Glass filled plastics
Glass fiber reinforced plastic, with the abbrevation GRP or GFRP, is a material in which a plastic matrix is modified by the addition of glass fibers. Glass fibers are the most commonly used reinforcing fibers in reinforced polymers.
The combination of the two materials improves the existing properties of a plastic material and adds new benefits. First and foremost, the mechanical properties benefit from these fibers. In particular, tensile and compressive strength improve enormously with the addition of glass fibers. In addition, glass reinforced plastic convinces with its chemical and dielectric properties as well as favorable costs. But also the thermal dimensional stability is improved with glass fiber reinforced nylon and other polymers.
However, for sliding friction applications, glass filled nylon should usually be avoided, as the glass fibers tend to exert a highly abrasive effect and can quickly cause the mating component to wear.
GRP plastics are classified according to the length of the reinforcing fibers used. In addition to short and long fibers, both of which can still be processed in the extruder, there are also continuous fibers. These have the highest stiffness and strength.
Ensinger offers a wide range of glass filled polymers with a fiber reinforcement ratio of between 25 and 50 %, depending on the product. In addition to short-fiber-reinforced semi-finished products, filaments and compounds, Ensinger also offers continuous fiber reinforced plates, organosheets as well as semi-pregs and prepregs.
