1. Harcourt Butler Technical University, Kanpur
Presentation on
Glass Fiber
Submitted to: Submitted by:
Dr. Anand Kumar Pranjal Kumar
Professor 170204009
Department of Mechanical Engg.
3. Introduction:
• a material consisting of extremely fine fibers of glass
• Mass production of glass fiber strands was discovered
in 1932 by Games Slayter, a researcher at Owens-
Illinois.
• Amorphous solids
• Low cost, high strength, poor abrasion resistance
• Coupling agents are used
• Low modulus as compared to other reinforced fibers
such as Kevlar, carbon, and boron.
4. Method of preparation:
Fiberglass is produced by direct melt process.
• dry mixture of sand, limestone, and alumina are
melted in a refractory furnace.
• Melting temp. of mixture varies for each glass
(generally 12000C)
• Molten glass flows directly into the fiber drawing
furnace in the direct melt process. The marbles are
subsequently remelted and drawn into the fiber.
• Two forms of fiberglass is produced, continuous and
discontinuous fiber.
5. Continued..
• Continuous fibers are produced by introducing molten
glass into a platinum bushing, where the molten glass is
gravity fed through a multiplicity of holes in the base of
bushing.
• The molten glass exits from each orifice and is gathered
together and attenuated mechanically to the proper
dimensions, passed through a light water spray
(quench), and then traversed over a belt that applie's a
protective and lubricating binder or size to the
individual fibers.
• These fibers then are gathered together into a bundle of
fibers called a strand or end.
6. Continued..
• Staple fibers are produced by passing a jet of air across
the orifices in the base of the bushing, thus pulling
individual filaments 20-40 cm long from the molten
glass exiting from each orifice.
• These fibers are collected on a rotating vacuum drum,
sprayed with a binder, and gathered as a "sliver" that
can be drawn and twisted into yarns.
9. Continued….
• A-glass: Alkali glass.
Resistant to chemicals.
Close to window glass.
• C-glass: Chemical glass.
Good resistance to chemical impact.
• E-glass: Electrical glass
Good insulator of electricity.
• AE-glass: Alkali resistant glass.
• S glass: Structural glass. Known for its mechanical
properties.
10. Properties of Fiber glass:
• Mechanical strength: Specific resistance greater
than steel.
• Electrical characteristics: Good electrical insulator
even at low thickness.
• Incombustibility: Not propagate or support a flame.
Not emit smoke or toxic products.
• Dimensional stability: Not sensitive to variations in
temperature and hygrometry.
Low coefficient of linear expansion.
11. Continued….
• Compatibility with organic matrices:
Ability to combine with many synthetic resins.
Certain mineral matrices like cement.
• Thermal conductivity: Low thermal conductivity.
Useful in the building industry.
• Dielectric permeability: Electromagnetic windows.
12. Application:
Fiber glass comes in various forms to suite various
applications, the major ones being-
• Fiberglass Tape: Glass fiber yarns.
Thermal insulation properties.
Applications-wrapping vessels, hot pipelines.
• Fiberglass Cloth: Smooth variants like glass fiber
yarns Glass filament yarns.
Applications-heat shields, in fire curtains.
• Fiberglass Rope: Ropes are braided from glass fiber
yarns
Applications-packing purposes.
13. Application of Fiber glass in various
industries:
• Chemical industry: Anti slip safety feature of the
embedded grit surface and the chemically resistance
feature of different resin compounds.
• Docks and Marinas: for protection.
• Food processing: In the chicken and beef processing
plants, used for slip resistance and for holding the blood
which is corrosive.
14. Continued…
• Aerospace & Defence: Military and civilian
aerospace industry including testing equipment, ducting,
enclosers.
• Automotive industry
15. Reference:
[1] Bhagwan D. Agrawal, Analysis And performance of Fiber
Composite, Third Edition 2015, Page 17, Willey Publisher
