Reinforced Plastic

Name:
Reinforced Plastic
Detailed information:
A composite structure comprising of a thermosetting or thermoplastic resin and fibers, filaments, or whiskers of glass, metal, boron, or aluminum silicate. Unless otherwise indicated, this term refers to fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP).

Properties:

Exceptionally high strength, good electrical resistivity, weather and corrosion resistance, low thermal conductivity, and low flammability.

Derivation:

Basic acid glass in the form of fiber (0.0005 inch), strands of 50–200 fibers, filaments, or woven fabric are coated by passing through a bath of molten resin, which acts as a binder. The assembly can be either compression- or injection-molded. Large, high-strength parts are made by filament winding. Resins used are polyester, epoxy, phenolic, polypropylene, polystyrene, nylon, polycarbonate, and polyphenylene oxides.

Use:

Automotive body components, ablative coatings on rockets and space vehicles, appliances (air-conditioning and refrigerator cases), electrical equipment, oil-well piping and tubing, large-diameter pipe, industrial piping systems, chemical storage and mixture tanks, unitized cargo containers, marine equipment, pressure vessels, prefabricated building panels and other structural components, blades for wind machines.

See Glass Fiber; Composite; Fiber; Whiskers.