US 12,104,024 B2
Polyvinyl alcohol-sized fillers for reinforcing plastics
Philip F. Chu, St. Peters, MO (US); Philip L. Schell, Chesterfield, MO (US); David M. Corbin, St. Peters, MO (US); and Shigeo Iwasawa, Chesterfield, MO (US)
Assigned to Zoltek Corporation, Bridgeton, MO (US)
Appl. No. 16/637,106
Filed by Zoltek Corporation, Bridgeton, MO (US)
PCT Filed Jul. 18, 2018, PCT No. PCT/US2018/042677
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 6, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2018/176067, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 27, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/541,834, filed on Aug. 7, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0363313 A1, Nov. 25, 2021
Int. Cl. C08J 5/06 (2006.01); C08J 5/04 (2006.01); C08K 3/26 (2006.01); C08K 9/08 (2006.01)
CPC C08J 5/06 (2013.01) [C08J 5/042 (2013.01); C08J 5/045 (2013.01); C08K 3/26 (2013.01); C08K 9/08 (2013.01); C08J 2323/12 (2013.01); C08J 2377/06 (2013.01); C08J 2429/04 (2013.01); C08J 2451/06 (2013.01); C08J 2463/00 (2013.01); C08J 2475/04 (2013.01); C08K 2003/265 (2013.01); C08K 2201/004 (2013.01); C08K 2201/011 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A polymer composite comprising:
(a) a thermoset (co)polymer;
(b) at least one sized reinforcing filler comprising a filler and a sizing agent disposed on at least a portion of the filler, wherein the sizing agent comprises at least one of a polyvinyl alcohol, an ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer, a silane-grafted polyvinyl alcohol and a silane-grafted ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer, and wherein the filler is a milled carbon fiber, a chopped carbon fiber, or a combination thereof; and
(c) at least one coupling agent selected from the group consisting of aldehydes, acid-grafted polyolefins, and anhydride-grafted polyolefins,
wherein the milled carbon fiber has a size in the range of 50 to 200 microns, and
wherein the chopped carbon fiber has a length in the range of 1 mm or more and less than 3 mm.