Reinforced Plastics and Composites

The molder has a variety of alternatives to choose from regarding the kind, form, and amount of reinforcement to use (see Tables 6-24 and 6-25 and Figs. 6-35 through 6-41). With the many different types and forms (organics, inorganics, fibers, flakes, and more) available, practically any performance requirement can be met, molded into any shape. Possible shapes range from very small to extremely large, and from the simple to the extremely complex. 

Practically all TS and TP resins are used in RPs, but a few predominate (see Tables 6-21 through 6-26), with TS polyesters being the major type. The properties typical of polyesters are summarized in Table 6-5. The polyester RPs are used in all processes, but their principal use is in the low-pressure methods (spray-up, hand lay-up, pressure bag molding, casting, pultrusion, rotational molding, filament winding, and compression molding (see Chapter 7). 

RPs can be processed in different ways. The individual components of reinforcement and resin can be put together by the processor. Although TP resins generally require no additional material, the TSs usually require the addition of different additives and fillers, such as those reviewed in Chapter 2. 

Most of the TPs used in the RPs are injection molded with compounds prepared by material suppliers. It is estimated that more than half the TSs are prepared by the processor. There are compounds available from material suppliers, as well as in some processing plants, that are ready to be processed, the most popular being the SMCs and BMCs. 

An SMC is a reinforced plastic compound in sheet form. Most SMCs combine glass fiber with a polyester (TS) resin. Any combination of reinforcement and resin can be produced (see Fig. 6-39). The reinforcements can have continuous long fibers or any size of chopped fibers laid out in a different orientation from that of the resin (see Fig. 6-40). The different orientation makes it feasible to use SMCs on flat to complex-shaped molds (see Fig. 6-41). These SMCs will contain various additives and fillers to provide a variety of processing and performance properties. 

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However, the technology of composite materials cannot be fully considered as a new chapter in the history of chemistry. Originally the term composite was used in conjunction with reinforced plastics. The US Society for Plastic Industries had a Reinforced Plastics Division which was renamed Reinforced Plastics and Composites Division, in 1967. [17] In France, a bi-monthly magazine entitled Plastique renforce/Verre textile published by the professional organization bearing the same name, started in 1963 and was rechristened in 1983 Composites with Plastique renforce/verre textile as a subtitle. The shift from reinforced plastics to composite... 

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Ouyang, Z., Li, G., Ibekwe, S.I., Stubblefield, M.A., and Pang, S.S. (2010) Crack initiation process of DCB specimens based on first order shear deformation theory. Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites, 29, 651-663. 

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A mixture of polymer(s) with all materials necessary for the finished product In reinforced plastics and composites, the intimate admixture of a polymer with other ingredients, such as fillers, softeners, plasticizers, reinforcements, catalysts, pigments, dyes, etc. 

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