Polymer chemistry fiberglass

The structural variety of the compounds that form fibers is as diverse as their chemistries. From glasses (fiberglass), and partially crystalline materials (carbon), to special three-dimensional arrays, including polymers, the small, elongate solids may have aspect ratios up to 5000. From our research and compilation (Appendices 1, 2) we noted many mineral and synthetic compounds that have structures characterized by basic linear units. Amphi-boles, the major mineral group mined as asbestos, are characterized as doublechain structures. Many of the minerals in Appendix 1 are polymorphic (di-or trimorphs), and where one member of a mineral series has been described as fibrous the others in the same series are likely to be able to grow as fibers as well. Probably all compounds with similar structures and compositions, mineral or synthetic, can form fibers, even though they are not presently listed. It is also clear that fibrous formation is not confined to compounds with linear structural units indeed the variety of crystalline structure patterns is remarkably diverse. 

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