Polyolefin reinforcing fibre, use thereof and products comprising same

Abstract

The subject of the invention is a polyolefin fiber for the reinforcement of products based on fibers and a hydraulic-setting substance, characterized in that it includes a size carrying a function which assists the fiberizing operation, a function in which the fiber can be wetted by the composition of the hydraulic-setting substance, and a function of promoting adhesion to the hydraulic-setting substance. The fiber is used as reinforcing fiber in a product based on fibers and a hydraulic-setting substance.

1 . A polyolefin fiber for the reinforcement of products based on fibers and a hydraulic-setting substance, including a size carrying a function which assists the fiberizing operation, a function in which the fiber can be wetted by the composition of the hydraulic-setting substance, and a function of promoting adhesion to the hydraulic-setting substance, and characterized in that the sizing comprises at least a product based on fatty-acid polyethylene glycol ester and phosphoric acid ester compounds, natural-oil-based such as the reference “Synthesin 7292” by Dr. Boehme, or at least a product based on a lubricating and antistatic mixture sold under the reference “KB 144/2” by Cognis, or at least a product based on a fatty-acid-derived polyethylene glycol ester such as the reference “Stantex S6077” by Cognis, or at least a product based on non-ionic surfactant and esterquats such as the reference “Stantex S6087/4” by Cognis.  
     
     
         2 . The polyolefin fiber as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the polyolefin is polypropylene.  
     
     
         3 . The polyolefin fiber as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the titre of the polyolefin fiber is between 0.5 and 10 dtex.  
     
     
         4 . The polyolefin fiber as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the polyolefin fiber has a tenacity of at least 4 cN/dtex, preferably of at least 5 cN/dtex.  
     
     
         5 . The polyolefin fiber as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the size is present on the fiber in an amount of 0.05 to 5% by weight of dry matter relative to the dry weight of fiber.  
     
     
         6 . The polyolefin fiber as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the size is applied pure or as a solution, dispersion or emulsion, aqueous-based or based on another suitable liquid vehicle.  
     
     
         7 . The use of a fiber as claimed in one of the preceding claims as reinforcing fiber in a product based on fibers and a hydraulic-setting substance.  
     
     
         8 . A product based on fibers and a hydraulic-setting substance, characterized in that it comprises polyolefin fibers as claimed in one of  claims 1  to  6 .  
     
     
         9 . The product as claimed in  claim 8 , characterized in that it comprises from 0.2 to 5% by weight of reinforcing fibers relative to the total dry weight of the initial mixture.  
     
     
         10 . The product as claimed in  claim 8  or  9 , characterized in that it has the form of a plane or corrugated board or plate.  
     
     
         11 . A process for manufacturing a product based on fibers and a hydraulic-setting substance as claimed in one of  claims 8  to  10 , characterized in that an initial mixture based on hydraulic binder, water and fibers is prepared, in that the mixture is filtered on a fixed or moving support in order to form a wet elementary sheet, in that a plurality of elementary sheets is superposed to form a wet intermediate product and in that the wet intermediate product is dried.  
     
     
         12 . A composition for a hydraulic-setting material, especially for mortar, comprising a hydraulic binder and fibers as claimed in one of  claims 1  to  6 .