Glass fiber reinforced polymer, or GFRP, is manufactured by combining reinforced fibers with a polymer matrix to yield a material that is stronger than its constituent parts. Known in the industry as GFRP composite in order to distinguish it from similar materials. There are a lot of industrial uses for it, including aerospace, the automotive industry, ballistic armor and construction, among others.
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 .
One reason why FRPs are important in the aerospace industry is because this is one place where strong, lightweight, materials are paramount. Those who are not convinced may refer to fuselage damage sustained by Aloha Airlines Flight 243 in April 1988. The plane experienced an explosive decompression that tore off a section of roof on the short flight between Honolulu and Hilo. One flight attendant perished when she was swept overboard, while 65 crew and passengers were injured.
Early maritime uses of GFRPs were confined to recreational water craft. This remained the status quo for three decades, when they began to make their way into more substantial marine uses. These materials are perfect for the maritime industry because they are impact and corrosion resistant, may be molded into complex shapes, they are cheap to produce, light in weight and are capable of damping vibrations.
Glass fiber is common in high-end sports cars for many of the same reasons people use it to make boats, because it is pliable and lightweight. It is also sometimes used in the manufacture of trucks, where the reduced weight of the vehicle means that the payload may be increased, along with profits. Fiberglass vehicles also fare better in collisions. A steel body will propagate the shockwave, whereas the fiberglass will contain it.
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.
GFRP has the property of being able to stop bullets bouncing around, a useful feature in areas where gunfire is a potential hazard. Courtrooms are often armored in fiber-reinforced polymer. A real-life example of this occurred in the February 2005 courthouse shootout in Tyler, Texas, in which three people were killed and several others injured.
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 .
One reason why FRPs are important in the aerospace industry is because this is one place where strong, lightweight, materials are paramount. Those who are not convinced may refer to fuselage damage sustained by Aloha Airlines Flight 243 in April 1988. The plane experienced an explosive decompression that tore off a section of roof on the short flight between Honolulu and Hilo. One flight attendant perished when she was swept overboard, while 65 crew and passengers were injured.
Early maritime uses of GFRPs were confined to recreational water craft. This remained the status quo for three decades, when they began to make their way into more substantial marine uses. These materials are perfect for the maritime industry because they are impact and corrosion resistant, may be molded into complex shapes, they are cheap to produce, light in weight and are capable of damping vibrations.
Glass fiber is common in high-end sports cars for many of the same reasons people use it to make boats, because it is pliable and lightweight. It is also sometimes used in the manufacture of trucks, where the reduced weight of the vehicle means that the payload may be increased, along with profits. Fiberglass vehicles also fare better in collisions. A steel body will propagate the shockwave, whereas the fiberglass will contain it.
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.
GFRP has the property of being able to stop bullets bouncing around, a useful feature in areas where gunfire is a potential hazard. Courtrooms are often armored in fiber-reinforced polymer. A real-life example of this occurred in the February 2005 courthouse shootout in Tyler, Texas, in which three people were killed and several others injured.
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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