Dissemination of IT for the Promotion of Materials Science (DoITPoMS)

DoITPoMS Micrograph Library Micrograph 596 and full record

Micrograph 596 and full record

Link to image file for micrograph 596
Micrograph no
596
Brief description
Glass-fibre reinforced polymer
Keywords
alignment, composite material Link to MATTER Glossary entry for composite material, fibre Link to MATTER Glossary entry for fibre, glass Link to MATTER Glossary entry for glass, glass fibre reinforced composite, glass fibres Link to MATTER Glossary entry for glass fibres, injection moulding Link to MATTER Glossary entry for injection moulding, polymer Link to MATTER Glossary entry for polymer, polymer composite, polypropylene (PP), thermoplastic, toughness Link to MATTER Glossary entry for toughness
Categories
Composite, Polymer, Polymer composite
System
Polypropylene (PP)
Composition
Polypropylene with 15% glass fibres
Standard codes
Reaction
Processing
Injection moulding
Applications
Short fibre reinforced thermoplastics are mouldable but the fibres confer greater toughness and stiffness upon them. This micrograph is a cross-section of the handle of a gas lighter.
Sample preparation
Technique
Reflected light microscopy
Length bar
400 μm
Further information
15 vol % of short glass fibres are intimately mixed with the polypropylene matrix and injection moulded together. The fibre orientation reflects the flow of material into the mould. In this case, the fibres are well aligned in the outer layers of the moulding but more randomly aligned near the core.
Contributor
J A Curran
Organisation
Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge
Date
03/10/02
Licence for re-use
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International

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