Direct Process Glass Reinforcement of Thermoplastics

Glass fiber reinforced thermoplastics offer increased strength, stiffness and shape stability in automotive applications. Three processes are commercially available for merging the fibers with the plastic. One such process is described in detail and the properties resulting from its use in conjunction with inexpensive polymers processed in conventional equipment are shown to offer advantages for the automotive industry. Further improvements in understanding mechanisms of reinforcement and in materials behavior are shown to provide the basis for improvements approaching those theoretically obtainable. Such composite materials are expected to increasingly compete with metals and with more expensive thermoplastics.