Polyester resins fibre-forming

This is a material produced from the impregnation of glass fibre-mat (fibreglass, which is in the form of dry sheet, is commonly known as chopped stranded mat (CSM)) or rovings, with a liquid and unsaturated polyester resin, which thickens chemically to a dry sheet form. The total mix is sandwiched between polyethylene films and then roller-pressed to impregnate and consolidate it. 

Polyesters are eneountered in many forms. They are important as laminating resins, moulding compositions, fibres, films, surface coating resins, rubbers and plasticisers. The common factor in these widely different materials is that they all contain a number of ester linkages in the main chain. (There are also a number of polymers such as poly(vinyl acetate) which contain a number of ester groups in side chains but these are not generally considered within the term polyester resins.)... 

Glass fibres are the preferred form of reinforcement for polyester resins since they provide the strongest laminates. Fabrics from other fibres may, however, be used and can in some instances provide adequate reinforcement at lower cost. Glass fibres are available in a number of forms, of which the following are the most important ... 

Allyl resins Polyester Moulding Compositions Fibre-forming and Film-forming Polyesters Polyfethylene terephthalate) Moulding Materials... 

The highest mechanical strengths are usually obtained when the fibre is used in fine fabric form but for many purposes the fibres may be used in mat form, particularly glass fibre. The chemical properties of the laminates are largely determined by the nature of the polymer but capillary attraction along the fibre-resin interface can occur when some of these interfaces are exposed at a laminate surface. In such circumstances the resistance of both reinforcement and matrix must be considered when assessing the suitability of a laminate for use in chemical plant. Glass fibres are most commonly used for chemical plant, in conjunction with phenolic resins, and the latter with furane, epoxide and, sometimes, polyester resins. 

The polyester resins, reinforced with glass fibre, are the most common thermosetting plastics used for chemical plant. Complex shapes can be easily formed using the techniques developed for working with reinforced plastics. Glass-reinforced plastics are relatively... 

Aramid fibre dipped in liquid phenolic, polyester or polyamide resin to form a paper can be used to form a honeycomb (NOMEX). Properties are dependent on paper thickness, cell geometry and size. Advantages of non-metallic honeycomb cores are absence of internal corrosion and impact resilience. 

As indicated earlier, the materials may be either in the form of compounds or resins and fibres separately. Sheet moulding compound (SMC), dough moulding compound (DMC) and bulk moulding compound (BMC) use polyester resin plus filler, catalyst, pigment, low profile additive, etc. 

A new approach to render fibre-reinforced rigid composite materials flame retardant is undertaken by the utilisation of complex fibrous-intumescent chars. The use of flame retarded cellulosics fabric, surface coated with an interactive intumescent as an additional reinforcement in an otherwise conventional structure has been studied. Thermal analysis has shown that when heated, all components decompose by chemically interactive mechanisms leading to a char-bonded stmcture and the residual mass of char formed is higher than expected above 450 °C, even in the case where polyester resins are present. Not only are greater fiactions of char formed above 450 °C but the chars formed are more resistant to oxidation than the respective components (resin, traditional fabric and coated cellulose). Thus composites comprising these various components will have significantly improved fire performance. 

Pultrusion is a simple technique which is employed mostly for fabrication of products based on unsaturated polyester resins (or other resins like epoxy, vinyl ester) and continuous strand mats (fibre or fabric). A pultrusion machine consists of creel for supplying fibre, a resin tank, forming dies, machined dies with a temperature control facility, a puller and a saw for cutting the product from a continuous composite product. The continuous strand mats are passed through a bath containing a mixture of resin and curatives. In the resin bath, the fibre is passed through a series of rods to remove entrapped air and excess resin to ensure complete wetting of the fibre. 

Linear polyesters Polyesters may be obtained in a wide variety of forms including rubbers, fibres, films, laminating resins, surface coatings and thermoplastic moulding powders. The last named are somewhat similar to the nylons but are more rigid. Chemical applications, would appear to be limited because of their sensitivity to alkaline solutions and hot water. 

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