Importance

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Abstract

A glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic sheet material is provided in which certain properties, or combinations of properties, are improved relative to similar comparative sheet materials. The sheet material generally comprises a glass mat or glass fabric fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin in which the thermoplastic resin at least partially impregnates the glass mat or fabric. The thermoplastic sheet material contains about 15 wt. % to about 65 wt. % of the glass mat or fabric based on the weight of the thermoplastic sheet material and has a thickness in the range of about 0.4 mm to about 3.0 mm. By including glass mat or fabric and maintaining the sheet thickness in the aforementioned range, the present invention thermoplastic sheet material exhibits improved flexural and/or tensile strength and modulus properties at reduced basis weight compared to a comparative thermoplastic sheet materials. A method of providing the glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic sheet material having an improved combination of flexural strength and modulus and/or tensile strength and modulus properties is also described, in which a first layer of a first thermoplastic resin, a second layer of a second thermoplastic resin, and a layer of glass mat or glass fabric are provided; the first thermoplastic resin layer, the second thermoplastic resin layer and the glass mat or glass fabric layer are arranged such that the glass mat or glass fabric layer is interposed between the first and second thermoplastic resin layers; and heat and pressure are applied to substantially melt and compress the first thermoplastic resin and/or the second thermoplastic resin and to at least partially impregnate the glass mat or glass fabric layer with the molten first thermoplastic resin and/or the molten second thermoplastic resin.

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First Claim