Strength of High Performance Glass Reinforcement Fiber

The practical strength of glass is highly dependent on the amount and type of damage that a glass article has experienced in its lifetime and can be 50% less than its theoretical strength. Glass reinforcement fibers in the pristine state exhibit some of the highest failure strengths of any glass form. Strength degradation is a sequential process the further from the point of formation a glass travels. Individual filament strength is important in the manufacturing process as the fiber interacts with water, HVAC , sizing applicators, contact shoes, and guide eyes and ultimately this combination impacts productivity. A discussion of glass fiber strength — pristine versus usable, and the effects of temperature, humidity, and composition on glass strength follows in this manuscript. New data collected in Owens Corning's Glass Properties Laboratory on the effect of temperature and relative humidity on strength and modulus for Advantex ^® glass, Owens Corning's S‐glass (XStrand ^® S, FliteStrand ^® S, and ShieldStrand ^® S) and H‐glass (WindStrand ^® H) are presented. Owens Corning's understanding of the effect of composition on strength and modulus, and particularly how individual oxides contribute to these properties are shared.