2.3.1 Fibre reinforced plasitcs
Fibre reinforced plastic (FRP): (fibre composite)
Fibre reinforced plastics consist of fibres (e.g. glass fibres) embedded in plastic (the matrix).
- Fibres: A textile structure
- Matrix: Thermosets or thermoplastics which are impregnated with the fibres. The matrix is initially a liquid and is converted to the solid state by a chemical reaction or solidification.
Properties of fibre reinforced plastics
The properties of a fibre reinforced plastic are largely determined by the polymer matrix (thermoset, thermoplastics) and the fibres embedded therein.
Independent of this, general properties of fibre reinforced plastics are:
- High stiffness and strength per unit weight
- Low susceptibility to fatigue
- High damping
- Customisable resistance to media and chemicals
- Low thermal expansion
- Potential use for lightweight construction
They allow high freedom of design.
