Characterisation of Hollow Glass Fibre Reinforced Vinyl-Ester Composites

Objectives: The core objective of this characterization study is to clarify the effect of reniforement and the geometry of the reinforcement on the mechanical behavior of the vinyl-ester polymer composites. Methods: In this study, Polymer Matrix Composites (PMC) reinforced with both solid glass fiber (E glass) and hollow glass fiber (H glass) is prepared using traditional hand layup technique. Mechanical characterizations are carried out to find the effect of reinforcement on the tensile, compressive, flexural strength and impact resistance of the composites using Universal Testing Machine (UTM) and Charpy Impact. Findings: The characterization study on the mechanical behavior revealed that the hollowness of the fibre reinforcement significantly increased the strength and impact energy absorption capacity of the Hollow glass (H glass) fiber reinforced vinyl ester composites when compared to solid glass (E glass) fiber reinforced vinylester composites. Applications: Be a light weight and high strength materials, Hollow glass reinforced vinyl ester polymer composite can be used in various engineering applications particularly aircraft industry. Keyword: Composites, Hollow Glass Fiber, Mechanical Characterization, Solid Glass Fiber, Vinylester