Generally speaking, glass is hard and fragile, so it is not suitable to be used as structural material. However, if it is spun into roving or yarn, its strength will be greatly increased and its softness will be improved. Therefore, it can finally become an excellent structural material with the shape given by resin. The strength of glass fiber increases with the decrease of its diameter. As a reinforcing material, glass fiber has the following characteristics, which make glass fiber more widely used than other kinds of fiber. Its characteristics are listed as follows:
(1) High tensile strength and low elongation (3%).
(2) High elastic modulus and good rigidity.
(3) In the elastic limit, the elongation is large and the tensile strength is high, so the impact energy is absorbed greatly.
(4) It is an inorganic fiber with non flammability and good chemical resistance.
(5) Water absorption is small.
(6) The scale stability and heat resistance are good.
(7) It can be made into strand, bundle, felt, weaving and other different forms of products.
(8) Transparency can pass through light.
(9) The development of surface treatment agent with good adhesion to resin was completed.
(10) It's cheap.
