Combo Mats for Composites and Insulation
Construction
Woven roving combo mat is a complex mat made by stitching together woven roving and a layer of distributed chopped strand base on E-glass. This type of mats combine multi directional strength of strand mat with bi-axial high strength of woven roving and is perfect for for shields and composites reinforcing.
Properties
The most common types of glass used in fibreglass is alumino-borosilicate E-glass type. The main differences between C / E-glass fibre:
| Parameter | C-glass | E-glass |
|---|---|---|
| Fibres diameters | 7 - 15 μm | 4 - 11 μm |
| SiO2 contents | 64-70% | 52-58% |
| Strength | 1800 MPa | 2100 MPa |
| Melting point | 750°C | 840°C |
| Density | 2,50 g/cm3 | 2,56 g/cm3 |
Production process
The process of manufacturing fibreglass is called pultrusion. The manufacturing process for glass fibres suitable for reinforcement uses large furnaces to gradually melt the silica sand, limestone, kaolin clay, dolomite and other minerals to liquid form. It is then extruded through bushings, which are bundles of very small orifices on level 5–25 micrometres. These filaments are then stretched and sized - it means coated with a chemical solution. The individual filaments are now bundled in large numbers to provide a roving.
Size specification and main properties
| Type of mats | MTS 600/275 | MTS 600/305 | MTS 600/450 | MTS 800/275 | MTS 800/305 | MTS 800/450 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combo density (g/m2) | 890±89 | 920±92 | 1077±108 | 1098±110 | 1128±113 | 1283±128 |
| Fabric density (g/m2) | 600±60 | 600±60 | 600±60 | 800±80 | 800±80 | 800±80 |
| Mat density (g/m2) | 275±28 | 305±31 | 450±45 | 275±28 | 305±31 | 450±45 |
| Humidity (%) | ≤0,10 | ≤0,10 | ≤0,10 | ≤0,10 | ≤0,10 | ≤0,10 |
| Tensile strength (N/50mm) | 3800 | 3800 | 3800 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 |
| Thickness (mm) | 1 | 1,1 | 1,3 | 1,2 | 1,3 | 1,5 |
| Width (mm) | 1000±50 | 1000±50 | 1000±50 | 1000±50 | 1000±50 | 1000±50 |
| Length on roll (m) | 56 | 54 | 46 | 45 | 44 | 39 |
Applications
The E-glass now makes up most of the fibreglass production in the world, and also is the single largest consumer of boron minerals globally. It is susceptible to chloride ion attack but not recommended for marine applications. The combo mat is mainly use for glass-reinforced plastics as GRP application, such as: storage tanks, piping systems, house building components, corrosion proof below-ground systems, automotive and aeronautic industry.
Fibreglass composite tanks tend to be used for chemical storage because the plastic liner polypropylene and other are resistant to a wide range of corrosive chemicals in long time.