Performance of Random Glass Mat Reinforced Thermoplastics

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Abstract
Fibers are added to thermoplastic resins in order to enhance mechanical properties; the degree of improvement depends on the fraction of fibers, their length and their orientation. AZDEL®, AZLOY™ and AZMET™ composites are a family of continuous random glass mat reinforced thermoplastics whose mechanical properties exceed those of injection-molded short fiber composites, in order to meet demanding engineering applica tions in industries such as automotive, furniture, material handling and construction. Property evaluations are presented for four composite systems: Polypropylene, poly butylene terephthalate (PBT), and a PBT-polycarbonate blend, each reinforced with 35-45 weight percent glass mat, as well as automotive grade sheet molding compound (SMC). Characterization includes temperature, rate and geometry effects on the tensile and flexural properties, tensile fatigue data and evaluation of anisotropy. The damage produced in instrumented impact specimens tested over a range of temperatures is investigated using ultrasound imaging. The effect of processing strategies on tensile properties is com plimented by fiber orientation and distribution analyses.

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