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> Handling the reinforcement material
> Glass fibre.
The
glass fibre type used in polymer based composites is continuous
or chopped filament and its diameter is normally greater than
6 microns. This means it is too large to be respirable and
tends to be removed from the respiratory system by action
of the lungs. The fibres are irritating to the skin, eyes,
nose and throat but a study by the International Agency for
Research on Cancer (IARC) found that it was not carcinogenic.
In order to improve the handling aspect of glass fibre a coating
of a sizing material may be applied. These materials include
epoxies, polyvinyl acetate-chrome chloride, polyvinyl acetate-silane,
polyester-silane, or epoxy-silane compounds. It is the presence
of these materials that may affect the skin and/or be biologically
active.
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