Chitosan Modified Corn Starch and Its Application as a Glass Fibre Sizing Agent

Chitosan-modified corn starch was prepared and then applied as a glass fiber sizing agent. The effect of the chitosan on starch-based emulsion, film and sized glass fiber was studied. When 5 % of the chitosan was added, the overall performance of the modified film-forming agent was optimal. The viscosity, surface tension and zeta potential of the sizing agent were 44.99 mPa·s, 51.29 mN·m[sup]-1[/sup] and 4.5 mV, respectively. The modified sizing agent could easily spread over the surface of glass fibre, and conglutinated to the glass surface firmly. The tensile strength and stiffness of modified-starch glass fiber reached 0.43 N·tex[sup]-1[/sup] and 4.96 cm. Glass fiber with good overall performance was obtained.