ZnO-modified high modulus glass fibers

It was found that zinc oxide is a modifier that effectively increases the modulus of aluminate and silicate glass fibers. Glass fibers having a higher fiber modulus than that of S-Glass were prepared by modifying aluminate and silicate composition with 5–25 mol% ZnO under conventional glass-forming conditions by melting the mixed oxide powders above the liquidus. The highest fiber modulus obtained in the ZnO-modified aluminate system (44CaO30Al 2O 310ZnO5MgO 5Li 2O4SiO 2) was 1.44 × that of S-Glass, but a new drawing process would be required. The highest modulus obtained in the silicate system (46.8SiO 216.9ZnO12.1CaO11.8MgO5.3TiO 25.3Li 2O0.9ZrO 20.9CeO 0.01Fe 2O 3) was 1.20 × that of S-Glass and no new process is required.