Tri-excluded WUCS glass fiber reinforced plastic composite articles and methods for making such articles

Abstract

Disclosed are a series of composite polymer composite structures formed by the coextrusion of at least two distinct polymeric components. A first polymeric component includes a structural composition and a second polymeric component includes a coating composition. The primary structural frame formed from the structural composition includes at least one longitudinal recess. These recesses may be filled with a third polymeric composition that may include wood byproducts and/or a blowing agent. The first polymeric component may include reinforcing fibers at least partially coated with a size composition that includes a film forming agent, a lubricant, one or more additives, and first and second coupling agents. The additives may be chosen to achieve selective or desired properties in the end product. The inclusion of additives to the reinforcing fiber enhances the fiber reinforcements and enables the production of reinforced composite articles having a desired combination of size, strength, appearance, and/or functionality.

1 . A reinforced composite article comprising: 
 an elongated primary structural frame having a longitudinal recess, said elongated primary structural frame formed from a first polymeric composition that includes glass fibers, each glass fiber having a surface at least partially coated with a sizing composition containing a film forming agent, a lubricant, one or more first additives, a first coupling agent to enhance the interface between said first polymeric composition and said surfaces of said glass fibers, and a second coupling agent to enhance the interface between said first polymeric composition and the boundary between said primary structural frame and said longitudinal recess when said longitudinal recess contains natural fibers;    a second polymeric composition filling said longitudinal recess; and    a third polymeric composition forming a capping layer on a major surface of said primary structural frame.    
     
     
         2 . The reinforced composite article of  claim 1 , wherein said first coupling agent is present on said glass fiber in an amount from about 1.5 to about 2.5% by weight and said second coupling agent is present on said glass fiber in an amount from about 0.5 to about 1.0% by weight.  
     
     
         3 . The reinforced composite article of  claim 1 , wherein said film forming agent is at least one member selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane film former, a polyester film former, a polyolefin film former, a modified functionalized polyolefin and an epoxy resin film former, and said first and second coupling agents are silane coupling agents selected from the group consisting of aminosilanes, silane esters, vinyl silanes, methacryloxy silanes, epoxy silanes, sulfur silanes, ureido silanes and isocyanato silanes.  
     
     
         4 . The reinforced composite article of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more first additives is at least one member selected from the group consisting of fire retardants, UV stabilizers, processing aids, antioxidents, mold inhibiting agents, lubricants, colorants, coupling agents, sealants, friction modifiers, color stabilizers, IR reflectors, smoke suppressors, pigments, biocides, dyes, additives to improve surface feel, additives to reduce roughness and additives to improve abrasion resistance.  
     
     
         5 . The reinforced composite article of  claim 1 , wherein said first additives are dispersed substantially evenly throughout said primary structural frame.  
     
     
         6 . The reinforced composite article of  claim 1 , wherein said glass fibers are wet use chopped strand glass fibers having a moisture content of at least about 5 wt %.  
     
     
         7 . The reinforced composite article of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said second polymeric composition includes a filler selected from the group consisting of wood flour, wood fibers, calcium carbonate, talc, magnesium hydroxide and gypsum; and    said third polymeric composition includes a second additive selected from the group consisting of UV stabilizers, color stabilizers, IR reflectors, fire retardants, smoke suppressors, lubricants, pigments, biocides and dyes.    
     
     
         8 . The reinforced composite article of  claim 1 , wherein said second polymeric composition is a foam.  
     
     
         9 . A high performance reinforcing fiber for a reinforced plastic composite article: 
 a glass fiber having a surface at least partially coated with a sizing composition containing a film forming agent, a lubricant, one or more additives, a first coupling agent to enhance the interface between a first polymeric composition and said surface of said glass fiber, and a second coupling agent to enhance the interface between said first polymeric composition and the surfaces of natural fibers.    
     
     
         10 . The reinforcing fiber of  claim 9 , wherein said film forming agent is at least one member selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane film former, a polyester film former, a polyolefin film former, a modified functionalized polyolefin and an epoxy resin film former, and said first and second coupling agents are silane coupling agents selected from the group consisting of aminosilanes, silane esters, vinyl silanes, methacryloxy silanes, epoxy silanes, sulfur silanes, ureido silanes and isocyanato silanes.  
     
     
         11 . The reinforced composite article of  claim 9 , wherein said first coupling agent is present on said glass fiber in an amount from about 1.5 to about 2.5% by weight and said second coupling agent is present on said glass fiber in an amount from about 0.5 to about 1.0% by weight.  
     
     
         12 . The reinforced composite article of  claim 9 , wherein said one or more additives includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of fire retardants, UV stabilizers, processing aids, antioxidents, mold inhibiting agents, lubricants, colorants, coupling agents, sealants, friction modifiers, color stabilizers, IR reflectors, smoke suppressors, pigments, biocides, dyes, additives to improve surface feel, additives to reduce roughness and additives to improve abrasion resistance.  
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing a reinforced composite article comprising: 
 coextruding: 
 a first polymeric composition to form a primary structural frame having a longitudinal recess, said first polymeric composition including glass fibers, each glass fiber having a surface at least partially coated with a sizing composition containing a film forming agent, a lubricant, one or more first additives, a first coupling agent to enhance the interface between said first polymeric composition and said surfaces of said glass fibers, and a second coupling agent to enhance the interface between said first polymeric composition and the boundary between said primary structural frame and said longitudinal recess when said longitudinal recess contains natural fibers,  
 a second polymeric composition to substantially fill said longitudinal recess, and  
 a third polymeric composition to form a surface layer on a major surface of said primary structural frame and form a reinforced composite article.  
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said film forming agent is at least one member selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane film former, a polyester film former, a polyolefin film former, a modified functionalized polyolefin and an epoxy resin film former, and said first coupling agent is an aminosilane coupling agent.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said one or more first additives includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of fire retardants, UV stabilizers, processing aids, antioxidents, mold inhibiting agents, lubricants, colorants, coupling agents, sealants, friction modifiers, color stabilizers, IR reflectors, smoke suppressors, pigments, biocides, dyes, additives to improve surface feel, additives to reduce roughness and additives to improve abrasion resistance.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said one or more first additives are dispersed substantially evenly throughout said primary structural frame.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein: 
 said second polymeric composition includes a filler selected from the group consisting of wood flour, wood fibers, calcium carbonate, talc, magnesium hydroxide and gypsum; and    said third polymeric composition includes at least one second additive selected from the group consisting of UV stabilizers, color stabilizers, IR reflectors, fire retardants, smoke suppressors, lubricants, pigments, biocides and dyes.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said second polymeric composition is a foam.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said reinforcing fibers are wet use chopped strand glass fibers having a moisture content of at least about 5 wt %.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said first and second coupling agents are silane coupling agents selected from the group consisting of aminosilanes, silane esters, vinyl silanes, methacryloxy silanes, epoxy silanes, sulfur silanes, ureido silanes and isocyanato silanes.