New High-Performance Glass Fiber Replaces Metal in Demanding Automotive and Industrial Applications 
 
Owens Corning (NYSE:OC), the leading global producer of glass fiber reinforcements for composite systems, introduced HydroStrand™, a chopped strand glass fiber for high-performance polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) composites. The glass fiber is available globally and is designed for use in automotive and industrial applications that come in direct contact with high-temperature fluids.
 
HydroStrand™ reinforcements provide a new level of mechanical strength and hydrolysis resistance in PPS composites is designed for use in applications exposed to aggressive high-temperature fluids such as cooling modules, thermostat covers, impellers and pumps, and provides an alternative to metal.
 
“New automotive technology and design are raising temperatures under the hood, generating increasing demand for new solutions that can replace metal,” said Global Product Leader for chopped strand thermoplastics, Ludovic Chichignoud. “Our HydroStrand™ 918A glass fiber is engineered to strengthen high-end plastics like PPS to meet these challenges, enabling customers to leverage the design, performance and processing advantages of thermoplastics over metal in the most demanding auto and industrial applications.”
 
Using HydroStrand™ glass fiber in PPS composite solutions improves performance up to 35 percent after hot water or glycol aging. The superior hydrolysis resistance of these composites helps reduce the risk of polymer breakdown at temperatures exceeding 130°C (266° F).