Fibre Glass
Fiberglass (or fibreglass) is a type of fiber-reinforced plastic where the reinforcement fiber is specifically glass fiber. The glass fiber may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet (called a chopped strand mat), or woven into a fabric. The plastic matrix may be a thermoset polymer matrix–most often based on thermosetting polymers such as epoxy, polyester resin, or vinylester-or a thermoplastic. Fiberglass is unique in its strength and yet it is lightweight.
Reinforced plastics are a recent class of composite materials in which the low modulus and temperature limitations of plastic is overcome by reinforcing it with fibres of high modulus.
Reinforced Plastics
Reinforced plastics find extensive use in many fields, such as automobiles and corrosion-resistant equipment like fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) tanks, vessels, etc.
Reinforced plastics, also known as polymer-matrix composite (PMC) and fiber reinforced plastics (FRP), consist of fibers (the discontinuous or dispersed, phase) in a polymer matrix (the composition phase). These fibers are strong and stiff and they have high specific strength (strength-to-weight ratio) and specific stiffness (stiffness-to-weight ratio). In addition, reinforced-plastic structures have improved fatigue resistance, greater toughness and higher creep resistance than similar structures made from steel.
Although many natural materials were used in the past by man, answering his instinctive urges to prevent heat loss from or entry into his dwellings, no material in modern technology has satisfied the all-around requirements as has fiber Glass. Fiber glass, optical glass and reinforced plastics have important applications and uses in the making of various products. Fiberglass is a lightweight, extremely strong, and robust material. Although strength properties are somewhat lower than carbon fiber and it is less stiff, the material is typically far less brittle, and the raw materials are much less expensive. Its bulk strength and weight properties are also very favorable when compared to metals, and it can be easily formed using molding processes. Fibre glass behaves as a thermal insulation because of its entrapment of small cells of air, and prevention of movement of the air in those cells. In acoustical applications, fibre glass presents to advancing sound waves a myriad of small anechoic chambers which reflect the sound inward from many diverse surfaces until it becomes blotted out. Optical glass is a high glass material that has been seen specifically formulated to possess certain desirable characteristics that effect the propagation of light. The two primary parameters that define the basic types of optical glass are its refractive index and its dispersion. Transportation on wheel is of special significance to the reinforced plastics industry on a number of counts. Suppliers of reinforced plastics parts are often called upon to furnish prototypes of products being considered for auto, truck and bus applications. Performance and quality demands on materials used in aerospace vehicles have given rise to many plastics developments and have kept profits in the plastics industry at a higher level than those in other major markets.