EFFECT OF FILAMENT NUMBER IN STRAND ON THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND THE MOLDING BEHAVIOR OF FRP

Influence of the filament number (binding number) in chopped strand on the mechanical properties of polyethylene-glass composites was discussed along with a preliminary investigation on a new molding method for the composite filled with dispersed glass staples. The results obtained are: 1) When binding number is very small, the flexural strength and flexural modulus become larger. 2) The experimental results for the flexural behavior of composites filled with chopped strands and dispersed staples are nearly equal to the calculated for the modified composite-beam model. 3) In molding with dispersed staples at low pressure composites with large flexural strength and modulus can be obtained. 4) Fundamental data for the production of FRP board with a continuous molding apparatus have been obtained using staple fibers and powdery resins.