When polymer is fused with a non-woven fabric composed of fibers, it produces a stronger material than the sum of the strengths of either of the individual substances. Such a material is GFRP composite, in which the non-woven fabric is composed fiberglass. It is used in a number of industries, including construction, ballistic armor, the automotive industry and aerospace.
The reinforcing fabric may also be composed of aramid, a high-strength, heat-resistant synthetic fiber, basalt, or carbon. On rare occasions, asbestos, paper or wood may also be used. The polymer component of a GFRP is generally vinylester, thermoset plastic or epoxy. A thermoset plastic is one that is soft at low temperatures but solidifies on heating .
GFRP materials are used where light weight and strength are necessary, as in the aerospace industry. The Aloha Airlines incident that occurred in April of 1988 is an example where a material failed. A flight attendant was killed when she was swept overboard by an explosive decompression that tore a section off roof of the plane on the short hop between Hilo, Hawaii, and Honolulu. The incident caused injury to 65 passengers and crew.
The first marine uses of FRPs were related to recreational boats. This remained the case for 30 years, until they became more widespread in larger marine applications. FRPs are ideally suited to the maritime industry because they are capable of being molded into complicated shapes, light weight, low cost, corrosion and impact resistance, and vibration damping.
Because of the same properties that make it favorable for marine use, GFRP is useful in the manufacture of high-performance automobiles. Incorporated into fiberglass trucks, its light weight means that a bigger payload may be transported. Fiberglass is also preferable to steel in a car crash. Fiberglass will contain the vibrations to a localized area, while steel will transfer the vibration, and hence the shock, throughout the vehicle.
Police and the military use GFRP, too. It is often incorporated into ballistic armor, such as that in bullet-proof vests, buildings and vehicles. Glass fiber is easy to re-work in the field with simple, readily-available power tools, compared to other materials.
GFRB ballistic armor can sometimes protect rooms like courtrooms from the tendency of bullets to richocet. It is not unknown for a disgruntled hot head to shoot up the courthouse. This happens regularly on courtroom dramas like Medium, CSI and Law and Order, for example. It also happens in real life, as an incident in Tyler, Texas in 2005 shows.
Lately, bullet-proof vests have been making the news and showing up on television dramas a lot. The series two finale of NCIS involved agent Kate Todd throwing herself, wearing a ballistic vest, to block a bullet meant for Special Agent Jethro Gibbs. The armor stopped the bullet, but moments later could not stop an assassin's bullet meant for her head. A couple of shows have had a similar theme when entrepreneurs peddle defective armor to the armed forces, only to be discovered by the heroes of the television programs. No doubt, more applications of GFRPs will be revealed in years to come.
The reinforcing fabric may also be composed of aramid, a high-strength, heat-resistant synthetic fiber, basalt, or carbon. On rare occasions, asbestos, paper or wood may also be used. The polymer component of a GFRP is generally vinylester, thermoset plastic or epoxy. A thermoset plastic is one that is soft at low temperatures but solidifies on heating .
GFRP materials are used where light weight and strength are necessary, as in the aerospace industry. The Aloha Airlines incident that occurred in April of 1988 is an example where a material failed. A flight attendant was killed when she was swept overboard by an explosive decompression that tore a section off roof of the plane on the short hop between Hilo, Hawaii, and Honolulu. The incident caused injury to 65 passengers and crew.
The first marine uses of FRPs were related to recreational boats. This remained the case for 30 years, until they became more widespread in larger marine applications. FRPs are ideally suited to the maritime industry because they are capable of being molded into complicated shapes, light weight, low cost, corrosion and impact resistance, and vibration damping.
Because of the same properties that make it favorable for marine use, GFRP is useful in the manufacture of high-performance automobiles. Incorporated into fiberglass trucks, its light weight means that a bigger payload may be transported. Fiberglass is also preferable to steel in a car crash. Fiberglass will contain the vibrations to a localized area, while steel will transfer the vibration, and hence the shock, throughout the vehicle.
Police and the military use GFRP, too. It is often incorporated into ballistic armor, such as that in bullet-proof vests, buildings and vehicles. Glass fiber is easy to re-work in the field with simple, readily-available power tools, compared to other materials.
GFRB ballistic armor can sometimes protect rooms like courtrooms from the tendency of bullets to richocet. It is not unknown for a disgruntled hot head to shoot up the courthouse. This happens regularly on courtroom dramas like Medium, CSI and Law and Order, for example. It also happens in real life, as an incident in Tyler, Texas in 2005 shows.
Lately, bullet-proof vests have been making the news and showing up on television dramas a lot. The series two finale of NCIS involved agent Kate Todd throwing herself, wearing a ballistic vest, to block a bullet meant for Special Agent Jethro Gibbs. The armor stopped the bullet, but moments later could not stop an assassin's bullet meant for her head. A couple of shows have had a similar theme when entrepreneurs peddle defective armor to the armed forces, only to be discovered by the heroes of the television programs. No doubt, more applications of GFRPs will be revealed in years to come.
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