Some Applications Of Continuous Filament Glass Fibre

By Author: Jason Paget
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Glass fibre is chemical inorganic fibre, obtained from molten glass of a specific composition. This glass is compound of quartz sand, limestone, kaolin, calcium fluoride (fluorspar), boric acid, natrium sulfate, and clay. Glass fibre is made of natural materials, so that its products are ecologically pure and not harmful to human health. Glass fibre has been commercially manufactured and marketed it more than 60 years. During this time, it has become one of the world's most useful and beneficial man-made materials.

At the same time as it has numerous uses and applications, glass fibre is generally produced in two basic forms: Wool-type fibres,referred to most commonly as glass wool or glass fibre insulation, and Continuous filament glass fibres, produced in long, continuous strands or filaments.

Continuous Filament Glass Fibre Products and Applications

Continuous filament glass fibre is produced and supplied in a variety of forms - roving, chopped strand, yarn, mat, fabric, tissue, etc. The main end-use is the reinforcement of thermosetting and thermoplastic resins. These composites are used in a ...
... wide variety of applications. The main markets for composite materials are the automotive and transport sectors, the electrical/electronics industry and the building industry. Other markets include pipes and tanks, agricultural equipment, industrial machinery, wind-turbine blades and the sports, leisure and marine sectors. The second most important end-use is the manufacture of textiles that are used in similar markets to composites though clearly for different applications. The main market for glass textiles in the electronics industry is in the production of printed wiring boards.

Man-Made (Synthetic) Vitreous Fibres (MMVF / SVF)

Glass fibre is categorized within a group of man-made materials historically referred to as man-made mineral fibres (MMMF). On the other hand, a more appropriate name is man-made vitreous fibres (MMVFs) or synthetic vitreous fibres (SVFs), reflecting the glassy, non-crystalline nature of the material. Glass fibres are made from molten sand and other inorganic materials under highly controlled conditions.

Composition of Continuous Filament Glass fibre

The predominant glass composition for continuous filament glass fibre is known as E-glass. It accounts for almost all the world’s production of these glass fibres. E-glass is a member of the family calcium-aluminium-silicate glasses. Boron oxide is generally a major additive of E-glass, and the alkali oxides of sodium and potassium are maintained at low levels to give acceptable electrical properties. In recent years, alternative E-glass formulations, without boron oxide addition, have been developed and used in most applications, except for printed wiring boards or aerospace applications.

For some applications requiring specific properties, e.g. high mechanical strength, higher temperature resistance, improved resistance to corrosion, resistance to alkali in cement, high dielectric properties, other glass families like C, D, R, AR and S are also produced as continuous filament glass fibres.

Manufacturing continuous filament glass fibre

Glass fibres are a high technology product. Continuous filament glass fibre is produced by a continuous drawing process through the calibrated holes of bushings at constant speed, thus leading to a very narrow variation in filament diameter. In any given product, the diameter of the fibres does not differ much from the mean or nominal diameter. Standard deviation of the diameter in continuous filament products is typically less than 10% of the nominal diameter.

Thousands of applications can be made of glass fibre, effectively replacing traditional materials such as various other fibres, best steels, non-ferrous metals, traditional building materials a.o. In addition, glass fibre has its own specific significance and applicability.

About Author:

Jason Paget from Elite Composites writes about Glass Fibre. For more information on Glass Fibre please visit http://www.elitecomposites.co.uk/