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Fiberglass is a man-made product that is composed of natural ingredients such as sand and recycled products like window glass and bottles. The ingredients are melted and spun to create small strands of fiberglass that together form "glass wool". Fiberglass is pure white in its virgin state. Additives and binders often color the fiberglass, with pink and yellow being the most common. Fiberglass comes in rolls, batts and as loose insulation which is blown into place. When used in a process with polyester resins, catalysts and hardeners, can be formed or molded into required shapes.
The use of a fiberglass is very advantageous because fiberglass does not conduct heat or cold and it keeps the temperature constant. Fiberglass doesn't expand or contract significantly which makes fiberglass resistant against thermal breaks. Fiberglass does not conduct electricity, that makes it safe to use fiberglass in decorations with electrical circuits. Fiberglass resistance to chemicals makes them widely used in chemical and oil industry as pipes and tanks. All these advantages make fiberglass very attractive in different industries as a durable, strong and lightweight material with superior performance characteristics.
STRENGTH
Fiberglass is a very durable and strong material. Compared to PVC the fiberglass exhibits 8 times greater strength. In construction works, sometimes steel replaced by fiberglass to lower construction weight by maintaining the strength.
ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY
Fiberglass contains low embodied energy (low energy consumption in lineal production which prevent global warming) and has long life. In case of the fire, fiberglass releases less toxic gases than plastic or other composite materials. Therefore, experts believe that fiberglass is an environmentally friendly component.
NON-CORRODING
Fiberglass features non-corrosive characteristics. It withstands salty waters and extreme pressure, which makes fiberglass very competitive between other materials. In the chemical and oil industry fiberglass pipes and tanks are used widely because their life cycle is 3-5 times longer than other materials and they have no junctions which prevent leaking of hazardous materials. Because of these characteristics, fiberglass is used also to built boats and bridges to stand destructive effect of salt water.
CONDUCTIVITY
Fiberglass has low conductivity with its amazing strength. That's why it is used so widely in construction and outdoor design. Low conductivity helps to avoid thermal breaks in heavy thermal conditions, especially when there big thermal fluctuations. On the other hand, fiberglass is a very versatile insulator. It is 500 times less conductive than aluminium. |
