MXPA01003660A

MXPA01003660A - Impregnated glass fiber torones and products that include them

Info

Publication number: MXPA01003660A
Authority: MX
Priority date: 1999-07-30
Filing date: 1999-10-08
Publication date: 2001-07-01
Also published as: MXPA02001092A; MXPA02001100A; BR0012885A; CA2382188A1; KR20020026958A; CN100387642C; EP1204696A1; KR20020026956A; BR0012887A; CN1402753A; JP2004513976A; AU6385100A; CA2381171A1; WO2001012701A1; CN1420905A; AU6383100A; EP1204697A1; JP2004513858A; BR0012872A; WO2001012702A1

Abstract

The present invention provides a coated fiber strand including at least one fiber having a layer of a dry residue of a resin compatible coating composition on at least a portion of a surface of the at least one fiber, including the compatible coating composition. with resin: (a) a plurality of dimensionally stable discrete particles formed from materials selected from the group consisting of organic materials, polymeric materials, composite materials and mixtures thereof that provide an interstitial space between the at least one fiber and at least one fiber adjacent, the particles having an average particle size of about 0.1 to about 5 microns, (b) at least one lubricious material, (c) at least one polymeric film former, and (d) at least one coupling agent. , and a fabric that incorporates at least one of the fib strands

Description

IMPREGNATED GLASS FIBER TORONES AND PRODUCTS THAT INCLUDE THEM Cross reference to related applications This patent application is a partial continuation of U.S. Application Serial No. 09 / 170,566 to B. Novich et al. Entitled "Impregistered Fiberglass Towers and Products Including Them" filed October 13. 1998, which is a partial continuation of the United States application serial number 09 / 034,077 by B. Novich et al. entitled "Impregistered fiberglass strands and products including them" filed on March 3, 1998, now abandoned This patent application is related to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 09 / 170,579 to B. Novich et al entitled "Methods to inhibit abrasive wear of glass fiber strands" filed October 13, 1998. , which is a partial continuation of the application of United States serial number 09 / 034,078 of B. Novich et al. entitled "Methods to inhibit the abrasive wear of fiberglass strands" filed on March 3, 1998, now abandoned; U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 09 / 170,781 to B. Novich et al. entitled "Fiberglass strands re-coated with thermal conductive inorganic solid particles and products that include them" filed on October 13, 1998, which is a partial continuation application of U.S. Application Serial No. 09 / 034,663 to B. Novich et al entitled "Fiberglass strands coated with inorganic thermal conductive solid particles and products including them" filed March 3 of 1998, now abandoned; U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 09 / 170,780 to B. Novich et al. entitled "Fiberglass Towers Coated with Inorganic Lubricant and Products Including Them" filed on October 13, 1998, which is an application partial continuation of the application of United States serial number 09 / 034,525 of B. Novich et al. entitled "Fiberglass strands coated with inorganic lubricant and products that include them" filed on March 3, 1998, now abandoned; US Patent Application Serial No. 09 / 170,565 to B. Novich et al. entitled "Fiberglass strands re-coated with inorganic particles and products embodying them" filed on October 13, 1998, which is a partial continuation application of US application serial number 09 / 034,056 by B. Novich et al. entitled "Fiberglass strands coated with inorganic particles and products that include them" filed on March 3, 15 1998, now abandoned; U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 09 / 170,578 to B. Novich et al. entitled "Fiberglass Reinforced Laminates, Electronic Circuit Boards and Methods for Mounting a Fabric" filed on October 13, 1998, which is a Further partial application of U.S. Application Serial No. 09 / 130,270 to B. Novich et al. entitled "Fiberglass Reinforced Laminates, Electronic Circuit Boards and Methods for Mounting a Fabric" filed on August 6, 1998, which is a partial continuation of the request of United States serial number 09 / 034,525 of B. Novich et al. Entitled "Fiberglass strands coated with inorganic lubricant and products that include them" presented on 3 March 1998, now abandoned. This application claims the benefit of US Provisional Applications Nos. 60 / 133,076 filed on May 7, 1999, and 60 / 146,337, filed on July 30, 1999.

Field of the invention This invention relates generally to coated fiber strands for reinforcing compounds and, more specifically, to fiberglass strands coated with particles that provide interstitial spaces between glass fibers. 5 adjacent to the strand. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In thermosetting molding operations, good "penetration" properties (penetration of a polymer matrix material through the mat or tile) and "soaking" (penetration of a polymeric matrix material) are desirable. through the individual bundles or strands of fibers in the mat or fabric). In contrast, good dispersion properties are of predominant importance in typical thermoplastic molding operations. Japanese Patent Application No. 9-208,268 describes a fabric having yarn formed from coated glass fibers immediately after spinning with starch or a synthetic resin and 0.001-20.0 weight percent solid inorganic particles such as colloidal silica, 0 calcium carbonate, kaolin and talc with average particle sizes of 5 to 2000 nanometers (0.05 to 2 micrometers) to improve resin impregnation. In paragraph 13 of the Detailed Description of the Invention, it is described that such coatings having more than 20 weight percent inorganic solid particles can not be applied to the glass fiber. Deoiling with heat or water is necessary before the formation of a laminate to remove the coating of the glass fibers. U.S. Patent No. 3,312,569 describes 0 adhering alumina particles to the surfaces of glass fibers to improve the penetration of resin between glass reinforcing fibers during the formation of a compound. However, the Mohs hardness values for alumina are greater than about 91, which can cause abrasion »- f ^ t faith .. of the softest glass fibers. Soviet Union Patent Number 859400 discloses an impregnating composition for manufacturing glass fiber cloth laminates, the composition containing an alcoholic solution of phenol resin - formaldehyde, graphite, molybdenum disulfide, polyvinyl butyral and surfactant. Volatile alcohol solvents are not desirable for fiberglass production applications. Hollow fill particles can be used to modify the impregnation characteristics of the reinforcement material and to reduce the overall density of the composite material produced therefrom. For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,412,003 discloses impregnating a glass fiber with a resin composition containing an unsaturated polyester, a polymerizable monomer, a thermoplastic resin, a polymerization initiator and hollow glass microspheres (col. 6-14). The molding materials and the molded products obtained from the impregnated fibers are lightweight (col.2, lines 26-30). US Pat. No. 4,820,575 discloses incorporating hollow body fillings, and in particular heat expandable hollow body fillings, having particle diameters ranging from about 20 to about 300 micrometers to interspaces between reinforcing fibers. ma-feriales to permanently reduce the uptake of resin and the specific weight of the reinforcement materials 1 See R. east (ed.), Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, CRC Press (1975), page F-22, which is incorporated into the memoir by reference. (col 4, lines 39-43 and col 3, lines 15-30). Preferably, the fillers are applied as a binder-free aqueous suspension to the reinforcing material (col 3, lines 63-68 and col 4, lines 1-3). U.S. Patent No. 5,866,253 discloses incorporating hollow, heat expandable particles into fiber strands. The particles are expandable to "microballoons" to create strands of fiber that have larger dimensions in cross section to be used in composite materials. The expanded particles generally have particle sizes of the order of about 40 to 50 microns which are greater than the diameter of the toro fibers (col 3)., lines 5-10). The fiber strands having the expanded particles typically have approximately a fourfold increase in diameter compared to fibers without the expanded particles and the density of the strand is considerably reduced (Col 4, lines 12-18). The greater diameter of the strand allows to use less strands in the formation of compounds, obtaining therefore lower density of the finished product (col.1, lines 39-43). In the case of compounds or laminates formed from fiber strands woven into fabrics, in addition to obtaining good penetration properties and good soaking of the strands, it is desirable that the coating on the surfaces of the fiber strands protect the fibers against the strands. abrasion during processing, provide good weaving, particularly in air jet looms and are compatible with the polymer matrix material to which the fiber strands are incorporated. Many sizing components commonly used in fiber strands to weave into fabrics can adversely affect the adhesion between the glass fibers and the matrix material of the laminate. For example, starch, which is a sizing component commonly used for textile fibers, is not generally compatible with the resin matrix material of the laminate. To avoid incompatibility between the glass fibers and the matrix material, the coating or sizing composition is typically removed from the woven fabric prior to lamination by thermal decomposition of the sizing components (so-called heat cleaning or de-oiling). ) or washing the fabric with water (also called deoiling). A conventional heat cleaning process for thermally decomposing sizing components involves heating the fabric to 380 ° C for 60-80 hours. The heat-cleaned fabric is then recoated with a silane coupling agent to improve adhesion between the glass fiber strands and the matrix material. However, such de-oiling processes are not always completely successful in removing incompatible materials and can also contaminate the fabric with decomposition products. Japanese patent application 8-119-682 discloses a primary sizing composition containing a water-soluble epoxy resin that can be easily removed by rinsing with water (page 3, paragraph 2) to improve the extraction or de-oiling characteristics of the compositions of sizing for use in compounds. Preferably, the primary size includes an epoxy resin having aggregated and formed particles with diameters of 0.5 to 50 microns and a pH between 5.5 and 7.5 (page 4, paragraph 1). Preferably, the epoxy resin is colloid with particles of 1 to 5 microns (page 6, paragraph 1). The particles are considered beneficial to prevent the flow or migration of the epoxy resin during drying. U.S. Patent No. 4,009,317 describes a primary sizing composition containing emulsified coating particles that produce a film on glass fibers and have good fire-loss characteristics (Col 1, lines 67-68 and col 2). lines 1-3). Other patents disclose methods of forming composite material by incorporating polymeric resin particles into fiber strands and then heating or compressing the strands to form a composite. U.S. Patent No. 4,615,933 discloses saturating glass fabrics or strands with dis- 6afe - - 'ftii fflflgÉÉ ^ aqueous suspensions of polytetrafluoroethylene particles or other fluoro-polymer to form strands having approximately 50 to 70 weight percent fiber and about 30 to 50 weight percent polytetrafluoroethylene. The to-roñes are then compressed to form compounds. U.S. Patent Nos. 5,364,657 and 5,370,911 describe incorporating polymer particles into fiber strands by contacting a wetted strand with a stream of dry air charged with polymer particles (Col 2, lines 60-68 et al. 3 lines 1-8 of the patent 5,364,657) or electrostatically adhering polymer particles to a fiber strand (col 3, lines 13-37 of the '5,370,911 patent). The fiber strands are then heated to coalesce the particles to a continuous polymeric coating that includes more than about 10 weight percent of the coated fiber strand. Other additives such as binders and emulsifying agents are generally not desirable in the coatings (col 4, lines 5051 of the '5,370,911 patent and cab 2, lines 18-21 of the' 5,364,657 patent). However, coated fiber strands that have high levels of polymer coatings on their surfaces are often difficult to weave on air jet looms. Coatings are needed which inhibit abrasion and breakage of glass fibers, are compatible with a wide variety of polymeric matrix materials and provide good wetting and penetration by the matrix material. In addition, it would be especially advantageous if the coatings were compatible with modern air jet weaving equipment to increase productivity. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One aspect of the present invention is a coated fiber strand including at least one fiber having a layer of a dry residue of a resin compatible coating composition on at least a portion of a surface of the at least one fiber, including the resin compatible coating composition: (a) a plurality of dimensionally stable discrete particles formed of materials selected from the group consisting of organic materials, polymeric materials, composite materials and mixtures thereof that provide an interstitial space between the at least one fiber and at least one adjacent fiber, the particles having an average particle size of from about 0.1 to about 5 microns; (b) at least one lubricious material; (c) at least one polymeric film former; and (d) at least one coupling agent, and a fabric incorporating at least one of the fiber strands. Another aspect of the present invention is a coated fiber strand including at least one glass fiber having a dry residue of an aqueous resin compatible coating composition on at least a portion of a surface of the at least one fiber, including the aqueous coating composition compatible with resin (a) a plurality of discrete organic polymer particles that provide an interstitial space between the at least one glass fiber and at least one adjacent glass fiber, the particles having an average particle size of up to about 5 micrometers, (b) a lubricant material selected from the group consisting of oils, waxes, fats and mixtures thereof, (c) polymeric film-forming material selected from the group consisting of thermoset polymeric materials, thermoplastic polymeric materials, natural polymeric materials and their mixtures, and (d) a coupling agent, and a fabric that incorporates at least one fiber strand. Another aspect of the present invention is a coated fiber strand including at least one glass fiber having a dry residue of an aqueous resin compatible coating composition in at least a portion of a «* Afc" ^ - ~ fc - t «M surface of the at least one fiber, including the aqueous resin compatible coating composition: (a) a plurality of particles including; (i) at least one particle formed from an acrylic copolymer which is a co-polymer of styrene and acrylic; and (ii) at least one particle formed from an inorganic solid lubricant material selected from the group consisting of boron nitride, graphite, and metal dicalcogenides, wherein the particles have an average particle size of up to about 5 microns and include about 35 microns. to about 55 weight percent of the resin compatible coating composition based on total solids; (b) a lubricant material selected from the group consisting of cetyl palmitate, cetyl laurate, octadecyl laurate, octadecyl myristate, octadecyl palmitate, octadecyl stearate and paraffin, where the lubricious material includes from about 20 to about 40 weight percent of the resin compatible coating composition based on total solids; (c) polymeric film-forming thermoplastic material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide, polyacrylic acid and copolymers and mixtures thereof, wherein the thermoplastic film-forming polymer material includes from about 5 to about 30 weight percent of the composition of coating compatible with resin based on total solids; and (d) a coupling agent, and a fabric incorporating at least one of the fiber strands. Another aspect of the present invention is a fabric including a plurality of fiber strands including at least one fiber, at least a portion of the fabric having a residue of a resin-compatible coating composition including: (a) a plurality of discrete particles dimensionally stable materials made of materials selected from the group consisting of organic materials, polymeric materials, • rich, composite materials and mixtures thereof that provide an interstitial space between the at least one fiber and at least one adjacent fiber, the particles having an average particle size of about 0.1 to about 5 microns; (b) at least one lubricant material; (c) at least one polymeric film former; and (d) at least one coupling agent. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above summary, as well as the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a coated fiber strand having a primary layer of a dry residue of a coating composition according to the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a coated fiber strand having a primary layer of a dried residue of a size composition and over a secondary layer of a secondary coating composition according to the present invention. Figure 3 is a perspective view of a coated fiber strand having a primary layer of a dry residue of a size composition, a secondary layer of a secondary coating composition, and a tertiary layer on top of the present invention. . Figure 4 is a top plan view of a compound according to the present invention. Figure 5 is a top plan view of a fabric according to the present invention. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic support according to the present invention. And Figures 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views of alternative embodiments of an electronic support according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The fiber strands of the present invention have a unique coating that not only inhibits abrasion and fiber breakage during processing but also provides good penetration, wetting and dispersion properties in the formation of compounds. . Good rolling resistance, good thermal stability, good hydrolytic stability, low corrosion and reactivity in the presence of high humidity, reactive acids and alkalis and compatibility with a variety of polymeric matrix materials, which can eliminate the need to remove the coating, and in particular heat cleaning, prior to lamination, are other desirable characteristics exhibited by the coated fiber strands of the present invention. Another considerable advantage of the coated fiber strands of the present invention is the good processability in weaving and weaving. Little fluff and halos, few broken filaments, low strand tension, high reliability and little insertion time are features provided by the coated fiberglass toroons of the present invention that facilitate weaving and knitting and consistently provide a fabric with few surface defects for printed circuit board applications. The significant advantages of composite materials made from the fiber strands of the present invention include good flexural strength, good interlayer bond strength and good hydrolytic stability, ie resistance to water migration along the interface fiber / matrix. In addition, the electronic supports and printed circuit boards made of the fiber strands according to the present invention have good drivability and resistance to migration of metal (also called cathodic-anodic filament formation or CAF). In particular, the printed circuit boards made of the fiber strand according to the present invention have low wear of the tool during drilling and good positional accuracy of punched holes. Referring now to Figure 1, where analogous numbers indicate analogous elements from beginning to end, a coated fiber strand 10 including a plurality of fibers is shown in Figure 1., according to the present invention. In the sense in which it is used herein, "strand" means a plurality of individual fibers. The term "fiber" means an individual filament. While not limiting the present invention, the fibers 12 typically have a nominal average fiber diameter ranging from about 3 to about 35 microns. Preferably, the average nominal diameter of the fibers of the present invention is approximately 5 microns and greater. For "fine thread" applications, the average nominal fiber diameter preferably ranges from about 5 to about 7 micrometers. Fibers 12 can be formed from any type of fibrillatable material known to those skilled in the art including fibrillatable inorganic materials, fibrizable organic materials and their mixtures and combinations. The inorganic and organic materials can be artificial or natural materials. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that inorganic and fibrizable organic materials can also be polymeric materials. In the sense in which it is used herein, the term "polymeric material" means a material formed from macromolecules composed of long chains of atoms that are attached and that can become entangled in solution or in the solid state2. In the sense in which it is used herein, the term "fibrizable" means a material capable of forming into a generally continuous filament, fiber, strand or thread. Preferably, the fibers 12 are formed from an inorganic fibrizable glass material. The materials * • s * «8fe" i * 7 - "'f. glass brizables useful in the present invention include, but are not limited to, those prepared from fibrillatable glass compositions such as "E glass", "glass A", "glass C", "glass D", "glass R", "glass S", and glass derivatives E. In the sense in which it is used herein, "glass derivatives E" means glass compositions that include minor amounts of fluorine and / or boron and are preferably free of fluorine and / or free of boron. Also, in the sense in which it is used herein, minor means less than about 1 weight percent of fluorine and less than about 5 weight percent of boron. Basalt and mineral wool are examples of other fibrillable glass materials useful in the present invention. The preferred glass fibers are formed from glass E or glass derivatives E. Such compositions are known to those skilled in the art and their further explanation is not considered necessary.

James Mark et al., Inorganic Polymers, Prentice Hall Polymer Science and Engineering Series, (1992), page 1 which is incorporated herein by reference. healthy in view of the present description. The glass fibers of the present invention can be formed in any suitable method known in the art to form glass fibers. For example, glass fibers can be formed in a fiber forming operation by direct melting or in a marble or indirect melt fiber forming operation. In a direct melt fiber forming operation, the raw materials are combined, melted and homogenized in a glass melting furnace. The molten glass passes from the oven to a forehearth and to fiber-forming apparatus where the molten glass is attenuated to continuous glass fibers. In a glass melting operation of marble, pieces or glass balls having the desired final glass composition are preformed and fed to a nozzle where they melt and attenuate continuous glass fibers. If a pre-mixer is used, the balls are first fed to the pre-melter, melted, and then the molten glass is fed to a fiber-forming apparatus where the glass is bonded to form continuous fibers. In the present invention, the glass fibers are preferably formed by the fiber forming operation by direct melting. For additional information regarding glass compositions and methods of forming glass fibers, see K. Loewenstein, The Mapping of Glass Fibers, (3rd ed., 1993), pages 30-44, 47-103, and 115- 165, U.S. Patent Nos. 4,542,106 and 5,789,329, and IPC-EG-140"Specification for Finisher Fabric Woven from 'E' Glass for Printed Boards," page 1, a publication of the Institute for Interconnecting and Pac. -kaging Electronic Circuits (June 1997), which are incorporated herein by reference. Non-limiting examples of suitable non-glass fibrillable inorganic materials include ceramic materials formed from silicon carbide, carbon, graphite, mullite, aluminum oxide, and piezo-ceramic ceramics. Non-limiting examples of suitable fibrizable organic materials include cotton, cellulose, natural rubber, flax, ramie, hemp, sisal and wool. Non-limiting examples of suitable fiber-curable organic polymeric materials include those formed of polyamides (such as nylon and aramides), thermoplastic polyesters (such as polyethylene terephthalate and polybutylene terephthalate), acrylics (such as polyacrylonitriles), polyolefins, polyurethanes and vinyl polymers (such as polyvinyl alcohol). Non-glass fibrillatable material useful in the present invention and methods for preparing and processing such fibers are extensively explained in the Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology, vol. 6 (1967), pages 505-712, which is incorporated herein by reference. It is understood that it can be used in the present invention, if desired, mixtures or copolymers of any of the above materials and combinations of fibers formed of any of the above materials. The present invention will now be explained generally in the context of fiberglass strands, although those skilled in the art will understand that strand 10 may include fibers 12 formed from any fibrillatable material known in the art as explained above. Still referring to Figure 1, in a preferred embodiment, at least one and preferably all fibers 12 of the fiber strand 10 of the present invention have a layer 14 of a residue of a coating composition in at least one portion 17 of the surfaces 16 of the fibers 12 to protect the surfaces of the fiber 16 against abrasion during processing and inhibit fiber breakage. Preferably, the layer 14 is present on the entire outer surface 16 or the periphery of the fibers 12. The coating compositions of the present invention are preferably aqueous coating compositions and more preferably aqueous coating compositions compatible with resin. Although not preferred for safety reasons, the coating compositions may contain volatile organic solvents such as alcohol or acetone when necessary, but preferably lack such solvents. In addition, the coating compositions of the present invention can be used as primary sizing compositions and / or secondary sizing or coating compositions. In the sense in which it is used herein, in a preferred embodiment the terms "sizing", "sizing" or "sizing" refer to a coating composition applied to the fibers. The term "primary sizing" refers to the coating composition applied to the fibers immediately after the formation of the fibers. The terms "secondary sizing" or "secondary coating" mean coating compositions applied to the fibers after the application of a primary size. This coating can be applied to the fiber before incorporating the fiber into a fabric or it can be applied to the fiber after incorporating the fiber into a fabric, for example by coating the fabric. In an alternative embodiment, the terms "sizing", "sizing" or 10"sizing" further refers to a coating composition (also referred to as a "finishing sizing") applied to the fibers after having removed by heat or chemical treatment at least a portion, and typically an entire conventional sizing composition compatible with not resin, it is to say, finishing sizing is applied to bare glass fibers incorporated into a fabric form. In the sense in which it is used herein, the term "resin compatible" means that the coating composition applied to the glass fibers is compatible with the material 20 of polymeric matrix to which the glass fibers will be incorporated in such a way that the coating composition (or selected coating components) does not require extraction before incorporation into the matrix material (such as by heat cleaning), facilitates good soaking and penetrating the matrix material during processing and resulting in composite materials having the desired physical properties and hydrolytic stability. The coating composition of the present invention includes one or more and preferably a plurality of particles 18 that when applied to at least one fiber 23 of the plurality of fibers 12 adhere to the outer surface 16 of the at least one fiber 23 and provide one or more interstitial spaces 21 between adjacent glass fibers 23, 25 of the strand 10. These interstitial spaces 21 tt ^ js ^^ a ^^ correspond in general to the average size 19 of the particles 18 placed between the adjacent fibers. The particles 18 of the present invention are preferably discrete particles. In the sense in which it is used herein, the term "discrete" means that the particles do not tend to coalesce or combine to form films under processing conditions, but instead retain their individual form in general. In addition, the particles are preferably dimensionally stable. As used herein, the term "dimensionally stable particles" means that the particles will in general maintain their average particle size and shape under processing conditions, such as the forces generated between adjacent fibers during weaving, wicking and other processing operations, to maintain the desired interstitial spaces between adjacent fibers 23, 25. In other words, the particles will preferably not disintegrate, dissolve or deform substantially in the coating composition to form a particle with a maximum dimension less than its selected average particle size under typical glass fiber processing conditions, such as exposure to temperatures of up to about 25 ° C and preferably up to about 100 ° C, and more preferably up to about 140 ° C. In addition, the particles 18 should not expand or expand substantially in size under glass fiber processing conditions and, more specifically, under composite processing conditions where the processing temperatures may exceed 150 ° C. As used herein, the phrase "size should not be substantially enlarged" with reference to particles means that the particles should not expand or increase in size more than about 3 times their initial size during processing. Preferably, the coating compositions of the present invention are essential j ^^ j ^ m r ^ jgj ^ cialmente free hollow particles expandable by heat. As used herein, the term "heat expandable hollow particles" means hollow particles filled with or containing a blowing agent which, when exposed to temperatures sufficient to volatilize the blowing agent, substantially expand or expand the size. As used herein, the term "essentially free of" means that the sizing composition includes less than about 20 weight percent hollow particles expandable by heat based on total solids., more preferably less than about 5 weight percent, and most preferably less than 0.001 weight percent. In addition, in the sense in which it is used herein, the term "dimensionally stable" includes both crystalline and non-crystalline materials. In addition, although it is not required, it is preferred that the particles 18 are not waxy. The term "non-waxy" means that the materials from which the particles are formed are not wax-like. As used herein, the term "wax-like" means materials composed primarily of non-entangled hydrocarbon chains having an average length of the carbon chain ranging from about 25 to about 100 carbon atoms3,4. Preferably, the particles 18 in the present invention are non-waxy, discrete, dimensionally stable particles. The particles 18 may have any desired shape or configuration. While not limiting the present invention, examples of suitable particle forms include spherical (such as beads, microbeads or hollow spheres), cubic, plate or acicular (elongated or fibrous). In addition, the particles 18 may have an internal structure that is hollow, porous or without voids, or their combination. In addition, the particles 18 can have a combination of these structures, for example a hollow center with porous or solid walls. For more information on the proper particle characteristics see H. Katz et al., (Ed.), Handbook of Fillers and Plastics, (1987), pages 9-10, which are incorporated herein.

L. H. Sperling Introduction of Physical Polymer Science, John Wiley and Sons, Inc. (1986), pages 2-5 which are incorporated herein by reference. 4 W. Pushaw, et al., "Use of Micronized Waxes and Wax Dispersions in Waterborne Systems", Polymers, Paint, Colors Journal, vol. 89, No. 4412 January 1999, pages 18-21 which are incorporated herein by reference. Moria by reference. The particles 18 can be formed from materials selected from the group consisting of polymeric and non-polymeric inorganic materials, polymeric and non-polymeric organic materials, composite materials and mixtures thereof. As used herein, the term "polymeric inorganic material" means a polymeric material having a repeating unit of structure based on an element or elements other than carbon. For more information see J. E. Mark et al., Page 5, which is incorporated herein by reference. The polymeric organic materials include synthetic polymeric materials, semi-synthetic polymeric materials and natural polymeric materials. An "organic material", in the sense in which it is used herein, means all carbon compounds except bina-river compounds such as carbon oxides, carbides, carbon disulfide, etc .; ternary compounds such as metal cyanides, metal carbonyls, phosgene, carbonyl sulphide, etc .; and metal carbonates, such as calcium carbonate and sodium carbonate. See R. Lewis, Sr., Hawley's Condensed 8 *. "- f.

Chemical Dictionary, (12th ed, 1993), pages 761-762 which are incorporated herein by reference. More generally, organic materials include carbon containing compounds where the carbon typically binds itself and hydrogen, and frequently also other elements and excludes ionic compounds containing carbon. See M. Sil-berberg, The Molecular Nature of Matter and Change, (1996), page 586, which is incorporated herein by reference. The term "inorganic material" generally means all materials that are not carbon compounds with the exception of carbon oxides and carbon disulfide. See R. Lewis, Sr., Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, (12th ed., 1993), page 636 which is incorporated herein by reference. In the sense in which it is used herein, the term "inorganic materials" means any material that is not an organic material. As used herein, the term "composite material" means a combination of two or more different materials. For more information on particles useful in the present invention, see G. Wypych, Handbook of Fillers, 2nd ed. (1999), pages 15-202, which are incorporated herein by reference. The non-polymeric inorganic materials useful in forming the particles 18 of the present invention include inorganic materials selected from the group consisting of metals, oxides, carbides, nitrides, borides, sulfides, silicates, carbonates, sulfates and hydroxides. A non-limiting example of a suitable inorganic nitride from which particles 18 are formed is boron nitride, which is the preferred inorganic material from which particles 18 useful in the present invention are formed. A non-limiting example of a useful inorganic oxide is zinc oxide. Suitable inorganic sulfides include molybdenum disulfide, tantalum disulfide, tungsten disulfide and zinc sulfide. The Yes- Useful organic inorganic materials include aluminum silicates and magnesium silicates, such as vermiculite. Suitable metals include molybdenum, platinum, palladium, nickel, aluminum, copper, gold, iron, silver and their alloys and mixtures. Although not required, particles 18 are formed from solid lubricant materials. As used herein, the term "solid lubricant" means any solid used between two surfaces to provide protection against damage during relative movement and / or to reduce friction and wear. In an embodiment, solid lubricants are solid inorganic lubricants. In the sense in which it is used herein, "solid inorganic lubricant" means that solid lubricants have a characteristic crystalline habit which causes them to break into thin flat plates which easily slide over one another and thus produce a lubricating effect against the surface of the surface. fiberglass and an adjacent solid surface, of which at least one is in motion. See R. Lewis, Sr., Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, (12th ed., 1993), page 712, which is incorporated herein by reference. Friction is the resistance to sliding one solid over another. F. Clauss, Solid Lubricants and Self-Lubricating Solids, (1972), page 1, which is incorporated herein by reference. In one embodiment of the present invention, the solid lubricant materials have a lamellar structure. Solid lubricants having a lamellar structure are composed of sheets or plates of atoms in hexagonal arrangement, with strong bond within the sheet and weak van der Waals junction between sheets, providing low shear strength between sheets. A non-limiting example of a lamellar structure is a hexagonal crystal structure. K. Ludema, Friction, Wear, Lubrication (1996), page 125, Solid Lubricants and Self-Lubricating Solids, pages 19-22, 42-54, tá l! É ¡& 75-77, 80-81, 82, 90-102, 113-120 and 128, and W. Campbell, "Solid Lubricants", Boundary Lubrication: An Appraisal of World Literature, ASME Research Committee on Lubrication (1969), pages 202 -203, which are incorporated herein by reference. Inorganic solid particles having a lamellar fullerene structure are also useful in the present invention. Non-limiting examples of suitable lubricating inorganic solid materials having a lamellar structure which are useful in forming the particles 18 of the present invention, include boron nitride, graphite, metal dicalcogenides, mica, talc, gypsum, kaolinite, calcite, iodide cadmium, silver sulfide and their mixtures. Preferred lubricating inorganic solid materials include boron nitride, graphite, metal dicalcogenides and mixtures thereof. Suitable metal dicalcogenides include molybdenum disulfide, molybdenum diselenide, tantalum disulfide, tantalum di-selenide, tungsten disulfide, tungsten diselenide, and mixtures thereof. A non-limiting example of a solid inorganic lubricant material for use in the coating composition of the present invention having a hexagonal crystalline structure, is boron nitride. Particles formed from boron nitride, zinc sulphide and montmorillonite also provide good whiteness in compounds with polymer matrix materials such as nylon 6,6. Non-limiting examples of particles formed from boron nitride which are suitable for use in the present invention are PolarTherm® 100 series (PT 120, PT 140, PT 160 and PT 180), 300 series (PT 350) and series 600 (PT 620, PT 630, PT 640 and PT 670) boron nitride powder particles marketed by Advanced Ceramics Corporation of Lakewood, Ohio. "PolarTherm® Thermally Conductive Fillers for Polymeric Materials", technical bulletin of Advanced Ceramics Corporation of Lakewood, Ohio (1996), which is incorporated herein by reference. These particles have a thermal conductivity of approximately 250-300 watts per meter ° K at 25 ° C, a dielectric constant of about 3.9 and a volume resistivity of approximately 1015 ohm-centimeters. The dust particles of the series 100 have an average particle size of the order of from about 5 to about 14 microns, the dust particles of the 300 series have an average particle size of the order of from about 100 to about 150 microns and the powder particles of the 600 series have an average particle size of the order of from about 16 to more than about 200 microns. In another embodiment of the present invention, the particles 18 are formed from solid inorganic lubricating materials that are not hydratable. In the sense in which it is used herein, "non-hydratable" means that solid inorganic lubricant particles do not react with water molecules to form hydrates and contain water of hydration or water of crystallization. A "hydrate" is produced by the reaction of water molecules with a substance in which the O-OH bond is not divided. See R. Lewis, Sr., Hawle 's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, (12th ed., 1993), pages 609-610, and T. Perros, Chemistry (1967), pages 186-187, which are incorporated herein by reference. reference. The hydrates contain coordinated water, which coordinates the cations in the hydrated material and can not be removed without breaking the structure, and / or structural water, which occupies interstices in the structure to increase the electrostatic energy without disturbing the load balance. R. Evans, An Introduction to Crystal Chemistry, (1948), page 276, which is incorporated herein by reference. Preferably, the coating composition is essentially free of hydratable inorganic solid lubricants. In the sense in which it is used here, the term "essentially free of" means that the coating composition includes less than about 20 weight percent of hydratable inorganic lubricating particles based on total solids, more preferably less than about 5 weight percent, and very preferably less than 0.001 weight percent. Although not preferred, the coating compositions according to the present invention may contain particles formed from hydratable or hydrated inorganic solid lubricating materials in addition to the non-hydratable inorganic solid lubricating materials discussed above. Non-limiting examples of such hydratable inorganic solid lubricating materials are mineral clay phyllosilicates, including micas (such as muscovite), talc, montmorillonite, kaolinite and gypsum. The particles 18 can be formed from non-polymeric organic materials. Examples of non-polymeric organic materials useful in the present invention include, but are not limited to, stearates (such as zinc stearate and aluminum stearate), carbon black and stearamide. The particles 18 can be formed from inorganic polymeric materials. Non-limiting examples of useful inorganic polymeric materials include polyphosphazenes, polysilanes, polysiloxanes, polygermans, polymeric sulfur, polymeric selenium, silicones, and mixtures thereof. A specific non-limiting example of a particle formed from an inorganic polymeric material suitable for use in the present invention is Tospearl5, which is a particle formed from cross-linked siloxanes and can be purchased from the market of Toshiba Silicones Company, Ltd . , from Japan. Suitable synthetic organic polymeric materials from which particles can be formed include, but are not limited to, thermoset materials and thermoplastics. The thermostable materials 5 See R. J. Perry "Applications for Cross-Linked Siloxane Particles" Chemtech, February 1999, pages 39-44. Suitable include thermoset polyesters, vinyl esters, epoxy, phenolic, aminoplast, thermosetting polyurethanes and mixtures thereof. A specific non-limiting example of a preferred synthetic polymer particle formed from an epoxy material is an epoxy microgel particle. Suitable thermoplastic materials include thermoplastic polyesters, polycarbonates, polyolefins, acrylic polymers, polyamides, thermoplastic polyurethanes, vinyl polymers and mixtures thereof. Preferred thermoplastic polyesters include, but are not limited to, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, and polyethylene naphthalate. Preferred polyolefins include, but are not limited to, polyethylene, polypropylene and polyisobutene. Preferred acrylic polymers include copolymers of styrene and acrylic and polymers containing methacrylate. Non-limiting examples of synthetic polymeric particles formed from an acrylic copolymer are ROPAQUE® HP-10556, which is a non-film-forming, opaque, styrene-polymer acrylic synthetic pigment having a particle size of 1.0 micrometer, a content of solids of 26.5 percent by weight and a void volume of 55 percent, ROPAQUE® OP-967, which is a pigment dispersion See the product property sheet titled: "ROPAQUE® HP-1055, Hollow Sphere Pigment for Paper and Paper Coatings" October 1994, available from Rohm and Haas Company, Philadelphia, PA, page 1, which is incorporated to the present specification by reference. 7 See the technical product bulletin entitled: "Architec- tural Coatings-ROPAQUE® OP-96, The All Purpose Pigment", April 1997 available from Rohm and Haas Company, Philadelphia, PA, page 1, which synthetic acrylic polymer of styrene, non-film-forming, opaque having a particle size of 0.55 micrometers and a solids content of 30.5 percent by weight, and ROPAQUE® OP-62 LO8 which is also a dispersion of synthetic polymeric acrylic pigment of styrene, non-filmic, opaque having a particle size of 0.40 micrometres and a solids content of about 36.5 weight percent, each of which is marketed by Rohm and Haas Company of Philadelphia, PA. Suitable semi-synthetic organic polymeric materials from which particles 18 can be formed include, but are not limited to, cellulosics, such as methylcellulose and cellulose acetate; and modified starches, such as starch acetate and hydroxyethyl ethers of starch. Suitable natural polymeric materials from which particles 18 can be formed, include, but are not limited to, polysaccharides, such as starch; polypeptides, such as casein; and natural hydrocarbons, such as natural rubber and gutta-percha. In one embodiment of the present invention, the polymer particles 18 are formed from hydrophobic polymeric materials to reduce or limit the absorption of moisture by the coated strand. Non-limiting examples of hydrophobic polymeric materials that are considered useful in the present invention include, but are not limited to, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate. Non-limiting examples of polystyrene copolymers include ROPAQUE® HP-1055, ROPAQUE® OP-96, and ROPAQUE® OP-62 LO pigments (each explained above). In another embodiment of the present invention, it is incorporated herein by reference. 8 Ibid. it forms polymeric particles 18 from polymeric materials having a glass transition temperature (Tg) and / or melting point greater than about 25 ° C and preferably greater than about 50 ° C. The composite particles 18 useful in the present invention include particles formed by coating particles., encapsulation or coating formed from a primary material with one or more secondary materials. For example, an inorganic particle formed from an inorganic material such as silicon carbide or aluminum nitride can be provided with a silica, carbonate or nanoclay coating to form a useful composite particle. In another example, a silane coupling agent with alkyl side chains can be reacted with the surface of an inorganic particle formed from an inorganic oxide to provide a useful composite particle having a "softer" surface. Other examples include coating, encapsulating or coating particles formed from organic or polymeric materials with inorganic materials or different organic or polymeric materials. A specific, non-limiting example of such composite particles is DUALITE, which is a synthetic polymeric particle coated with calcium carbonate which is available commercially from Pierce and Sevens Corporation of Buffalo, NY. In another embodiment of the present invention, the particles 18 may be hollow particles formed from materials selected from the group consisting of inorganic materials, organic materials, polymeric materials, composite materials, and mixtures thereof. Non-limiting examples of suitable materials from which hollow particles can be formed have been described above. Non-limiting examples of a hollow polymer particle useful in the present invention are ROPAQUE® HP-1055, ROPAQUE® OP-96 and ROPAQUE® OP-62 LO pigments (each explained above). For other non-limiting examples of hollow particles which may be useful in the present invention see H. Katz et al., (Ed.) (1987), pages 437-452, which are incorporated herein by reference. The particles 18 may be present in a dispersion, suspension or emulsion in water. Other solvents, such as mineral oil or alcohol (preferably less than about 5 weight percent), may be included in the dispersion, suspension or emulsion, if desired. A non-limiting example of a preferred dispersion of particles formed of an inorganic material is ORPAC BORON NITRIDE RELEASECOAT-CONC, which is a dispersion of about 25 weight percent boron nitride particles in water and can be purchased in the market from ZYP Coatings, Inc., of Oak Ridge, Tennessee. "ORPAC BORON NITRIDE RELEASECOAT-CONC", technical bulletin of ZYP Coatings, Inc., is incorporated herein by reference. The boron nitride particles in this product have an average particle size of less than about 3 microns and include about 1 percent magnesium aluminum silicate to bond the boron nitride particles to the substrate to which the dispersion is applied. Other useful products marketed by ZYP Coatings include BORON NITRIDE LUBRICOAT® paint, and the BRAZE STOP and WELD RELÉASE products. Specific non-limiting examples of emulsions and dispersions of synthetic polymeric particles formed from acrylic polymers and copolymers include: Rhoplex® GL-6239 which is a polymeric film emulsion.

See the product property sheet entitled: "Rhoplex® GL-623," Self-Crosslinking Acrylic Binder Acrylic having a solids content of 45 percent by weight and a vitreous transition temperature of approximately 98 ° C; EMULSION E-232110 which is a hard methacrylate polymer emulsion having a solids content of 45 weight percent and a glass transition temperature of about 105 ° C; ROPAQUE® OP-96 (explained above), which is supplied as a dispersion having a particle size of 0.55 microns and a solids content of 30.5 weight percent; ROPAQUE® OP-62 LO (explained above), which is also an opaque non-film-forming synthetic pigment dispersion having a particle size of 0.40 microns and a solids content of about 36.5 weight percent; and ROPAQUE® HP-1055 (explained above), which is supplied as a dispersion having a solids content of about 26.5 weight percent; all of which are marketed by the Rohm and Haas Company of Philadelphia, PA. The particles 18 are selected so as to have an average particle size 19 sufficient to effect the desired spacing between adjacent fibers. For example, the average size 19 of the particles 18 incorporated into a sizing composition applied to fibers 12 to be processed on air jet looms is preferably selected to provide sufficient separation. of Industrial Nonwovens ", March 1997, which may be purchased from Rohm and Haas Company, Philadelphia, PA, which is incorporated herein by reference.10 See the product property sheet entitled:" Building Products Industrial Coatings- Emulsion E -2321", 1990, which may be purchased from Rohm and Haas Company, Philadelphia, PA, which is incorporated herein by reference. between adjacent fibers to allow transport by air jet of fiber strand 10 through the loom. In the sense in which it is used here, "air jet loom" means a type of loom in which the filling yarn (weft) is introduced into the warp by a compressed air jet of one or more jet nozzles air. In another example, the average size 19 of the particles 18 incorporated into a sizing composition applied to fibers 12 to be impregnated with a polymeric matrix material is selected to provide sufficient spacing between adjacent fibers to allow good soaking and penetration of the fiber strand. In a specific non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the average particle size 19 of the particles 18 is at least about 0.1 microns, preferably at least about 0.5 microns, and is of the order of about 0, 1 micrometer to about 5 micrometers and preferably from about 0.5 micrometer to about 2.0 micrometer. In this embodiment, the particles 18 have an average particle size 19 that is generally smaller than the average diameter of the fibers 12 to which the coating composition is applied. It has been observed that twisted yarns made of fiber strands 10 having a layer 14 of a residue of a primary size composition including particles 18 having average particle sizes 19 explained above, can provide sufficient separation between adjacent fibers 23, 25 for allow air jet weaving (i.e., transport by air jet through the loom) while maintaining the integrity of the fiber strand 10 and providing acceptable "penetration" and "soaking" characteristics when impregnated with a polymeric matrix material. In another specific non-limiting embodiment of the present invention the average particle size 19 of the particles 18 is at least 3 microns, preferably at least about 5 microns, and is in the order of 3 to about 1000 microns, preferably from about 5 to about 1000 microns, and more preferably from about 10 to about 25 microns. Preferably, each of the particles 18 has a minimum particle size of at least 3 microns, and preferably at least about 5 microns. It is also preferred in this embodiment that the average particle size 19 of the particles 18 corresponds in general to the average nominal diameter of the glass fibers. It has been observed that fabrics made with strands coated with the particles of the sizes explained above exhibit good "penetration" and "soaking" characteristics when impregnated with a polymeric matrix material. Those skilled in the art will recognize that mixtures of one or more particles 18 having different average particle sizes 19 can be incorporated into the size composition according to the present invention to impart the desired properties and processing characteristics to the fiber strands. 10 and the products made afterwards from them. More specifically, particles of different size can be combined in amounts required to obtain fibers having good jet transport properties of ai-re as well as a fabric exhibiting good soaking and penetration characteristics. The glass fibers are subject to abrasive wear by contact with asperities of adjacent glass fibers and / or other solid objects or materials that the glass fibers contact during formation and subsequent treatment, such as weaving or wicking. "Abrasive wear", in the sense in which it is used herein, means the scraping or cutting of pieces of the fiberglass surface or breakage of glass fibers by frictional contact with particles, edges or entities of materials that They are hard enough to damage the glass fibers. See K. Ludema, page 129, which is incorporated herein by reference. Abrasive wear of fiberglass strands results in breakage of strands during processing and surface defects in products such as woven fabric and composites, which increases waste and manufacturing cost. To minimize abrasive wear, in one embodiment of the present invention, the particles 18 have a hardness value that does not exceed, that is, is less than or equal to a hardness value of the glass fiber (s). The hardness values of the glass particles and fibers can be determined by any conventional method of hardness measurement, such as Vickers or Brinell hardness, but it is pre-ferrically determined according to the original Mohs hardness scale which indicates the relative strength scratching the surface of a material. The Mohs hardness value of glass fibers is generally in the order of about 4.5 to about 6.5, and is preferably about 6. R. Weast (ed.), Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, CRC Press (1975). ), page F-22, which is incorporated herein by reference. In this embodiment, the Mohs hardness value of the particles 18 preferably ranges from about 0.5 to about 6. The Mohs hardness values of various non-limiting examples of particles formed of inorganic materials suitable for use in the present invention. they are indicated in table A below.

Table A 11 K. Ludema, Friction, Wear, Lubrication. (1996) page 27, which is incorporated herein by reference. 2 R. Weast (ed.), Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, CRC Press (1975) page F-22. 13 R. Lewis, Sr., Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, (12th ed., 1993), page 793, which is incorporated herein by reference. 14 Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, (12th ed., 1993) page 1113, which is incorporated herein by reference. 15 Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, (12th ed., 1993) page 784, which is incorporated herein by reference. 16 Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, page F-22. 17 Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, page F-22. 18 Friction, Wear, Lubrication, page 27. 19 Friction, Wear, Lubrication, page 27. 20 Friction, Wear, Lubrication, page 27. 21 Friction, Wear, Lubrication, page 27. 2 2 Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, page F -22. 3 Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, page F-22. 2 44 Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, page F-22. 2 55 Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, page F-22. 2 € 6 Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, page F-22. 2 77 Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, page F-22. 2 86 Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, page F-22.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the particles 18 are thermal conductors, that is, they have a thermal conductivity greater than about 30 watts per meter K, such as for example boron nitride, graphite, and solid inorganic metal lubricants before indicated. The thermal conductivity of a solid material can be determined by any method known to those skilled in the art, such as the hot sheet method protected according to ASTM C-177-85 (which is incorporated herein by reference) to a temperature of approximately 300K. In another embodiment of the present invention, the particles 18 are electrical insulators or have high electrical resistivity, that is, they have an electrical resistivity greater than about 1000 microohm-cm, such as for example boron nitride. The particles 18 may include from about 1 to The liquid composition of the coating composition is based on the total solids, preferably about 80% by weight of the coating composition. 1 to about 60 weight percent In one embodiment, the coating composition contains from about 20 to about 60 weight percent particles 18 based on total solids, and preferably from about 35 to about 55 weight percent , and more preferably from about 30 to about 50 weight percent, It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the discrete particles 18 of the coating composition can include any combination or mixture of particles 18 discussed above. More specifically, the particles 18 can including discrete additional particles made of any of the materials described above to form the particles 18 in an amount less than 18 particles. The additional particles are different from the other particles 18 in the resin compatible coating composition, ie the addition particles (1) are chemically different from the other particles; or (2) are chemically the same but differ in configuration or properties. The additional particles may include up to half of the particles 18, preferably up to about 15 percent of the particles 18. In addition to the particles, the coating composition preferably includes one or more polymeric film materials, such as organic polymeric materials, inorganic and natural Useful organic polymeric materials include, but are not limited to, synthetic polymeric materials, semi-synthetic polymeric materials, natural polymeric materials, and mixtures thereof. Synthetic polymeric materials include, although without limitation, thermoplastic materials and thermosetting materials. Preferably the polymeric film-forming materials form a generally continuous film when applied to the surface 16 of the glass fibers. In general, the amount of polymeric film-forming materials can range from about 1 to about 60 weight percent of the coating composition based on total solids, preferably from about 5 to about 50 weight percent, and more preferably about 10 to about 30 weight percent. In one embodiment of the present invention, the thermosetting polymeric filmmaking matenals are the preferred polymeric film-forming materials for use in the coating composition for coating fiberglass strands. Such materials are compatible with thermosetting matrix materials used as laminates for printed circuit boards, such as epoxy resins FR-4, which are polyfunctional epoxy resins and in a particular embodiment of the invention are difunctional bifunctional epoxy resins. See Electronic Materials Handbook ™, ASM International (1989), pages 534-537, which are incorporated herein by reference. Useful thermosetting materials include thermoset polyesters, epoxy materials, vinyl esters, phenolics, aminoplasts, thermosetting polyurethanes, and mixtures thereof. Suitable thermoset polyesters include STYPOL polyesters available from the Cook Composites and Polymers market in Port Washington, Wisconsin, and neoxyl polyesters available from the DSM B.V. market in Como, Italy. A non-limiting example of a thermosetting polymeric material is an epoxy material. Useful epoxy materials contain at least one epoxy or oxirane group in the molecule, such as polyglycidyl ethers of polyhydric alcohols or thiols. Examples of suitable film-forming epoxy polymers include EPON® 826 and EPON® 880 epoxy resins, marketed by Shell Chemical Company of Houston, Texas. Useful thermoplastic polymeric materials include vinyl polymers, thermoplastic polyesters, polyolefins, polyamides (for example aliphatic polyamides or aromatic polya-mides such as aramid), thermoplastic polyurethanes, acrylic polymers (such as polyacrylic acid) and mixtures thereof. In another embodiment of the present invention, the preferred polymeric film-forming material is a vinyl polymer. Vinyl polymers useful in the present invention include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl pyrrolidones such as PVP K-15, PVP K-30, PVP K-60 and PVP K-90, each of which is available in the ISP Chemicals market in Wayne, New Jersey. Other suitable vinyl polymers include Resyn 2828 and Resyn 1037 vinyl acetate copolymer emulsions marketed by National Starch and Chemical of Bridgewater, New Jersey, other polyvinyl acetates such as those marketed by HB Fuller and Air Products and Chemicals Company of Allentown, Pennsylvania, and polyvinyl alcohols that can also be purchased from Air Products and Chemicals Company. The thermoplastic polyesters useful in the present invention include DESMOPHEN 2000 and DESMOPHEN 2001KS, marketed by Bayer of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Preferred polyesters include RD-847A polyester resin available commercially from Borden Chemicals of Columbus, Ohio, and DYKANOLL SI 100 resin available commercially from Eka Chemicals AB, Sweden. Useful polyamides include the VERSAMID products marketed by General Mills Chemicals, Inc. Useful thermoplastic polyurethanes include WITCOBOND® W-290H, which is commercially available from Witco Chemical Corp., of Chicago, Illinois, and RUCOTHANE® 2011L polyurethane latex, which can be purchased from the Ruco Polymer Corp market in Hicksville, New York.

The aqueous sizing composition of the present invention may include a mixture of one or more thermoset polymeric materials with one or more thermoplastic polymeric materials. In one embodiment of the present invention especially useful for laminates for printed circuit boards, the polymeric materials of the aqueous sizing composition include a mixture of RD-847A polyester resin, PVP K-30 polyvinyl pyrrolidone, DESMOPHEN 2000 polyester and VERSAMID polyamide. In an alternative embodiment suitable for laminates for printed circuit boards, the polymeric materials of the aqueous sizing composition include PVP K-30 polyvinyl pyrrolidone, optionally combined with EPON 826 epoxy resin. Semi-synthetic polymeric materials suitable for use as polymeric film formers include, but are not limited to, cellulosics such as hydroxypropylcellulose and modified starches such as KOLLOTEX 1250 (a low viscosity, low viscosity, potato-based starch, etherified with oxide). of ethylene) that can be purchased at the AVEBE market in the Netherlands. Natural polymeric materials suitable for use as polymeric film formers include, but are not limited to, starches prepared from potatoes, corn, wheat, waxy corn, sago, rice, milo and their mixtures. It should be appreciated that depending on the nature of the starch, the starch can function as a particle 18 and / or a film former. More specifically, some starches will dissolve completely in a solvent and in particular water, and will function as a film-forming material while others will not completely dissolve and maintain a particular grain size and will function as a particle 18. Although starches can be used (both natural and semi-synthetic) according to the present invention, the composition of The coating of the present invention is preferably essentially free of starch materials. In the sense in which it is used here, the term "essentially free of starch materials" means that the coating composition includes less than 20 weight percent based on the total solids of the coating composition, preferably less than 5 weight percent and more preferably It is free of starch materials. The primary sizing compositions containing starches that are applied to the fiber strands to be incorporated into laminates for printed circuit boards are not typically compatible with resin and must be removed prior to incorporation into the polymer matrix material. As previously explained, preferably the coating compositions of the present invention are resin compatible and do not require extraction. More preferably, the coating compositions of the present invention are compatible with matrix materials used to make printed circuit boards (explained below) and most preferably are compatible with epoxy resin. Polymeric film-forming materials can be water-soluble, emulsifiable, dispersible and / or curable. In the sense in which it is used herein, "water soluble" means that the polymeric materials are capable of essentially uniform mixing and / or molecular or ionic dispersion in water to form a true solution. See Hawley 's, page 1075, which is incorporated herein by reference. "Emulsifiable" means that the polymeric materials are capable of forming an essentially stable mixture or that they are suspended in water in the presence of an emulsifying agent. See Hawley 's, page 461, which is incorporated herein by reference. Non-limiting examples of suitable emulsifying agents are set forth below. "Dispersible" means that any of the components of the polymeric materials are capable of being distributed throughout the water as finely divided particles, such as a latex. See Hawley 's, page 435, which is incorporated herein by reference. The uniformity of the dispersion can be increased by the addition of wetting, dispersing or emulsifying agents (surfactants), which are explained below. "Curable" means that the polymeric materials and other components of the sizing composition are capable of coalescing to a film or cross-linking with each other by changing the physical properties of the polymeric materials. See Hawley 's, page 331, which is incorporated herein by reference. In addition to or in place of the polymer film forming materials discussed above, the coating composition preferably includes one or more glass fiber coupling agents such as organosilane coupling agents, transition metal coupling agents, phosphonate coupling agents, aluminum coupling agents, Werner coupling agents containing amino and mixtures thereof. These coupling agents typically have dual functionality. Each metal or silicon atom has one or more groups that can react with or compatibilize with the fiber surface and / or the components of the resin matrix. As used herein, the term "compatibilize" means that the groups are chemically attracted, but do not bind, to the fiber surface and / or the components of the coating composition, for example by polar forces, of wetting or solvation. In a non-limiting embodiment, each metal or silicon atom bears one or more hydrolysable groups which allow the coupling agent to react with the glass fiber surface, and one or more functional groups which allow the coupling agent to react with components of the resin matrix. The examples Peaks of hydrolyzable groups include: O H O R 3 II 1 tl I -OR 1, -O-C-R 2, -r- € -R 2, -O-N = C-R 4, -0-N = CRs; and the C2-C3 monohydroxy and / or cyclic residue of a 1,2- or 1,3-glycol, wherein R 1 is C 1 -C 3 alkyl; R 2 is H or C 1 -C 4 alkyl; R3 and R4 are independently selected from H, C? -C4 alkyl or C6-C8 aryl; and R5 is C4-C7 alkylene. Examples of suitable compatibilizing or functional groups include epoxy, glycidoxy, mercapto, cyano, allyl, alkyl, urethane, halo, isocyanate, ureido, imidazolinyl, vinyl, acrylate, methacrylate, amino or polyamino groups. The functional silane organ coupling agents are preferred for use in the present invention. Examples of useful organo-functional silane coupling agents include gamma-aminopropyltrialkoxy silanes, gamma-isocyanatopropyltriethoxysilane, vinyl trialkoxysilanes, glycidoxypropyltrialkoxysilanes and ureidopropyltrialkoxys lanos. Preferred functional silane organ coupling agents include A-187 gamma-glycidoxy propyltrimethoxysilane, A-174 gamma-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, A-1100 gamma-aminopro-p-thiethoxysilane silane coupling agents. A-1108 amino silane coupling agent and A-1160 gamma-ureidopropyltriethoxysilane (each of which is commercialized by Witco Corporation OSi Specialties, Inc., of Tarrytown, New York). The organosilane coupling agent can be hydrolyzed at least partially with water before application to the fibers, preferably at about a stoichiometric ratio of 1: 1 or, if desired, applied in non-hydrolyzed form. The pH of the water can be modified by the addition of an acid or a base to initiate or accelerate the hydrolysis of the coupling agent as is known in the art. The transition metal coupling agents Suitable include titanium, zirconium, yttrium and chromium coupling agents. Kenrich Petrochemical Company markets suitable titanate coupling agents and zirconate coupling agents. E. I. Dupont de Nemours of Wilmington, Delaware, markets suitable chromium complexes. The amino-containing Werner coupling agents are complex compounds in which a trivalent nuclear atom such as chromium is coordinated with an organic acid having amino functionality. Other coupling agents of the coordinate or metal chelate type known to those skilled in the art can be used here. The amount of coupling agent can range from about 1 to about 30 weight percent of the coating composition based on total solids, preferably from about 1 to about 10 weight percent, and more preferably about 2 weight percent. to about 8 weight percent. The coating composition may further include one or more softening agents or surfactants that impart a uniform charge to the surface of the fibers causing the fibers to repel one another and reducing friction between the fibers, to function as a lubricant. Although not required, preferably the softening agents are chemically different from other components of the coating composition. Such softeners include cationic, nonionic or anionic softening agents and mixtures thereof, such as fatty acid amine salts, alkyl imidazoline derivatives such as CATIÓN X, available commercially from Rhone Poulenc of Princeton, New Jersey, amides. of acid solubilized fatty acids, condensates of a fatty acid and polyethylene imine and substituted amide polyethylene imines, such as EMERY® 6717, a partially amidated polyethylene imine marketed by Henkel Corporation of Kankakee, Illinois. Although the coating composition can ^^ ¿^^ ,, t ^^ i ^^^^^^. to about 60 weight percent softening agents, preferably the coating composition includes less than about 20 weight percent and more preferably less than about 5 weight percent of the softening agents. For more information on softening agents, see A. J. Hall, Textile Finishing, 2nd ed. (1957), pages 108-115, which are incorporated herein by reference. The coating composition may further include one or more lubricious materials that are chemically different from the polymeric materials and softening agents discussed above to impart desired processing characteristics to the fiber strands during weaving. It is possible to select suitable lubricating materials from the group consisting of oils, waxes, fats and their mixtures. Non-limiting examples of wax materials useful in the present invention include water soluble, emulsifiable or dispersible aqueous wax materials such as vegetable, animal, mineral, synthetic or petroleum waxes, for example paraffin. The oils useful in the present invention include natural oils, semi-synthetic oils and synthetic oils. In general, the amount of wax or other lubricating material may range from 0 to about 80 weight percent of the size composition based on total solids, preferably from about 1 to about 50 weight percent, more preferably from about 20 to about 40 weight percent, and most preferably from about 25 to about 35 weight percent. Preferred lubricious materials include waxes and oils having polar characteristics, and more preferably include highly crystalline waxes having polar characteristics and melting points greater than about 35 ° C and more preferably greater than about . *. < • mind 45 ° C. Such materials are considered to improve the soaking and penetration of polar resins in fiber strands coated with sizing compositions containing such polar materials as compared to fiber strands coated with sizing compositions containing waxes and oils that do not have polar characteristics. Preferred lubricious materials having polar characteristics include esters formed from the reaction of (1) a monocarboxylic acid and (2) a monohydric alcohol. Non-limiting examples of such fatty acid esters useful in the present invention include cetyl palmitate, which is preferred (such as that available from Stepan Company of Maywood, New Jersey as KESSCO 653 or STEPANTEX 653), cetyl myristate (which can also be purchased from Stepan 15 Company as STEPANLUBE 654), cetyl laurate, octadecyl laurate, octadecyl myristate, octadecyl palmitate and octadecyl stearate. Other fatty acid ester lubricious materials useful in the present invention include trimethylolpropane tripelargonate, natural spermaceti and 20 triglyceride oils, such as, but not limited to, soybean oil, linseed oil, epoxidized soybean oil, and epoxidized linseed oil. Although not preferred, the coating composition may include one or more other lubopic materials, such 25 as non-polar petroleum waxes, instead of or in addition to the lubricious materials explained above. Non-limiting examples of non-polar petroleum waxes include MICHEM® LUBE 296 microcrystalline wax, POLYMEKON® SPP-W microcrystalline wax and PETROLITE 75 microcrystalline wax commercialized by Michelman Inc., of Cincinnati, Ohio, and the Petrolite Corporation of Tulsa. , Oklahoma, respectively. Although not required, if desired the coating composition may also include a reactive resin diluent to further improve the lubrication of the fiber strands. ^ | att | i | The coatings of the present invention and provide good processability by weaving and weaving reducing the potential of fluff, halos and broken filaments during such manufacturing operations, while maintaining the compatibility with resin. As used herein, "resin reactive diluent" means that the diluent includes functional groups that are capable of reacting chemically with the same resin with which the coating composition is compatible. The diluent can be any lubricant with one or more functional groups that react with a resin system, preferably functional groups that react with an epoxy resin system, and more preferably functional groups that react with an epoxy resin system FR-4. Non-limiting examples of suitable lubricants include lubricants with amine groups, alcohol groups, anhydride groups, acid groups or epoxy groups. A non-limiting example of a lubricant with an amine group is a modified polyethylene amine, for example EMERY 6717, which is a partially amidated polyethylene imine marketed by Henkel Cor-poration of Kankakee, Illinois. A non-limiting example of a lubricant with an alcohol group is polyethylene glycol, for example CARBOWAX 300, which is a polyethylene glycol available from the Union Carbide market in Danbury, Connecticut. A non-limiting example of a lubricant with an acidic group is fatty acids, for example stearic acid and salts of stearic acids. Non-limiting examples of lubricants with an epoxy group include epoxidized soybean oil and epoxidized linseed oil, for example FLEXOL LOE, which is an epoxidized linseed oil, and FLEXOL EPO, which is an epoxidized soybean oil, both marketed by Union Carbide from Danbury, Connecticut, and LE-9300 epoxidized silicone emulsion, available at the Witco market, Corporation OSi Specialties, Inc., of Danbury, Connecticut. While not limiting the present invention, the sizing composition may include a reactive resin diluent as explained above in an amount of up to about 15 weight percent of the sizing composition based on total solids. The coating composition may include one or more emulsifying agents for emulsifying or dispersing components of the sizing composition, such as particles 18 and / or lubricating materials. Non-limiting examples of suitable emulsifying agents or surfactants include polyoxyalkylene block copolymers (such as PLURONIC ™ F-108 polyoxypropylene-polyoxyethylene copolymer available commercially from BASF Corporation of Parsippany, New Jersey), ethoxylated alkyl phenols ( such as IGEPAL CA-630 ethoxylated octylphenoxyethanol which can be purchased from the market of GAF Corporation of Wayne, New Jersey), polyoxyethylene octylphenyl glycol ethers, ethylene oxide derivatives of sorbitol esters (such as TMAZ 81 which can be purchase on the BASF market in Parsippany, New Jersey), polyoxyethylated vegetable oils (such as ALKAMUS EL-719, which can be purchased on the Rhone-Poulenc market), ethoxylated alkylphenol (such as MACOL OP-10 which is also commercialized by BASF) and nonylphenol surfactants (such as MACOL NP-6 which is also marketed by BASF). In general, the amount of emulsifying agent can range from about 1 to about 30 weight percent of the coating composition based on total solids, preferably from about 1 to about 15 weight percent. Crosslinking materials, such as melamine formaldehyde, and plasticizers, such as phthalates, trimellitates and adipates, can also be included in the coating composition. The amount of crosslinker or plasticizer can range from about 1 to about 5 weight percent of the base coating composition to total solids. Other additives may be included in the coating composition, such as silicones, fungicides, bactericides and defoaming materials, generally in an amount of less than about 5 weight percent. Organic and / or inorganic acids or bases may also be included in an amount sufficient to provide the coating composition with a pH from about 2 to about 10 in the coating composition. A non-limiting example of a suitable silicone emulsion is LE-9300 epoxidized silicone emulsion, which can be purchased from Witco Corporation OSi Specialties, Inc., of Danbury, Connecticut. An example of a suitable bactericide is BIOMET 66 antimicrobial compound, which can be purchased on the market from M & T Chemicals of Rahway, New Jersey. Suitable defoaming materials are SAG materials, marketed by OSi Specialties, Inc., of Danbury, Connecticut, and MA-ZU DF-136, which may be purchased from BASF Company of Parsippany, New Jersey. Ammonium hydroxide can be added to the coating composition for stabilization of the coating, if desired. Water and, more preferably, deionized water are preferably included in the coating composition in an amount sufficient to facilitate the application of a generally uniform coating on the strand. The weight percent solids of the coating composition is generally in the range of about 1 to about 20 weight percent. The coating composition is preferably essentially free of glass materials. As used herein, "essentially free of glass materials" means that the sizing composition includes less than 20 volume percent glass matrix materials to form glass compounds, preferably less than about 5 percent. in volume and more preferably . & ¡¡¡fc? at is free of glass materials. Examples of such glass matrix materials include black glass ceramic matrix materials or alumino-silicate matrix materials such as those known to those skilled in the art. In one embodiment for weaving fabric for laminated printed circuit boards, the glass fibers of the coated fiber strand of the present invention have a primary layer of a dry residue of an aqueous primary size composition including ROPAQUE® HP-1055 or ROPAQUE® OC-96 synthetic polymeric acrylic pigments styrene, PVP K-30 polyvinyl pyrrolidone, A-174 functional acrylic silane organ coupling agents and A-187 functional epoxy silane coupling agents, EMERY® 6717 polyethylene imine partially amidated, STEPANTEX 653 cetyl palmitate, TMAZ 81 derived from ethylene oxide of sorbitol esters, MACOL OP-10 alkylphenol ethoxylated and MAZU DF-136 antifoam material. In another preferred embodiment for knitting fabric for printed circuit boards, a primary layer of a dry residue of an aqueous primary size composition including ROPAQUE® HL is applied to the glass fibers of the coated fiber strand of the present invention. -1055 or ROPAQUE® OC-96 hollow spheres of acrylic-styrene copolymer, PolarTherm® 160 boron nitride powder and / or oRPAC BORON NI-TRIDE RELEASECOAT-CONC dispersion, PVP K-30 polyvinyl pyrrolidone, A-174 coupling agents of functional acrylic silane organ and A- 187 functional epoxy silane coupling agents, EMERY® 6717 polyethylene imine partially amidated, STEPANTEX 653 cetyl palmitate, TMAZ 81 ethylene oxide derivatives of sorbitol esters, MACOL OP-10 Ethoxylated alkylphenol, and MAZU DF-136 antifoam material. Although not preferred, fiber strands having a residue of a coating composition similar to those described above that are free of particles 18 according to the present invention can be made. In particular, it is contemplated that aqueous resin-compatible sizing compositions including one or more film-forming polymeric materials, such as PVP K-30 polyvinyl pyrrolidone, can be made according to the present invention.; one or more silane coupling agents, such as A-174 functional acrylic silane organ coupling agents and A-187 functional epoxy organ silane coupling agents; and at least about 25 weight percent of the sizing composition based on the total solids of a lubricious material having polar characteristics, such as STEPANTEX 653 cetyl palmitate. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that fiber to-rubs with a residue of an aqueous resin-compatible sizing composition that is essentially free of particles 18 can be woven into fabrics and converted to electronic supports and electronic circuit boards (as described below) according to the present invention. The coating compositions of the present invention may be prepared by another suitable method such as conventional mixture known to those skilled in the art. Preferably the components explained above are diluted with water so that they have the desired weight percentage of solids and are mixed. The particles 18 can be premixed with water, emulsified or otherwise added to one or more components of the coating composition before mixing with the remaining components of the coating. The size compositions according to the present invention can be applied in many ways, for example by contacting the filaments with a roller or belt applicator, by spraying or other means. The sizing fibers are preferably dried at room temperature or at elevated temperatures. The dryer removes excessive moisture from the fibers and, if ? s are present, cure any curable components of the sizing composition. The temperature and time to dry the glass fibers will depend on variables such as the percentage of solids in the sizing composition, the components of the sizing composition and the type of glass fiber. The amount of the coating composition present as a dry residue in the fiber strand is preferably less than about 30 weight percent, more preferably less than about 10 weight percent and most preferably less than about 5 weight percent measured for loss on ignition (LOI). In one embodiment of the invention, the LOI is less than 1 weight percent. As used herein, the term "ignition loss" means the weight percentage of dry coating composition present on the surface of the fiber strand determined by the following equation (Eq. 1): LOI = 100 X [(WSeco -Weddle) / Dry] Ec. 1 where Wseco is the weight of the fiber strand plus the residue of the coating composition after drying in an oven at approximately 104 ° C (approximately 220 ° F) for approximately 60 minutes and W undis the weight of the bare fiber strand after of removing the residue from the coating composition by heating the fiber strand in an oven at approximately 621 ° C (approximately 1150 ° F) for about 20 minutes. After application of the primary size, the fibers are collected in strands having from 2 to about 15,000 fibers per strand, and preferably from about 100 to about 1600 strands per strand. A secondary layer of a secondary coating or secondary coating composition may be applied on the primary layer in an amount effective to coat or impregnate the portion of the strands, for example by immersing the coated strand in a bath containing the coating composition. ^^^^^^ - secondary bridging, spraying the secondary coating composition on the coated strand or contacting the coated strand with an applicator as explained above. The coated strand can be passed through a die to remove the excessive coating composition from the strand and / or dry as explained above for a sufficient time to at least partially dry or cure the secondary coating composition. The method and apparatus for applying the secondary coating composition to the strand is determined in part by the configuration of the strand material. The strand preferably dries after application of the secondary coating composition in a manner known in the art. Suitable secondary coating compositions may include one or more film-forming materials, lubricants and other additives as explained above. The secondary coating is preferably different from the primary sizing composition, i.e. (1) it contains at least one component that is chemically different from the components of the sizing composition; or (2) contains at least one component in an amount that differs from the amount of the same component contained in the sizing composition. Non-limiting examples of suitable secondary coating compositions including polyurethane are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,762,750 and 4,762,751, which are incorporated herein by reference. Referring now to Figure 2, in an alternative embodiment according to the present invention, the glass fibers 212 of the coated fiber strand 210 can be applied to a primary layer 214 of a dry residue of a primary size composition that it can include any of the sizing components in the amounts explained above. Examples of suitable sizing compositions are set forth in Loewenstein, pages 237-291 (3rd ed., 1993) and United States patents numbers? .390,647 and 4,795,678., each of which is incorporated herein by reference. A secondary layer 215 of a secondary coating composition is applied to at least a portion, and preferably on the entire outer surface, of the primary layer 214. The secondary coating composition includes one or more types of discrete particles 216 as explained with detail above. The amount of particles in the secondary coating composition can range from about 1 to about 99 weight percent based on total solids and preferably from about 20 to about 90 weight percent. The percentage of solids of the aqueous secondary coating composition is generally in the range of about 5 to about 50 weight percent. In an alternative embodiment, the particles of the secondary coating composition include hydrophilic inorganic solid particles that absorb and retain water in the interstices of the hydrophilic particles. The hydrophilic inorganic solid particles can absorb water or swell when in contact with water or participate in a chemical reaction with the water to form, for example, a gel-like viscous solution that blocks or inhibits the further entry of water into the water. interstices of a telecommunications cable for whose reinforcement the fiberglass coated strand is used. In the sense in which it is used herein, "absorb" means that the water penetrates the internal structure or interstices of the hydrophilic material and is substantially retained therein. See Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, page 3, which is incorporated herein by reference. "Swelling" means that the hydrophilic particles expand in size or volume. See Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary (1977) page 1178, which is incorporated herein by reference. Preferably, the hydrophilic particles swell after contact with water to at least one and a half times their original dry weight, and more preferably from about two to about six times their original weight.Non-limiting examples of solid inorganic lubricating particles Hydrophilic bulking agents include smectites such as vermiculite and montmorillonite, sorbent zeolites and inorganic sorbent gels.Preferably, these hydrophilic particles are applied as a powder on sticky sizing or other sticky secondary coating materials.The amount of hydrophilic inorganic particles in this embodiment of the secondary coating composition may range from about 1 to about 99 weight percent based on total solids and preferably from about 20 to about 90 weight percent In an alternative embodiment shown in Figure 3, a 320 tertiary layer of a The tertiary coating composition can be applied to at least a portion of the surface, and preferably over the entire surface, of a secondary layer 315, ie, such fiber strand 312 would have a primary layer 314 of a primary size, a secondary layer 315 of a secondary coating composition and a tertiary outer layer 320 of the tertiary coating. The tertiary coating is preferably different from the primary size composition and the secondary coating composition, ie, the tertiary coating composition (1) contains at least one component that is chemically different from the components of the primary size and the coating composition secondary; or (2) contains at least one component in an amount that differs from the amount of the same component contained in the primary sizing composition or secondary coating. In this embodiment, the secondary coating composition includes one or more polymeric materials explained . * -. SM =? S *? ' two above, such as polyurethane, and the tertiary coating composition in polvp. It includes solid particles, such as PolarTherm® boron nitride particles, and hollow particles, such as ROPAQUE® pigments, which have been previously explained. Preferably, the powder coating is applied by passing the strand to which a liquid secondary coating composition has been applied by a fluidized bed or spray device to adhere the powder particles to the sticky secondary coating composition. Alternatively, the strands can be mounted to a fabric 810 prior to applying the tertiary coating layer 812, as depicted in Figure 8. The weight percentage of solid powder particles adhered to the coated fiber strand 310 can range from approximately 0.1 to about 30 weight percent of the total weight of the dried barb. The tertiary powder coating may also include one or more polymeric materials as explained above, such as acrylic polymers, epoxies, or polyolefins, conventional stabilizers and other modifiers known in the art of such coatings, preferably in the form of a dry powder. The coated fiber strands 10, 210, 310 discussed above can be used as continuous strand or further processed into various products such as chopped strand, twisted strand, wick and / or fabric, such as fabrics, nonwovens, knits and mats . In addition, the coated fiber strands used as warp and weft strands (ie, filling) of a fabric can be non-twisted (also called non-twisted or zero torsion) or twisted before weaving and the fabric can include various combinations of warp and twisted weft and twisted weft. Although the above explanation is generally directed to applying the coating composition of the present invention, "Directly on glass fibers after the formation of the fiber and after incorporating the fibers into a fabric, those skilled in the art should appreciate that the present invention also includes an embodiment wherein the coating composition of the present invention is applied to a fabric after it has been manufactured using various techniques known in the art. Depending on the processing of the fabric, the coating composition of the present invention can be applied directly to the glass fibers in the fabric or to another coating already in the glass and / or fabric fibers. For example, the glass fibers may be coated with a conventional starch-oil size after forming and weaving in a cloth. The fabric can then be treated to remove starch-oil size before applying the coating composition of the present invention. This extraction of the size can be carried out using techniques known in the art, such as heat treatment or fabric washing. In this example, the coating composition would directly coat the fiber surface of the fabric. If some portion of the sizing composition initially applied to the glass fibers is not removed after forming, the coating composition of the present invention would then be applied over the remaining portion of the sizing composition instead of directly to the surface. of fiber. In another embodiment of the present invention, selected components of the coating composition of the present invention can be applied to the glass fibers immediately after forming and the remaining components of the coating composition can be applied to the fabric after making it. . In a manner similar to that explained above, some or all of the selected components of the glass fibers can be removed before coating the fibers and fabric with the remaining components. As a result, the remaining components will directly coat the surface of the fibers of the fabric or coat the selected components that were not removed from the surface of the fiber. The coated fiber strands 10, 210, 310 and the products formed therefrom can be used in a wide variety of applications, but are preferably used as reinforcements 410 to reinforce polymeric matrix materials 412 to form a compound 414, as re-presented in US Pat. Figure 4, which will be explained in detail below. Such applications include, but are not limited to, laminates for printed circuit boards, reinforcements for telecommunications cables, and various other compounds. An advantage of the coated strands of the present invention is that they are compatible with typical polymeric matrix resin used to make electronic supports and printed circuit boards and are suitable for use in air jet looms, which are commonly used to make the reinforcing fabrics for such applications. Conventional sizing compositions applied to the fibers to be woven using air jet looms include components (such as starches and oils) that are not generally compatible with such resin systems. It has been observed that the weaving characteristics of fiber strands coated with a residue of a primary sizing composition including particles 18 according to the present invention approximate the weaving characteristics of fiber strands coated with conventional sizing compositions based on starch. / oil and are compatible with FR-4 epoxy resins. While not intended to be bound by any particular theory, it is assumed that the particles 18 of the present invention function in a manner similar to the starch component of conventional starch / oil sizing compositions during processing and jet weaving. air providing the necessary fiber separation and aerodynamic drag for the operation of air jet weaving while providing more compatibility with the epoxy resin system that is not typical of conventional starch / oil sizing compositions . More specifically, the particles 18 give a dry powder characteristic to the coating similar to the dry lubricant characteristics of a starch coating. Another advantage of the coated strands of the present invention is that the particles provide interstices between the strand fibers which facilitate the flow of the matrix materials therebetween to soak and penetrate more quickly and / or uniformly the fibers of the strand. Unexpectedly, the amount of particles can exceed 20 weight percent of the total solids of the coating composition applied to the fibers, although they still adhere properly to the fibers and provide strands having handling characteristics at least comparable to strands. without the coating of particles. In another embodiment shown in Figure 5, coated fiber strands 510 made according to the present invention can be used as warp strands and / or weft 514, 516 in a woven or woven fabric reinforcement 512, to preferably form a laminate for a printed circuit board (shown in figures 6-8). Although not required, the warp strands 514 can be twisted before use by any torsion technique known to those skilled in the art, for example using torsion frames to impart torsion to the strand at about 0.5 to about 3 turns per 2.54 cm (one inch). The reinforcing fabric 512 may include from about 5 to about 100 warp strands 514 per centimeter (about 13 to 254 warp strands per inch and preferably has about 6 to about 50 frame wefts per centimeter (about 15 to about 127. weft threads per inch The weave construction may be a regular plain weave or mesh (shown in Figure 5), although any other weaving style known to those skilled in the art may be used., such as a twill weave or plain weave. A suitable woven reinforcement fabric 512 can be formed using any conventional loom known to those skilled in the art, such as a shuttle loom, air jet loom or rapier loom, but is preferably formed using a jet loom. air (explained above). Markets preferred Tsudakorna air jet looms from Japan as model numbers 103, 1031 1033 or ZAX; Sulzer Ruti models numbers L-5000, L-5100 or L-5200 marketed by Sulzer LA Ltd., Zurich, Switzerland, and Toyoda model number JAT610. The fabric of the present invention is preferably woven in a style suitable for use in a laminate for an electronic support or printed circuit board, as described in "Fabrics Around the World", Clark-Schwebel Technical Bulletin, Inc., of Anderson, South Carolina (1995), which is incorporated herein by reference. For example, a non-limiting fabric style using E225 E fiberglass yarns is the 2116 style, which has 118 warp threads and 114 fill yarns (or weft) by 5 centimeters (60 warp threads and 58 fill threads). per inch); use warp threads and fill 7 22 1x0 (E225 1/0); has a nominal fabric thickness of approximately 0.094 millimeters (approximately 0.037 inch); and a cloth weight (or basis weight) of approximately 103.8 grams per square meter (approximately 3.06 ounces per square yard). A non-limiting example of a fabric style using fiberglass yarns E G75 is the 7628 style, which has 87 warp threads and 61 fill yarns per 5 centimeters (44 threads of urine). dye and 31 filling threads per inch; use warp and fill yarns 9 68 1x0 (G75 1/0); it has a nominal fabric thickness of approximately 0.173 millimeters (approximately 0.0068 inch); and a cloth weight of approximately 203.4 grams per square meter (approximately 6.00 ounces per square yard). A non-limiting example of a fabric style using fiberglass yarns E D450 is the 1080 style, which has 118 warp threads and 93 fill yarns per 5 centimeters (60 warp threads and 47 fill threads per inch; warp and fill yarns 5 11 1x0 (D450 1/0), has a nominal fabric thickness of approximately 0.053 millimeters (approximately 0.0021 inch), and a cloth weight of approximately 46.8 grams per square meter (approximately 1 , 38 ounces per square yard.) A non-limiting example of a fabric style using fiberglass yarns E D900 is the 106 style, which has 110 warp threads and 110 fill threads by 5 centimeters (56 threads of yarn). warp and 56 fill yarns per inch, use warp and fill yarns 5 5.5 1x0 (D900 1/0), have a nominal fabric thickness of approximately 0.033 millimeters (approximately 0.013 inch), and a cloth weight of approximately 24.4 grams per square meter (approximately 0.72 ounces per Square yard) . Another non-limiting example of a cloth style using fiberglass yarns E D900 is style 108, which has 118 warp threads and 93 fill yarns per 5 centimeters (60 warp threads and 47 fill threads per inch; warp and fill yarns 5 5.5 1x2 (D900 1/2), has a nominal fabric thickness of approximately 0.061 millimeters (approximately 0.0024 inch), and a cloth weight of approximately 47.5 grams per square meter ( approximately 1.40 ounces per square yard.) A non-limiting example of a fabric style using both E225 and D450 fiberglass yarns is the 2113 style, which has 118 warp threads and 110 fill yarns per 5 centimeters ( 60 warp yarns and 56 fill threads per inch, use warp yarn 7 22 1x0 (E225 l / O) and fill yarn 5 11 1x0 (D450 1/0), have a nominal fabric thickness of approximately 0.079 millimeters (approximately 0.0031 inch), and a fabric weight of approximately 78.0 grams per m etro square (approximately 2.30 ounces per square yard). A non-limiting example of a fabric style using fiberglass yarns E G50 and G75 is the 7535 style that has 87 warp threads and 57 fill threads per 5 centimeters (44 threads of 10 warp and 29 fill threads per inch; use warp yarn 9 68 1x0 (G75 1/0) and fill yarn 9 99 1x0 (G50 1/0); has a nominal fabric thickness of approximately 0.201 millimeters (approximately 0.0079 inch); and a cloth weight of approximately 232.3 grams per square meter 15 (approximately 6.85 ounces per square yard). These and other useful fabric style specifications are given in IPC-EG-140"Specification for Finished Fabric Woven from 'E' Glass for Printed Boards", publication of the Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits (June 1997), 20 which is incorporated herein by reference. Although such fabric styles use twisted yarns, it is contemplated that these or other fabric styles may be made using zero torsion yarns or wicks in conjunction with or in place of twisted yarns according to the present invention. It is also contemplated Any part or all of the warp yarn in the fabric may have fibers coated with a first resin-compatible sizing composition and part or all of the fill yarn may have fibers coated with a second resin-compatible coating different from the first composition, it is de- scribed, the second composition (1) contains at least one component that is chemically different from the components of the first sizing composition; or (2) contains at least one component in an amount that differs from the amount of the same component contained in the first composition of ? ^ já ^ - íipar ^ ütriifpf sizing. It should be appreciated that the laminates can also be a unidirectional laminate where most of the fibers, threads or strands in each layer of tissue are oriented in the same direction. Referring now to Figure 6, the fabric 612 can be used to form a composite or laminate 614 by coating and / or impregnating with a thermoplastic or thermosetting polymeric film-forming matrix material 616. The composite or laminating 614 is suitable to be used as a Electronic support. As used herein, "electronic support" means a structure that mechanically supports and / or electrically interconnects elements including, but not limited to, active electronic components, passive electronic components, printed circuits, integrated circuits, semiconductor devices and other hardware associated with such elements including, but not limited to, connectors, female plugs, retaining clips and heat sinks. The matrix materials useful in the present invention include thermoset materials such as thermoset polyesters, vinyl esters, epoxides (containing at least one epoxy or oxirane group in the molecule, such as polyglycidyl ethers of polyhydric alcohols or thiols), phenol- eos, aminoplasts, thermostable polyurethanes, derivatives and their mixtures. Preferred matrix materials for forming laminates for printed circuit boards are epoxy resins FR-4, polyimides and liquid crystalline polymers, whose compositions are known to those skilled in the art. If additional information regarding such compositions is needed, see Electronic Materials Handbook ™, ASM International (1989), pages 534-537. Non-limiting examples of suitable polymeric thermoplastic matrix materials include polyolefins, ^ L ^ «li liamides, thermoplastic polyurethanes and thermoplastic polyesters, vinyl polymers and their mixtures. Other examples of useful thermoplastic materials include polyimides, polyether sulfones, polyphenyl sulfones, polyetherketones, polyphenylene oxides, polyphenylene sulfides, polyacetals, polyvinyl chlorides and polycarbonates. Other components that may be included with the polymeric matrix material and reinforcing material in the composite include dyes or pigments, lubricants or processing aids, ultraviolet (UV) light stabilizers, antioxidants, other fillers and extenders. The fabric 612 can be coated and impregnated by immersing the fabric 612 in a bath of the polymeric matrix material 616, for example, as explained in R. Tummala (ed.), Microelectronics Packaging Handbook, (1989), pages 895- 896, which are incorporated herein by reference. More generally, chopped or continuous fiber strand reinforcement material may be dispersed in the matrix material by hand or with any suitable automatic mixing or feeding device which distributes the reinforcing material in general uniformly throughout the polymeric matrix material. . For example, the reinforcing material can be dispersed in the polymeric matrix material by dry blending all the components simultaneously or sequentially. The polymeric matrix material 616 and the strand can be formed into a composite or laminate 614 by various methods depending on factors such as the type of polymeric matrix material used. For example, for a thermoset matrix material, the compound can be formed by compression or injection molding, pultrusion, filament winding, hand lamination, spraying or by sheet molding or bulk molding followed by compression or molding. injection. The thermoset polymeric matrix materials can be cured by the inclusion of crosslinkers in the matrix material and / or by the application of heat, for example. Suitable cross-linkers useful for cross-linking the polymer matrix material have been explained above. The temperature and curing time for the polymer matrix thermosetting material depend on factors such as the type of polymeric matrix material used., other additives in the matrix system and the thickness of the compound, to name a few. For a thermoplastic matrix material, suitable methods for forming the compound include direct molding or extrusion blending followed by injection molding. Methods and apparatus for forming the compound by the above methods are explained in I. Rubin, Handbook of Plastic Materials and Technology (1990), pages 955-1062, 1179-1215 and 1225-1271, which are incorporated herein by reference. In a particular embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 7, the composite or laminate 710 includes fabric 712 impregnated with a comparative matrix material 714. The impregnated fabric can then be compressed between a set of measuring rolls to leave a measured amount of material of matrix, and dried to form an electronic support in the form of a substrate or semi-cured prepreg. An electrical conductive layer 720 may be placed along a portion of a side 722 of the prepreg in the manner that will be explained below in the specification, and the prepreg is cured to form an electronic support 718 with an electrical conductive layer. In another embodiment of the invention, and more typically in the electronic support industry, two or more prepregs are combined with one or more electrical conductive layers and laminated and cured in a manner known to those skilled in the art, to form a multilayer electronic support. For example, but without limiting the present invention, the stack of prepregs can be laminated.

Pressing the stack, for example between polished steel plates, at elevated temperatures and pressures for a predetermined period of time to cure the polymer matrix and form a laminate of a desired thickness. A portion of one or more of the prepregs may be provided with an electrical conductive layer before or after lamination and curing in such a way that the resulting electronic support is a laminate having at least one electrical conductive layer along one layer. portion of an exposed surface (hereinafter referred to as a "coating laminate"). Circuits can then be formed from the single-layer electrically conductive capacitor (s) or multilayer electronic support using techniques known in the art for constructing an electronic support in the form of a printed circuit board. printed wiring board (hereinafter referred to as "electronic circuit boards"). If desired, openings or holes (also called "tracks") may be formed in the electronic supports, to allow electrical interconnection between circuits and / or components on opposite surfaces of the electronic support, in any convenient manner known in the art. , including, but not limited to, mechanical drilling and laser drilling. More specifically, after the formation of the openings, a layer of electrical conductive material is deposited on the walls of the hole or the hole is filled with an electrically conductive material to facilitate the necessary electrical interconnection and / or heat dissipation. The electrical conductive layer 720 may be formed by any method known to those skilled in the art. For example, but without limiting the present invention, the electrical conductive layer can be formed by laminating a thin sheet or sheet of metallic material on at least a portion of one side of the pre-preg or semi-cured or cured laminate. Alternatively, the conductive-electrical layer can be formed by depositing a layer of metallic material on at least a portion of one side of the semi-cured or cured prepreg or laminate using well-known techniques including, but not limited to, electrolytic coating, electroless coating or deposition cathode Suitable metallic materials to be used as an electrically conductive layer include, but are not limited to, copper (which is preferred), silver, aluminum, gold, tin, tin alloys, palladium, and combinations thereof. In another embodiment of the present invention, the electronic support may be in the form of a multilayer electronic circuit board constructed by laminating one or more electronic circuit boards (described above) with one or more coating laminates (described above) and / or one or several prepregs (described above). If desired, additional electrical conductive layers can be incorporated into the electronic support, for example along a portion of an exposed side of the multilayer electronic circuit board. In addition, if necessary, additional circuits can be formed from the electrical conductive layers in the manner explained above. It should be appreciated that, depending on the relative positions of the layers of the multilayer electronic circuit board, the board can have both internal and external circuits. Additional holes are formed, as explained above, partially or completely through the plate to allow electrical interconnection between the layers at selected positions. It should be appreciated that the resulting structure may have some openings that extend completely through the structure, some openings that extend only partially through the structure, and some openings that are completely within the structure. The present invention also contemplates the manufacture of ¡¡¡To jtórj multilayer laminates and placea, of electronic circuits that include at least one composite layer made according to the ideas set forth herein and at least one composite layer made differently from the composite layer herein described, for example made using conventional glass fiber composite technology. More specifically and as those skilled in the art are known, the filaments in continuous fiberglass strands used in weaving fabric are traditionally treated with a starch / oil size that includes partially or fully dextrinized or amylose starch, hydrogenated vegetable oil, an agent cationic humectant, emulsifying agent and water, including, but not limited to, those described in Loewenstein, pages 237-244 (3rd ed., 1993), which is incorporated herein by reference. The warp yarns produced from these strands are then treated with a solution prior to weaving to protect the strands against abrasion during the weaving process, for example polyvinyl alcohol as described in U.S. Pat. 4,530,876 in column 3, line 67 to column 4, line 11, which is incorporated herein by reference. This operation is commonly called glued. Poly (vinyl alcohol) as well as starch / oil size are not generally compatible with the polymeric matrix material used by compound manufacturers and the fabric must be cleaned to remove essentially all organic material from the surface of the fibers of glass before impregnating the woven fabric. This can be done in various ways, for example by cleaning the fabric or, more commonly, by tearing the fabric in a manner known in the art. As a result of the cleaning operation, there is no suitable interface between the polymeric matrix material used to impregnate the fabric and the cleaned surface of the glass fiber so that a coupling agent must be applied to the surface of the fiber. of glass. Those skilled in the art sometimes call this operation finished. The coupling agents most commonly used in finishing operations are silanes, including, but not limited to, those described in EP Plueddemann, Silane Couplin € fr Agents (1982), pages 5 146-147, which is incorporated herein. by reference. See also Loewenstem, pages 249-256 (3rd ed., 1993). After treatment with the silane, the fabric is impregnated with a compatible polymeric matrix material, compressed between a set of measuring rolls and dried 10 to form a semi-cured prepreg as explained above. It should be appreciated that, depending on the nature of the sizing, the cleaning operation and / or the matrix resin used in the composite, the sizing and / or finishing steps can be eliminated. One or more prepregs incorporating conventional fiberglass composite technology can then be combined with one or more prepregs incorporating the present invention to form an electronic support as explained above, and in particular a multilayer laminate or plate. of electronic circuits. For more information on the manufacture of electronic circuit boards, see Electronics Materials Handbook ™ ASM International (1989), pages 113115, R. Tummala (ed.), Microelectronics Packaging Handbook, (1989), pages 858-861 and 895-909, MW Jawitz, Printed Circuits Board 25 Handbook (1997), pages 9, 1-9, 42, and CF Coombs, Jr. (ed.), Printed Circuits Handbook, (3rd ed., 1988), pages 6.1-6.7, which are incorporated herein by reference. The compounds and laminates forming the electronic supports of the present invention can be used to form 30 packaging used in the electronics industry, and more specifically packaging first, second and / or third level, such as that described in Tummala on pages 25-43, which is incorporated herein by reference. In addition, the present invention can also be used for other levels ^^^^^^^, ^^^ ^ ^^^^ - ^ ^ / tí ^ te ** ^^. they are packaged. The present invention also includes a method for reinforcing a polymeric matrix material to form a compound. The method includes: (1) applying to a fiberglass strand reinforcement material the primary composition of primary size, secondary coating and / or tertiary coating including particles that provide interstitial spaces between adjacent glass fibers of the strand, ( 2) drying the coating to form a substantially uniform coating on the reinforcing material; (3) combining the reinforcing material with the polymeric matrix material; and (4) at least partially curing the polymeric matrix material to provide a reinforced polymeric compound in a manner as explained in detail above. While not limiting the present invention, the reinforcing material can be combined with the polymeric matrix material, for example by dispersing it in the matrix material. The present invention also includes a method for inhibiting adhesion between adjacent glass fibers of a fiberglass tuft, including the steps of (1) applying to a glass fiber strand the previous composition of primary sizing, secondary coating or tertiary coating including particles that provide interstitial spaces between adjacent glass fibers of the strand; (2) drying the coating to form a substantially uniform coating on the glass fibers of the fiberglass strand, in such a way that adhesion is inhibited between adjacent glass fibers of the strand. The present invention will now be illustrated by the following specific non-limiting examples. EXAMPLE 1 Each of the components was mixed in the amounts set forth in Table 1 to form aqueous primary size compositions A, B and C according to the present invention. Each ^ t ^ * ¿t £ í * aqueous primary sizing composition was prepared in a manner similar to that explained above. Less than about 1 weight percent acetic acid based on total weight was included in each composition. Each of the aqueous sizing compositions of Table 1 was coated onto fibers forming strands of glass fiber E G-75. Each of the coated fiberglass strands was dried, braided to form yarn, and coiled on coils in a similar manner using conventional torsion equipment. The 10 threads coated with the sizing compositions exhibited minimal sizing fall during twisting.

Table 1 29 PVP K-30 polyvinyl pyrrolidone available from the ISP Chemicals market in Wayne, NJ. 30 STEPANTEX 653 that can be purchased at the Stepan Company Market in Maywood, NJ. 31 A-187 gamma-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane which is available commercially from OSi Specialties, Inc., of Tarrytown, NY. 32 A- 174 gamma-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane obtainable commercially from OSi Specialties, Inc., of Tarrytown, NY. 33 EMERY® 6717 partially amidated polyethylene imine available commercially from Henkel Corporation of Kankakee, IL. 34 MACOL OP-10 ethoxylated alkylphenol available from the BASF Corp. market of Parsippany, NJ. 35 TMAZ-81 derived from ethylene oxide of a sorbitol ester obtainable on the market from BASF Corp., of Paris, NJ. 36 MAZU DF-136 antifoam agent available from BASF Corp., Parsippany, NJ. 37 ROPAQUE® HP-1055, 0.1 micron particle dispersion available from the Rohm and Haas Company market in Philadelphia, PA. 38 ROPAQUE® OP-96, 0.55 micron particle dispersion available from the Rohm and Haas Company market in Philadelphia, PA. 39 ORPAC BORON NITRIDE RELEASECOAT-CONC boron nitride dispersion available from ZYP Coatings, Inc., of Oak Ridge, TN. 40 PolarTherm® PT 160 boron powder nitride available from the Advanced Ceramics Corporation market in Lakewood, OH.

Sizing yarns were used with each of the sizing compositions (A, B and C) as fill yarn when weaving a 7628 fabric style using a Sulzer Ruti model 5200 air jet loom. The warp yarn was a strand of fiberglass E G-75 twisted with fiber coated with a different size composition compatible with resin41. The fabrics were then preimpregnated with an epoxy resin FR-4 having a Tg of about 140 ° C (designated resin 4000-2 by Nelco International Corporation of Anaheim, CA). Sizing compositions were not removed from the fabric prior to preimpegnation. Laminates were made by stacking 8 plies of the prepreg between two layers of 1 oz copper and rolling them at a temperature of approximately 179 ° C (approximately 355 ° F), a pressure of approximately 2.1 megapascals (approximately 300 pounds per square inch) for approximately 150 minutes (total cycle time). The thickness of the copper-free laminates ranged from approximately 0.11 centimeters (0.043 inches) to approximately 0.13 centimeters (0.050 inches). After the formation, the laminates (designated A, B and C according to the fiber strands from which they were made) were checked as indicated below in Table 2. During the test, the laminate B was checked at the same time as a first laminate made of fiberglass yarn coated with Sample A of sizing composition (designated below Al laminate sample). At a later date, laminate C was checked at the same time as a second laminate made of glass fiber yarn coated with sample size composition C (referred to below as laminate sample A2). 41 The warp yarn was fiberglass yarn marketed by PPG Industries, Inc., designated G-75 glass fiber yarn coated 1383 by PPG Indus- tries. Inc. Table 2 5 * based on 2 samples ** based on 3 samples The weld flotation test was performed by floating a 10.16 centimeter by 10.16 centimeter (4 inch by 4 inch) square of the coater liner laminate. A lead-tin welding eutectic bath at approximately 288 ° C (approximately 550 ° F) was observed until vesiculation or delamination was observed. The time to the first vesicle or delamination was then recorded in seconds. The weld immersion test was carried out by cutting 15 a sample of the laminate, removing the copper from the sample by attack, smoothing the cut edges of the 42 According to IPC-TM-650"Flexural Strength of La unates (At Ambi- ? tí f¡ ^ ent Temperature), 12/94, revision B. 43 Ibid shows polishing and putting the sample in an autoclave at approximately 121 ° C (250 ° F) and approximately 0.1 mega-pascals (15 pounds per square inch) for approximately 60 minutes After exposure for 60 minutes, the sample was removed from the autoclave, dried and immersed in a eutectic lead-tin solder bath at approximately 288 ° C (approximately 550 ° F) until that viscosification or delamination was observed, after which the time to the first vesicle or delamination was recorded in seconds.The flexural test was carried out according to the indicated IPC norm Laminates A, B and C made using fiber strands prepared with the compositions of sizing A, B and C respectively, had acceptable properties (indicated in Table 2) for use as electronic supports for printed circuit boards EXAMPLE 2 Each of the components was mixed in the amounts shown in Table 3 to form samples D, E and F of the aqueous sizing composition according to the present invention. Less than about 0.5 weight percent acetic acid based on total weight was included in each composition.

PVP K-30 polyvinyl pyrrolidone available from the ISP Chemicals market in Wayne, NJ. STEPANTEX 653 cetyl palmitate available from the Stepan Company market in Chicago, IL. TMAZ 81 derivative of ethylene oxide of a sorbitol ester obtainable on the BASF market in Parsippany, New Jersey. MACOL OP-10 ethoxylated alkylphenol, available from the BASF market in Parsippany, New Jersey. PolarTherm® PT 160 boron nitride powder particles, marketed by Advanced Ceramics Corporation of Lakewood, OH. EMERY® 6717 partially amidated polyethylene imine available commercially from Henkel Corporation of Kankakee, IL. A-174 gamma-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane which is available commercially from OSi Specialties, Inc., of Tarrytown, NY. A-187 gamma-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane obtainable commercially from OSi Specialties, Inc., of Tarrytown, NY. ORPAC BORON NITRIDE RELEASECOAT-CONC boron nitride dispersion which is about 25 weight percent dispersion of boron nitride particles in water marketed by ZYP Coatings, Inc., of Oak Ridge, TN. MAZU DF-136 antifoam that can be purchased from the BASF Company market in Parsippany, New Jersey. ROPAQUE® OP-96, 0.55 micron particle dispersion available from the Rohm and Haas Company market in Philadelphia, PA. FLEXOL LOE epoxidized flaxseed oil marketed by Union Carbide of Danbury, Connecticut. FLEXOL EPO epoxidized soybean oil marketed by Union Carbide of Danbury, Connecticut.

Each of the aqueous sizing cornetosis of Table 3 was used to coat glass fibers into strands of E-75 glass fiber. Each fiberglass-coated strand was dried, braided to form a thread, and coiled on coils in a similar manner using conventional torsion equipment. The yarn of sample D was evaluated by comparing the coated yarn with coated yarn with a size composition similar to sample D but without the epoxidized linseed oil (hereinafter "comparative sample 1"). This comparison included visual inspection of the appearance of a fabric style 7628 woven in an air jet loom. Sample D of woven fabric used as the fill yarn a strand of fiberglass E G-75 twisted with fiber coated with a different resin-compatible size composition57 as the warp yarn. It was observed that the fabric woven with yarn coated with the sample D exhibited less loose lint on the fabric as well as less lint collected at the contact points on the loom, especially in the yarn accumulator, compared to the woven fabric with coated yarn with the comparative sample 1. No fabric was woven using yarn incorporating fibers coated with samples E or F because of the high initial amount of lint observed in the loom. It is estimated that this condition was the result of an LOI level lower than that necessary to avoid excessive debris formation. In the present invention, it is noted that an LOI of at least 0.40 is required for the sizing compositions discussed above to reduce the formation of fluff during weaving. 57 The warp yarn was fiberglass yarn obtainable commercially from PPG Industries, Inc. as a G-75 glass fiber yarn coated with 1383 binder from PPG Industries, Inc. EXAMPLE 3 Yarns were evaluated. samples A, B and C and a comparative sample 258 (yarn coated with a cotton / oil size) with respect to various physical properties, such as ignition loss (LOI), air jet compatibility (aerodynamic drag) and friction force. The results are set forth in Table 4. The ignition loss (percent by weight solids of the former size composition divided by the total weight of the glass and the dry former composition) of each sample is set forth in Table 4 In each yarn the aerodynamic strength or tension force was evaluated by feeding the yarn at a controlled feed rate of 274 meters (300 yards) per minute through a check line tension meter, which applied tension to the yarn. , and a Ruti air nozzle of two millimeters in diameter at an air pressure of 138 KPa (20 pounds per square inch). The friction force was also evaluated on samples and comparative sample 2 by applying a tension of approximately 20 grams to each sample of yarn when the sample is pulled at a rate of 274 meters (300 yards) per minute by a pair of devices conventional strain gauges having a stationary chrome pole of approximately 5 centimeters (2 inches) in diameter mounted therebetween to displace the wire approximately 5 centimeters from a straight line path between the devices for measuring the tension. The difference in force in grams is shown in the Ta¬ The yarn was fiberglass yarn available from PPG Industries, Inc., designated G-75 glass fiber yarn coated with starch / oil binder 695 from PPG Industries, Inc. bla 7 following. The friction force test aims to simulate the frictional forces to which the yarn is subjected during weaving operations. During the test, samples B and 2 were checked at the same time as a first quantity of glass fiber yarn coated with sample A of the size composition (designated continuation sample A3) and sample C was checked at the same time as a second quantity of glass fiber yarn coated with sample A of the size composition (designated continuation as sample A4). Samples A3, A4 and B had approximately 2.8 weight percent solids. Sample C had about 3.1 weight percent solids. Comparative sample 2 had approximately 5.9 weight percent solids. Table 4 It can be seen from Table 4 that the sizing samples A, B and C have an aerodynamic drag comparable to that of comparative sample 2 (starch / oil binder). In addition, the lower friction force in samples A, B and C indicates that the yarn is easily removed from the loom accumulator during weaving as compared to comparative sample 1. EXAMPLE 4 The aerodynamic drag of yarns of the yarns was evaluated. samples A, B and C and comparative sample 2 in a manner similar to Example 3 above, except that the aerodynamic drag values were determined for a coil sample at the pressures indicated in Table 5. It was also evaluated on each thread the average number of broken filaments per 1200 meters of yarn at 200 meters per minute using a Shirley broken filament detector model number 84 041L, which can be purchased on the market from SDL International Inc., of England (shown in Table 5 as Test 1) . The broken filament values are taken from sections taken from a full spool, the same spool after removing 227 grams (0.5 pounds) and the same spool after removing 4540 grams (10 pounds) of yarn. The number of broken filaments at increasing stress and abrasion levels (indicated in Table 5 as test 2) was also evaluated in each yarn. In test 2, a wire sample was unwound from a coil at 200 meters / minute, spun into a coil using a series of 8 ceramic needles in a uniform voltage control device (sometimes called a door tension device), and passed through Shirley broken filament detector (explained above) to count the number of broken filaments. The separation of the needles in the tensioning device was varied using different quadrant values to provide several tension levels in the yarn. This parti -cular test used a tension device model UTC-2003 marketed by Steel Heddle Co. , from South Carolina. The broken filaments were indicated in the number of broken filaments per meter of thread. The results of the three tests of samples A, B and C and comparative sample 2 are shown in Table 5 below. In a manner similar to that explained above in example 3, samples B and 2 were checked at the same time as a first quantity of glass fiber yarn coated with sample A of the size composition (denoted below shows A5 ) and subsequently sample C was checked at the same time as a second quantity of glass fiber yarn coated with sample A of the size composition (designated below sample A6). Table 5 As seen in Table 5, size samples A, B and C have aerodynamic drag comparable to comparative sample 2 (starch / oil binder). From the above description it can be seen that the present invention provides fiberglass strands with an abrasion resistant coating that provide good thermal stability, low corrosion and reactivity in the presence of high humidity, reactive acids and alkalis and compatibility with various materials of polymeric matrix. These strands can be twisted or chopped, formed into a wick, chopped mat or continuous strand mat or weaved or knitted to a fabric for use in a wide variety of applications, such as reinforcements for composites such as printed circuit boards. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from its broad new concept. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described, but it is intended to cover the modifications that are within the spirit and scope of the invention, defined by the appended claims.

Claims

Claim 1. A covering fiber strand including at least one fiber having a layer of a dry residue of a resin compatible coating composition on at least a portion of a surface of the at least one fiber, including the coating composition compatible with ream: (a) a plurality of dimensionally stable discrete particles formed from materials selected from the group consisting of organic materials, polymeric materials, composite materials and mixtures thereof that provide an interstitial space between the at least one fiber and at least one adjacent fiber, the particles having an average particle size of from about 0.1 to about 5 microns; (b) at least one lubricant material; (c) at least one polymeric film former; and (d) at least one coupling agent. The fiber strand according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fiber is an inorganic fiber formed from a glass material selected from the group consisting of glass E, glass D, glass S, glass Q, glass derivatives E and its combinations. The fiber strand according to claim 1, wherein the resin-compatible coating composition is a resin-compatible primary size composition that is compatible with an epoxy resin. The fiber strand according to claim 1, wherein the particles have a hardness value Mohs lower than that of the at least one fiber. The fiber strand according to claim 4, wherein the particles have a hardness value Mohs of less than about 6. 6. The fiber strand according to claim 1, wherein the s «t ^ t ^ resin-compatible coating composition is a secondary coating composition. 7. The fiber strand according to claim 1, wherein the particles have an average particle size of about 0.5 to about 2 microns. The fiber strand according to claim 1, wherein the particles include from about 20 to about 60 weight percent of the resin compatible coating composition based on total solids. The fiber strand according to claim 8, wherein the particles include from about 35 to about 55 weight percent of the resin compatible coating composition based on total solids. 10. The fiber strand according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the particles includes a hollow particle. The fiber strand according to claim 10, wherein the hollow particle is formed from a copolymer of styrene and acrylic. The fiber strand according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the particles includes a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of inorganic polymeric materials, organic synthetic polymeric materials, organic semi-synthetic polymeric materials and natural organic polymeric materials. The fiber strand according to claim 12, wherein the at least one particle includes an organic polymeric material selected from the group consisting of thermoset polymeric materials and thermoplastic polymeric materials. The fiber strand according to claim 13, wherein the at least one particle includes a thermoplastic polymer material selected from the group consisting of acrylic polymers, vinyl polymers, thermoplastic polyesters, polyolefins, polyamides, thermoplastic polyurethanes and mixtures thereof. 15. The fiber strand according to claim 14, wherein the at least one particle is formed from an acrylic copolymer which is a copolymer of styrene and acrylic. The fiber strand according to claim 13, wherein the at least one particle includes a thermosetting polymeric material selected from the group consisting of thermoset polyesters, vinyl esters, epoxy, phenolic, aminoplast, thermosetting polyurethanes and mixtures thereof. 17. The fiber strand according to claim 1, where the lubricating material is selected from the group consisting of oils, waxes, fats and their mixture. 18. The fiber strand according to claim 17, wherein the lubricious material is a wax selected from the group consisting of natural waxes, synthetic waxes and semisynthetic waxes. 19. The fiber strand according to claim 18, wherein the wax is a synthetic wax selected from the group consisting of cetyl palmitate, cetyl laurate, octadecyl laurate, octadecyl mpstate, octadecyl palmitate, octadecyl stearate and paraffin. The fiber strand according to claim 1, wherein the lubricating material includes from about 20 to about 40 weight percent of the resin compatible coating composition based on the total solids. 21. The fiber strand according to claim 1, wherein the resin compatible coating composition is essentially free of starch materials. 22. The fiber strand according to claim 1, wherein the particles are first particles and the resin compatible coating composition further includes a plurality of additional dimensionally stable discrete particles different from the first particles. 23. The fiber strand according to claim 22, wherein the plurality of additional particles is formed from an inorganic material selected from the group consisting of metals, graphite, oxides, carbides, nitrides, borides, sulfur, silicates and carbonates. The fiber strand according to claim 22, wherein the plurality of additional particles is formed from a solid inorganic lubricant material selected from the group consisting of boron nitride, graphite and metal dicalcogenides. 25. The fiber strand according to claim 1, wherein the polymeric film-forming material includes a material selected from the group consisting of thermoset polymeric materials, thermoplastic polymeric materials, natural polymeric mate- rials, and mixtures thereof. The fiber strand according to claim 25, wherein the film-forming polymeric material includes a thermoplastic polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide, polyacrylic acid and copolymers and mixtures thereof. 27. The fiber strand according to claim 25, wherein the polymeric film-forming material is a thermosetting polymer material that is selected from the group consisting of epoxy, polyester, polyurethane and polyacrylate materials. 28. The fiber strand according to claim 25, wherein the film-forming polymeric material includes from about 5 to about 30 weight percent of the resin-compatible coating composition based on total solids. 29. The fiber strand according to claim 1, wherein the particles are not waxy particles. 30. The fiber strand according to claim 1, wherein the fiber strand is a strand of twisted fiber. 31. The fiber strand according to claim 1, wherein the strands of fiber are a strand of non-twisted fiber. 32. The fiber strand according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fiber is a glass fiber manufactured using a direct melt glass fiber forming process. 33. The fiber strand according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fiber is a glass fiber manufactured using a glass fiber melting process of marble. 34. The fiber strand according to claim 1, wherein the resin compatible coating composition further includes a reactive resin diluent. 35. The fiber strand according to claim 34, wherein the reactive resin diluent is a lubricant including one or more functional groups capable of reacting with an epoxy resin system and selected from the group consisting of amine groups, alcohol groups, anhydride groups , acid groups and epoxy groups. 36. A fabric incorporating at least one fiber strand according to claim 1. 37. A fabric incorporating at least one fiber strand according to claim 15. 38. A fabric incorporating at least one fiber strand according to claim 24. 39. A fabric incorporating at least one fiber strand according to claim 26. 40. A coated fiber strand including at least one glass fiber having a dry residue of an aqueous resin compatible coating composition in at least one portion of a surface of the at least one fiber, including the aqueous resin-compatible coating composition (a) a plurality of discrete organic polymer particles that provide an interstitial space between the at least one glass fiber and at least one adjacent fiber of glass, the particles having an average particle size of up to about 5 microns, (b) a lubricant material selected from the group with of oils, cements, fats and mixtures thereof, (c) polymeric film-forming material selected from the group consisting of thermoset polymeric materials, thermoplastic polymeric materials, natural polymeric materials and mixtures thereof, and (d) a coupling agent . 41. The fiber strand according to claim 40, wherein the plurality of particles includes a plurality of hollow particles including material selected from the group consisting of inorganic materials, organic materials, polymeric materials, composite materials and mixtures thereof. 42. The fiber strand according to claim 41, wherein at least one of the plurality of hollow particles is formed from a polymeric material that is a copolymer of styrene and acrylic. 43. The fiber strand according to claim 42, wherein the particles are first particles and the coating composition further includes a plurality of additional particles including an inorganic lubricant material selected from the group consisting of boron nitride, graphite and metal dicalcogenides. 44. A fabric incorporating at least one fiber strand according to claim 40. 45. A coated fiber strand including at least one glass fiber having a dry residue of an aqueous resin compatible coating composition in at least one portion. of a surface of the at least one fiber, including the aqueous resin compatible coating composition: (a) a plurality of particles including; (i) at least one particle formed from an acrylic copolymer which is a copolymer of styrene and acrylic; and (ii) at least uti = particle formed from a solid inorganic lubricant material selected from the group consisting of boron nitride, graphite and metal dicalcogenides, wherein the particles have an average particle size of up to about 5 microns and include about 35 to about 55 percent by weight of the resin compatible coating composition based on total solids; (b) a lubricant material selected from the group consisting of cetyl palmitate, cetyl laurate, decyl laurate, decyl myristate, decyl palmitate, decyl stearate and paraffin, where the lubricious material includes from about 20 to about 40 weight percent of the resin compatible coating composition based on total solids; (c) polymeric film-forming thermoplastic material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide, polyacrylic acid and copolymers and mixtures thereof, wherein the thermoplastic polymeric film material includes about 5 to about 30 weight percent of the composition of coating compatible with resin based on total solids; and (d) a coupling agent. 46. A fabric incorporating at least one fiber strand according to claim 45. 47. A fabric including a plurality of fiber strands including at least one fiber, at least a portion of the fabric having a residue of a compatible coating composition. with resin comprising: (a) a plurality of dimensionally stable discrete particles formed of materials selected from the group consisting of organic materials, polymeric materials, composite materials and mixtures thereof that provide an interstitial space between the at least one fiber and at least one an adjacent fiber, the particles having an average particle size of about 0.1 to about 5 microns; (b) at least one lubricant material; (c) at least one polymeric film former; and (d) at least one coupling agent. 48. The fabric according to claim 47, wherein at least a portion of the fabric includes strand of twisted glass fiber. 49. The fabric according to claim 47, wherein at least a portion of the fabric includes non-twisted glass strand. 50. The fabric according to claim 47, wherein the at least one fiber is a glass fiber manufactured using a direct melt glass fiber forming process. 51. The fabric according to claim 47, wherein the at least one fiber is a glass fiber manufactured using a glass fiber melting process of marble. 52. The fabric according to claim 47, wherein the fabric is a non-woven fabric. 53. The fabric according to claim 47, wherein the fabric is a woven fabric. 54. The fabric according to claim 47, wherein the fabric is woven on an air jet loom. 55. The fabric according to claim 54, wherein the at least one fiber is a fiberglass manufactured using a direct melt glass fiber forming process and at least a portion of the fabric includes fiberglass twisted strand. . 56. The fabric according to claim 53, wherein the fabric is Weaves in a rapier rapier loom. 57. The fabric according to claim 56, wherein the at least one fiber is a glass fiber manufactured using a direct melt glass fiber forming process and at least a portion of the fabric includes fiber twisted glass strand. 58. The fabric according to claim 56, wherein the at least one fiber is a glass fiber manufactured using a marble melting glass fiber formation process and at least a portion of the fabric includes untwisted glass strand. 59. The fabric according to claim 47, wherein the fabric is selected from the group consisting of woven fabrics, non-woven fabrics and knitted fabrics. aK ter ^.