REINFORCEMENT | ADDITIVES
Fibres for when compounds need to be strong or stiff
New products and developments in fibre reinforcement highlight the push to even higher strength, dimensional stability, and durability for thermoplastics, as well as improving sustainability and processing. By Jennifer Markarian
When plastics compounds need extra strength or stiffness, formulators have long turned to reinforc- ing fibres, including glass fibres (GF), carbon fibres (CF) and others. Natural fibres, including wood or other plant fibres, are being investigated and used to reduce carbon footprint, as Compounding World reported in May 2025. Recycling of fibre-reinforced thermoplastics and use of recycled carbon fibres are also of high interest. In all applications, perfor- mance is key. Glass fibre reinforcement is beneficial for
durable polyethylene (PE) applications, said Johns Manville, which recently launched a chopped strand glass fibre, StarStran 642, coated with a sizing chemistry designed for PE. The GF has been tested in lengths of 4 mm up to 6.4 mm, with 13 µm diameter. The product is designed for demanding
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outdoor environments and is being evaluated in applications such as railway sleepers (ie, ties), which require dimensional stability and load-bear- ing strength over a long service life outdoors. Other applications could include outdoor decking, construction surfaces and wood-replacement boards. It is produced in North America. The latest from Michelman is Hydrosize 1202, which is a new fibre sizing technology for both chopped strand and continuous fibre applications. Typically, a different film former is needed for continuous fibres compared to the film former for chopped fibres because of differences in the fibre manufacturing process, explained Lauren Hickey, Global Market Manager at Michelman. The new sizing overcomes this challenge and is designed to help simplify operations and reduce costs by
Main image: StarStran 642 glass fibre from Johns Manville is being evaluated in applications such as railway sleepers
June 2026 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 13
IMAGE: JOHNS MANVILLE
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