chopped strand, comprising: 
 a plurality of fiber glass filaments; and    a residue of a sizing composition at least partially coating at least one of the filaments, the sizing composition comprising: 
 a film-former;  
 a coupling agent; and  
 at least one alkylene oxide polymer, the alkylene oxide polymer comprising at least one of polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide, and polybutylene oxide, wherein the compacted chopped strand has a cross-sectional area that is larger than the cross-sectional area of the continuous strand that was chopped prior to forming the compacted chopped strand.  
   
   
   
       2 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 1 , wherein the alkylene oxide polymer comprises polyethylene oxide.  
   
   
       3 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 2 , wherein the polyethylene oxide comprises up to about five weight percent of the sizing composition on a total solids basis.  
   
   
       4 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 2 , wherein the polyethylene oxide has an average molecular weight of approximately 100,000 or greater.  
   
   
       5 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 2 , wherein the polyethylene oxide has an average molecular weight of approximately 10,000,000 or less.  
   
   
       6 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 1 , wherein the film-former comprises an epoxy polymer.  
   
   
       7 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 6 , wherein the sizing composition further comprises a second film-former and wherein the second film-former comprises polyurethane.  
   
   
       8 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 1 , wherein the sizing composition further comprises a lubricant.  
   
   
       9 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 1 , wherein the compacted chopped strand has a substantially round cross-section.  
   
   
       10 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 1 , wherein the compacted chopped strand has a cross-sectional area that is greater than about 1.0 and up to about four times larger than the cross-sectional area of the continuous strand that was chopped prior to forming the compacted chopped strand.  
   
   
       11 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 1 , wherein the compacted chopped strand has a cross-sectional area that is greater than about 1.0 and up to about three times larger than the cross-sectional area of the continuous strand that was chopped prior to forming the compacted chopped strand.  
   
   
       12 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 1 , wherein the compacted chopped strand has a length of up to about fifteen millimeters.  
   
   
       13 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 1 , wherein the compacted chopped strand comprises a larger number of filaments than the continuous strand that was chopped prior to forming the compacted chopped strand.  
   
   
       14 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 1 , wherein the compacted chopped strand comprises a larger number of filaments per unit of cross-sectional area than the continuous strand that was chopped prior to forming the compacted chopped strand.  
   
   
       15 . A compacted chopped strand, comprising: 
 a plurality of fiber glass filaments; and    a residue of a sizing composition at least partially coating at least one of the filaments, the sizing composition comprising: 
 a film-former;  
 a coupling agent; and  
 at least one alkylene oxide polymer, the alkylene oxide polymer comprising at least one of polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide, and polybutylene oxide, wherein the compacted chopped strand comprises a larger number of filaments per unit of cross-sectional area than the continuous strand that was chopped prior to forming the compacted chopped strand.  
   
   
   
       16 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 15 , wherein the compacted chopped strand has a cross-sectional area that is larger than the cross-sectional area of a continuous strand that was chopped prior to forming the compacted chopped strand.  
   
   
       17 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 15 , wherein the compacted chopped strand has a cross-sectional area that is greater than about 1.0 and up to about four times larger than the cross-sectional area of the continuous strand that was chopped prior to forming the compacted chopped strand.  
   
   
       18 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 15 , wherein the compacted chopped strand has a cross-sectional area that is greater than about 1.0 and up to about three times larger than the cross-sectional area of the continuous strand that was chopped prior to forming the compacted chopped strand.  
   
   
       19 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 15 , wherein the compacted chopped strand comprises a larger number of filaments than the continuous strand that was chopped prior to forming the compacted chopped strand.  
   
   
       20 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 15 , wherein the polyethylene oxide has an average molecular weight of approximately 100,000 or greater.  
   
   
       21 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 15 , wherein the polyethylene oxide has an average molecular weight of approximately 10,000,000 or less.  
   
   
       22 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one film-former comprises an epoxy polymer.  
   
   
       23 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 22 , wherein the sizing composition further comprises a second film-former and wherein the second film-former comprises polyurethane.  
   
   
       24 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 15 , wherein the sizing composition further comprises a lubricant.  
   
   
       25 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 15 , wherein the compacted chopped strand has a substantially round cross-section.  
   
   
       26 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 15 , wherein the compacted chopped strand has a length of up to about fifteen millimeters.  
   
   
       27 . A compacted chopped strand, comprising: 
 a plurality of fiber glass filaments; and    a residue of a sizing composition at least partially coating at least one of the filaments, the sizing composition comprising: 
 at least one film-former in an amount up to about 90 weight percent on a total solids basis;  
 at least one coupling agent in an amount up to about 50 weight percent on a total solids basis; and  
 up to about five weight percent polyalkylene oxide on a total solids basis.  
   
   
   
       28 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 27 , wherein the polyalkylene oxide comprises polyethylene oxide.  
   
   
       29 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 27 , wherein the compacted chopped strand comprises a larger number of filaments than the continuous strand that was chopped prior to forming the compacted chopped strand.  
   
   
       30 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 27 , wherein the compacted chopped strand has a cross-sectional area that is larger than the cross-sectional area of a continuous strand that was chopped prior to forming the compacted chopped strand.  
   
   
       31 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 27 , wherein the compacted chopped strand has a cross-sectional area that is greater than about 1.0 and up to about four times larger than the cross-sectional area of the continuous strand that was chopped prior to forming the compacted chopped strand.  
   
   
       32 . The compacted chopped strand of  claim 27 , wherein the compacted chopped strand comprises a larger number of filaments per unit of cross-sectional area than the continuous strand that was chopped prior to forming the compacted chopped strand.