Manufacture of Fibreglass Nonwoven Composites and Study of the Effect of Different Variables on Their Quality

Abstract

A new technique of manufacturing thermoset composites using chopped fibreglass strands was investigated during this research work. This technique involved manufacturing of fibreglass nonwoven webs by the wet-laid method, these webs were then used as reinforcement for making composites. The wet-laying process allows the opening of the fibreglass strands to single fibres so that the fibres are dispersed more uniformly within the composite. The in-plane fibre orientation distribution in these nonwoven webs was random and the composites manufactured from these webs have more in-plane isotropic properties. The effect of key process variables i.e. dispersion, fibre length and multiple layering on the density, fibre content and void content of the composites was studied. It was found that layering increased the fibre content and decreased the void content. Dispersion and increase in fibre length also decreased the void content.