Glass flakes according to the present invention include: glass flake substrates; and a coating covering at least a portion of a surface of each of the glass flake substrates and composed of a binder. The binder includes a bismaleimide compound, a resin, and a silane coupling agent as essential components and includes a peroxide as an optional component. The proportion of the peroxide in the binder is 8 mass % or less.

Glass flakes according to the present invention include: glass flake substrates; and a coating covering at least a portion of a surface of each of the glass flake substrates and composed of a binder. The binder includes a bismaleimide compound, a resin, and a silane coupling agent as essential components and includes a peroxide as an optional component. The proportion of the peroxide in the binder is 8 mass % or less.

The present invention relates to a formaldehyde-free binder composition for mineral fibres comprising: at least one phenol and/or quinone containing compound, at least one protein, at least one fatty acid ester of glycerol.

The present invention concerns a method of producing a moulded mineral wool insulation product, said method comprising the steps of providing a mixture by mixing mineral fibres with a binder composition, and providing said mixture in a mould form, and then curing the binder, wherein the binder composition comprises at least one hydrocolloid, and then removing the moulded product from the mould form.

A bare optical fiber coating device includes: a nipple having a nipple hole through which a bare optical fiber is inserted vertically from above; an intermediate die that has an intermediate die hole through which the bare optical fiber passing through the nipple hole is inserted and that is disposed vertically below the nipple; a first coating die that has a first coating die hole through which the bare optical fiber passing through the intermediate die hole is inserted and that is provided vertically below the intermediate die; and a first resin circulation chamber that is formed by the nipple and the intermediate die, is formed between the nipple hole and the intermediate die hole in an annular shape surrounding the bare optical fiber passing through the nipple hole, and is configured to circulate liquid resin.

A bare optical fiber coating device includes: a nipple having a nipple hole through which a bare optical fiber is inserted vertically from above; an intermediate die that has an intermediate die hole through which the bare optical fiber passing through the nipple hole is inserted and that is disposed vertically below the nipple; a first coating die that has a first coating die hole through which the bare optical fiber passing through the intermediate die hole is inserted and that is provided vertically below the intermediate die; and a first resin circulation chamber that is formed by the nipple and the intermediate die, is formed between the nipple hole and the intermediate die hole in an annular shape surrounding the bare optical fiber passing through the nipple hole, and is configured to circulate liquid resin.

Aqueous binder compositions with reduced rates of salt precipitation are described. The compositions may include a carbohydrate and a sequestrant for sequestering one or more multivalent ions (e.g., Ca.sup.2+, Mg.sup.2+, Ba.sup.2+, Al.sup.3+, Fe.sup.2+, Fe.sup.3+, etc.). The sequestrant reduces a precipitation rate for the multivalent ions from the aqueous binder composition. Methods of reducing salt precipitation from a binder composition are also described. The methods may include the steps of providing an aqueous binder solution having one or more carbohydrates. They may also include adding a sequestrant for one or more multivalent ions to the aqueous binder solution. The sequestrant reduces a precipitation rate for the multivalent ions from the binder composition.

A reinforcing material is disclosed that includes coated glass flakes and coated glass strands. When the total amount of a glycidyl group-including resin and aminosilane contained in the coatings of the coated glass flakes corresponds to 100% by mass, the amount of the resin is 30% to 95% by mass. When the total amount of a glycidyl group-including resin, aminosilane, and a urethane resin contained in the coatings of the coated glass strands corresponds to 100% by mass, the amount of the glycidyl group-including resin is 10% to 90% by mass, the amount of the aminosilane is 0.1% to 40% by mass, and the amount of the urethane resin is 1% to 50% by mass. Both the coated glass flakes and the coated glass strands have an ignition loss of 0.1% to 2.0% by mass measured pursuant to JIS R3420 (2013).

A system and method for monitoring a fiber curing system is disclosed. In one example, transmittance of a curing tube is determined so that curing of a coating applied to a fiber may be more uniform.

A method is provided for forming a melt-resistant glass fiber product, by applying an insulating material to a glass fiber product comprised of filiform glass fibers so as to substantially coat each of the filiform glass fibers therewith, such that the coated filiform glass fibers render the glass fiber product resistant to heat. In one aspect, such a method comprises forming a wetted mixture including filiform glass fibers and insulating material comprising a fire-retarding solution, wherein the wetted mixture has a solids content of the fire-retarding solution substantially uniformly and thoroughly dispersed therethrough. An associated apparatus is also provided.