12 - Fly ash/glass fiber/carbon fiber-reinforced thermoset composites

Abstract

Polymer composites are an important class of materials for the manufacturing industry as the products manufactured by utilizing polymer and reinforcement/filler are high strength, low weight, and low-cost. The manufacturing industry is also growing and it demands tailoring of properties of polymer composites to make more efficient, effective, and durable products. Reinforcement of fibers in the polymer matrix has become a growing trend nowadays for researchers as well as for industrial purposes. Fibers exhibit high stiffness and strength as compared to other polymer matrices. Fly ash is a by-product obtained from the combustion of coal fly ash. Researchers are utilizing fly ash as a particulate filler as it is available at negligible cost and also increases the properties of the composites to some extent. They are trying to utilize various fibers such as glass fiber, carbon fiber, etc., along with coal fly ash to produce hybrid polymer composites in order to study their effects on thermomechanical properties, erosion and wear, fracture toughness, etc. For applications such as automotive brake lining and fabrication of thermal insulation panels, fiber and fly ash both are reinforced together to make hybrid polymer composites and their effects on the required properties are studied. Hybrid polymer composites strengthen the interfacial bonding and thereby increase the properties.