Glass fibre/NR composites

Strength of glass fibre/NR composites can be improved by modification of NR and glass fibre. Modified NR can also give higher strength and better adhesion properties. Modification of glass fibre helps to improve the fibre/matrix adhesion. It is discussed very shortly in this section. 

Fibre-reinforced NR composites are manufactured by various processes, the most common being extrusion, injection moulding and compression moulding (Figure 9.6). To fabricate glass-reinforced NR composites with unidirectional long fibres, extrusion is not used because this process can only result in short fibre-reinforced polypropylene composites (a few millimetres at most). 

V. Gunay, P. F. James, F. R. Jones and J. E. Bailey, Continuous Fibre Reinforced Glass and Glass Ceramic Matrix Composites by Sol-Gel Processing, in Inst. Phys. Conf. Ser. Nr. Ill, lOP Publishing Ltd (1990)... 

Short fibres of glass, rayon, aramid, asbestos and cellulose as reinforcing fillers, have been broadly used in rubber industries due to their high modulus, high strength and low creep. In recent years especially, natural fibres such as jute fibre, cellulose fibre, " coir fibre," " sisal fibre," " etc. have been also widely used in NR composites because they are enviromnental friendly, cheap, abundant and renewable. However, natural fibres also have some disadvantages such as moisture absorption, quality variations, low thermal stability and poor compatibility with the hydrophobic polymer matrix. 

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