Glass Fiber Surface Properties: Influence of Composition and Process, 1999 Nonwovens Conference Proceedings

Jon F. Bauer

Johns Manville Technical Center

Surface properties of glass fibers are critical in determining a number of factors of importance in the manufacture and performance of nonwoven papers and mats. These include initial fiber strength and resistance to loss of strength by aging or stress corrosion, leachability and dispersibility in white waters, and wettability and adhesion to coatings or binders. Physical and chemical properties of fiber surfaces in turn are dependent upon the initial bulk glass chemistry, and the specific process conditions under which the fibers were formed. Composition and process form a multi-dimensional matrix in which the fiber producer can "maneuver" to optimize both production and end properties. Compositional effects alone can be quite complicated in glasses containing as many as 10 to 12 components. Process conditions create an "overprint" on composition and can affect phenomena that can have significant impact on relevant surface properties of the fiber. Examples include volatilization and redeposition of critical species at the surface of a newly-forming fiber as well as its reaction with atmospheric components. This paper provides an overview of some of these key effects and how they can relate to some properties of nonwovens.