Applications of Reinforced Plastics

Some more recent developments in the uses of nanocomposites are reviewed in Table 7.2. 

A rapidly developing area is the use of nanocomposites in the manufacture of sports equipment. 

One of the initial uses for exfoliated clay in barrier applications involved a 20 pm coating on the interior of a tennis ball to prevent depressurization. The product was developed by InMat LLC and introduced in 2001. Sports equipment was one of the initial areas where carbon fiber composites were commercialized. This is also true for carbon nanotubes, where the carbon nanotubes (at low levels) reinforce the epoxy matrix of the carbon fiber composite in speciality tennis rackets and hockey sticks. In such applications, performance overrides the economic disadvantages of the expensive carbon nanotube inclusion. 

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Rosato, D. V., and G. Lubin, Application of Reinforced Plastics, 4th International RP Conference. British Plastics Federation, London, UK. Nov. 25-27.1964. 

There is increasing interest in the application of reinforced plastics for metal replacement in the automotive industry to reduce weight and cost. In some applications, reinforced plastics also oner performance advantages over metal. Although the automotive industry is greatly depressed at the present time, a recent report indicates an 11.6% annual growth rate for reinforced plastics in cars and trucks in the next five years (8). 

Electrical Applications of Reinforced Plastics (% glass fiber in parentheses unless otherwise stated)... 

Q Applications of Reinforced Plastics in the General Engineering Industry... 

In addition to specialized applications of reinforced plastics, as discussed in Chapters 7 and 8, plastics are used in a wide range of engineering applications, such as gears and bearings. Some of these applications are listed below. 

One of the critical applications of reinforced plastics is in the manufacture of gears. Traditionally having been fabricated in metals, plastic gears are discussed in more detail below. 

Some applications of reinforced plastics in the aircraft and aerospace indnstries are listed in Table 10.1. It is seen in the table that many formulations have been used in aerospace applications that incorporate glass fibers or carbon fibers. For example, polyether ether formulations have been employed that use from 10% to 20% glass fibers, up to 40% in missile nose cones. 

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