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.
Fiberglass is popular in the manufacture of sports cars for the same reason it is used in the maritime industry. It is lightweight and pliable. Used in the manufacture of fiberglass trucks, it increases payload capacity. Fiberglass also apparently fares better in a crash. Steel will transfer the vibrations, whereas they will remain localized in a fiberglass vehicle.
In law enforcement, military and civilian sectors, fiberglass is an important component of ballistic armor, or bullet-proof vests and other types of armor. Armor is used to protect a number of different assets, including personnel, but also building components and vehicles. A major advantage of fiberglass over steel armor is that it components may be fashioned in the field using commonly available power tools.
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.
Fiberglass is popular in the manufacture of sports cars for the same reason it is used in the maritime industry. It is lightweight and pliable. Used in the manufacture of fiberglass trucks, it increases payload capacity. Fiberglass also apparently fares better in a crash. Steel will transfer the vibrations, whereas they will remain localized in a fiberglass vehicle.
In law enforcement, military and civilian sectors, fiberglass is an important component of ballistic armor, or bullet-proof vests and other types of armor. Armor is used to protect a number of different assets, including personnel, but also building components and vehicles. A major advantage of fiberglass over steel armor is that it components may be fashioned in the field using commonly available power tools.
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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