Abstract

Chemically treated glass fibers in the form of continuous bundles of glass fibers and chopped bundles of glass fibers are provided that have good handleability and thermal aging characteristics in reinforcing thermoplastic polymers. The chemically treated glass fibers have a dried residue of an aqueous chemical treating composition. The aqueous chemical treating composition has two aqueous soluble, dispersible, or emulsifiable film forming polymers which can be either epoxy polymers and polyurethane polymers or epoxy polyurethane copolymers and polyurethane polymers and an amino alkyl functional silane coupling agent and at least a second silane coupling agent which can be a lubricant modified amine organo functional silane coupling agent, a polyamino organo functional silane coupling agent, an epoxy organo functional silane coupling agent or a vinyl organo functional silane coupling agent and a reaction product process aid. The reaction product process aid is obtained by reacting alkoxylated nitrogen-containing compound such as an alkoxylated fatty amine and an alkoxylated fatty amide with a polycarboxylic acid to produce a product which is reacted with an epoxide compound. The amount of water in the aqueous chemical treating composition is that to give an effective solids content for treating the glass fibers. The chemically treated glass fibers as chopped bundles of glass fibers are suitable for reinforcing such thermoplastic polymers as polybutylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, polyphenylene oxide and polyacetals.