Surface-Treated Glass Wool Composite Molding Material

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing composite molding materials face challenges in uniformly dispersing glass fibers into thermoplastic resins, leading to issues like warpage, surface roughness, and increased manufacturing costs, particularly when attempting to achieve high glass fiber content, which affects the reinforcing effect and mechanical properties.

Innovation Solution

Heating glass wool to a temperature within a specific range relative to the thermoplastic resin and surface-treating it with calixarene and optionally a silane coupling agent to improve dispersion and prevent cutting during kneading, allowing for a higher glass wool content with maintained fiber length and improved reinforcing effects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If glass fibers with diameter of 10 to 18 μm are kneaded into thermoplastic resin, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the uniform dispersibility deteriorates and surface smoothness becomes poor when fiber content is 20 to 50%

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoiduniform dispersibility and surface smoothness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the fiber diameter parameter from conventional 10-18 μm to 3-6 μm, and applies surface treatment with silane coupling agent and film-forming agent. These parameter changes enable high fiber content (50% or higher) while maintaining uniform dispersibility and surface smoothness in thin-walled injection-molded parts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses glass wool as a composite reinforcing material with specific properties (fiber diameter 3-6 μm, length 300-1000 μm) combined with thermoplastic resin. This composite material system achieves both ease of manufacture and high manufacturing precision through the specific combination and properties of the components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If the proportion of chopped strands in composite molding material is increased to enhance reinforcing effect, then the viscosity during kneading increases and load on roller or injection nozzle increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereinforcing effectVSAvoidkneading process load and viscosity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the fiber diameter parameter to 3-6 μm (smaller than conventional fibers), which reduces the viscosity increase during kneading even at high fiber content. This allows achieving high reinforcing effect without excessive load on processing equipment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces silane coupling agent and film-forming agent as intermediary substances that improve the interface between glass wool and resin, reducing friction and viscosity during kneading while maintaining high fiber content for reinforcing effect.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional glass wool is kneaded into thermoplastic resin without heating, then the process is simple, but the glass wool is cut during kneading and fiber length is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvekneading process simplicityVSAvoidfiber length
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies surface treatment to the glass wool before kneading, and heats the glass wool to a specific temperature range. These preliminary actions prevent fiber cutting during kneading, maintaining fiber length while still keeping the process relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the temperature parameter by heating glass wool to a specific temperature range before kneading. This parameter change prevents fiber cutting during the kneading process, preserving the fiber length necessary for reinforcing effect.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method enables the production of composite molding materials with enhanced reinforcing effects, flexibility, fire-retardant properties, and thermal stability, allowing for higher glass wool content without fiber cutting, thus improving mechanical properties and dimensional stability.

Implementation Method 1

Heating glass wool to a temperature within a specific range relative to the thermoplastic resin

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal heating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

surface-treating it with calixarene and optionally a silane coupling agent

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSurface treatment: Coatings

Data Source

PatentEP2836353B1Composite molding material, surface-treated glass wool, and method for manufacturing composite molding material
Publication Date: 2018.05.30 FUJITA
  • EP2836353B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2836353B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2836353B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A composite molding material formed by kneading at least glass wool into a thermoplastic resin has such a feature that the glass wool in the composite molding material has a fiber diameter of 1 to 7 mum, an average fiber length of 30 to 300 mum, and an aspect ratio of not less than 10.