Glass fiber

About: Glass fiber is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 34873 publications have been published within this topic receiving 316729 citations. The topic is also known as: glass fibre & Fiberglass.

Are natural fiber composites environmentally superior to glass fiber reinforced composites

Abstract: Natural fibers are emerging as low cost, lightweight and apparently environmentally superior alternatives to glass fibers in composites. We review select comparative life cycle assessment studies of natural fiber and glass fiber composites, and identify key drivers of their relative environmental performance. Natural fiber composites are likely to be environmentally superior to glass fiber composites in most cases for the following reasons: (1) natural fiber production has lower environmental impacts compared to glass fiber production; (2) natural fiber composites have higher fiber content for equivalent performance, reducing more polluting base polymer content; (3) the light-weight natural fiber composites improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions in the use phase of the component, especially in auto applications; and (4) end of life incineration of natural fibers results in recovered energy and carbon credits.

Characteristics of basalt fiber as a strengthening material for concrete structures

Abstract: This study investigates the applicability of the basalt fiber as a strengthening material for structural concrete members through various experimental works for durability, mechanical properties, and flexural strengthening. The basalt fiber used in this study was manufactured in Russia and exhibited the tensile strength of 1000 MPa, which was about 30% of the carbon and 60% of the high strength glass (S-glass) fiber. When the fibers were immersed into an alkali solution, the basalt and glass fibers lost their volumes and strengths with a reaction product on the surface but the carbon fiber did not show significant strength reduction. From the accelerated weathering test, the basalt fiber was found to provide better resistance than the glass fiber. However, the basalt fiber kept about 90% of the normal temperature strength after exposure at 600 °C for 2 h whereas the carbon and the glass fibers did not maintain their volumetric integrity. In the tests for flexural strengthening evaluation, the basalt fiber strengthening improved both the yielding and the ultimate strength of the beam specimen up to 27% depending on the number of layers applied. From the results presented herein, two layers of the basalt fiber sheets were thought to be better strengthening scheme. In addition, the strengthening does not need to extend over the entire length of the flexural member. When moderate structural strengthening but high resistance for fire is simultaneously sought such as for building structures, the basalt fiber strengthening will be a good alternative methodology among other fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) strengthening systems.