TREATED GLASS FIBERS AND AQUEOUS DISPERSION AND NONWOVEN MAT OF THE GLASS FIBERS

Treated glass fibers having adequate protection for gathering into strands and when chopped being more dispersible in aqueous media. The treated glass fibers have a coating of an aqueous treating composition having a cationic surfactant having one or more primary, secondary and/or tertiary amine moieties and one or more water dispersible, emulsifiable or soluble polyols and one or more polar functional coupling agents. Glass fibers treated with the aqueous treating compositions and produced into wet or dry chopped glass fiber strands having lengths of about 1/16 of an inch (1.58mm) to about 3 inches (76.2 mm), and have good dispersibility in aqueous media with or without addition of dispersing agents. Nonwoven, sheetlike mat is produced from aqueous dispersions having the chopped treated glass fibers, where some of the water is removed and polymeric binders, commonly referred to as wet strength binders are applied and the mat is cured. The resulting nonwoven, sheet-like mat product has very good strength properties for use as a reinforcing element for roofing products, construction products and flooring products.