Continuous fiber reinforced glass composites applications

Composites. High molecular weight PPS can be combiaed with long (0.6 cm to continuous) fiber to produce advanced composite materials (131). Such materials having PPS as the polymer matrix have been developed by usiag a variety of reinforcements, including glass, carbon, and Kevlar fibers as mat, fabric, and unidirectional reinforcements. Thermoplastic composites based on PPS have found application ia the aircraft, aerospace, automotive, appliance, and recreation markets (see Composite materials, polymer-matrix). 

Fiber-reinforced composites contain strong fibers embedded in a continuous phase. They form the basis of many of the advanced and space-age products. They are important because they offer strength without weight and good resistance to weathering. Typical fibers are fiberous glass, carbon-based, aromatic nylons, and polyolefins. Typical resins are polyimides, polyesters, epoxys, PF, and many synthetic polymers. Applications include biomedical, boating, aerospace and outer space, sports, automotive, and industry. 

Another important application of thermoplastic fibers such as poly ether ether ketone (PEEK), Poly etherimide(PEI), and VectranM andHS (Vectranis the trade mark of Hoechst liquid crystalline polymer) is in making thermoplastic matrix composites. Commingled yams of the reinforcement and matrix such as quartz/PEEK, glass/PEI, Vectran HS/M are used to make the composites wherein the matrix yarn fuses to form the continuous phase of the composite. 

Traditionally, material design requirements that suit such demanding end-use applications have been limited within the domain of engineering plastics based on polyamide 6 or 66, polyester alloys, and polyacetal type resins. However, as described in Chapter 1, glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene (GFRP) composites continue to gain a market share in automotive molded parts. 

Recently patent activity continued to be strong in all application areas cited earlier for phenol-formaldehyde (P-F) resins. For example P-F sheet molding compositions (SMC) involving B stages or intermediary systems with glass fiber reinforcing have been patented by Reichhold [21]. The sheet is molded to the applications and then pressed at 320°F at 1000 psi. Other activity in this area in Japan [22] is also worth noting. 

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