Manufacturer of glass fiber reinforcement materials, Owens Corning has unveiled a chopped strand glass fiber called HydroStrand 918A for composites containing high-performance polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) at the JEC Composites Show.
Owens Corning has developed the glass fiber specifically for industrial and automotive applications where high-temperature fluids are used. The HydroStrand offers exceptional hydrolysis resistance and mechanical strength to PPS composites developed for applications involving contact with high-temperature fluids, including pumps, impellers, thermostat covers and cooling modules. It is an ideal replacement for metals.
With subject to glycol or hot water aging, performance of PPS composites utilizing HydroStrand glass fiber improves up to 35%. High hydrolysis resistance of the composites minimizes the danger of polymer breakdown even at more than 130° C temperatures.
Ludovic Chichignoud, Global Product Manager for chopped strand thermoplastics at Owens Corning, stated that new automotive designs and technologies increase the requirements for new materials over metals. The company's HydroStrand 918A glass fiber offers processing, performance and design benefits of thermoplastics and thus is an ideal replacement for metals in the challenging industrial and automotive applications.