Constituents of FRP Composites

FRP composites comprise two major constituents the thermosetting resin matrix and the fibre reinforcement. Unlike blends, in composites the constituents (fibres and matrix) grossly retain their identities and simultaneously produce properties that can never be achieved with either of the constituents acting alone. The fibres are usually of high strength and rigidity and predominantly responsible for the load-bearing capacity of composites. The role of matrix resin is to keep the fibres in a desired location and orientation. The fibres must be separated from each other to avoid mutual 

Material fibres Tensile modulus (GPa) Tensile strength (GPa) Density (g/cm ) % Strain at break Specific strength 

The thermosetting resins used as matrices in FRP composites have been discussed in Chapter 2. The other constituent (fibre) and the interface between the matrix and the fibre merit attention. A wide variety of fibres are available for use in composites. The physical properties of the available fibres are presented in Table 62.. The most commonly used fibres are glass, carbon and Kevlar fibres. Each 

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