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> The classes of reinforcement materials.
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| The
classes of reinforcement materials |
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Many
materials, from ordinary cheap textile yarns to sapphire fibres
costing about £50 per gramme, can be used for the reinforcement
of polymer composites. However, there are just four classes
which dominate the market. These are:
The
list is roughly in order of cost, with the cheapest materials
at the top.
Continuous
reinforcement is shipped in fibre bundles, known as 'tows'.
A tow will generally comprise several thousand individual
filaments. Cost (by weight) rises with decreasing numbers
of individual filaments in the tow.
The
most common fibres used are glass
and carbon. Glass fibres are cheaper
than carbon and come in various forms that make them suitable
for many applications. Carbon fibres have higher stiffness
and strength than glass fibres and make them very suitable
for lightweight structures that require stiffness. Aramid
fibres are more typically used in high value product areas
where high-energy absorption is needed.
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