Fiberglass is a form of plastic that is reinforced with glass fibers. Fiberglass is used for a variety of applications due to its unique properties. Fiberglass is a combination of resin and reinforced plastic, making it a very strong and durable material. Then, is fiberglass safe? Of course.
There are approximately five million metric tons of fiberglass produced annually. Fiberglass is one of the materials that have many benefits at a fairly low price on the market with the best quality.
We are Silicapro offering a wide range of fiberglass products. One of our products is fireproof cloth. The characteristics of this product are, of course, non-flammable because it is resistant to high temperatures, namely 550 to 1100 degrees. The next characteristic is having a compact structure with a soft texture.
This product is very suitable for welding or activities that come into contact with sparks, which are easy to cause fires. Because this product can withstand welding splashes and others, fireproof cloth products can also be used as a light barrier. You can also get high silica fiberglass cloth, high silica chopped yarn, silicone cloth, and other fiberglass products at affordable prices and the best quality.
Contents
The Main Ingredients for Making Fiberglass
In the process of making fiberglass goods, the main ingredients are very important, including:
1. Resin
Resin is a slightly viscous liquid that is the main ingredient. It is used as a mold-filling material. It has several types, namely cloudy resin, colored resin, and clear resin. Additionally, each type has its advantages, as each type has varying hardness, flexibility, and strength. The prices offered for each type also vary.
2. Catalyst
The catalyst is used as a drying agent. It is a clear liquid with a pungent odor. The catalyst catalyzes so that the resin hardens faster.
3. Mat
Mat serves as a binder or reinforcement. Spesifically, mat in the form of woven cloth, consisting of several kinds of woven (finely woven to coarse woven, large woven to infrequent woven). The Mat acts as a binder when the resin and catalyst mixture harden. Thus, making fiberglass strong and not easily broken. Then, the question is fiberglass safe? Of course, fiberglass is formed from the best basic materials with their respective functions.
4. Cobalt
Cobalt is used as a hardener. Most of the resins on the market have been mixed with cobalt. This material is in the form of a bluish liquid. Cobalt serves as an active ingredient in catalyst mixing as a complement. Mainly if the quality of the catalyst used is not good or too dilute.
Fiberglass Complementary Materials
The main material is important in fiberglass. In addition to the main material, there are several complementary materials to eliminate worries about the question, is fiberglass safe? So, here are the various complementary materials in fiberglass:
1. Acetone
Acetone acts as a diluent and wash. It can thin a resin that has thickened from being stored for too long. Acetone can also be used to wash off any fiberglass residue left in the mold.
2. Gelcoat
Gelcoat is used as a mold coating material. It is a type of resin in the form of a thick liquid. Gelcoat can be used as a coating material during the process of making fiberglass molds by layering it repeatedly with a fiber mat as needed.
3. Pigment (Dyeing Material)
Pigments are useful for coloring fiberglass materials. The dye will be mixed in the resin before being mixed with the catalyst.
4. Mirror Glaze Wax
Mirror glaze wax acts as a non-stick material in the printing process. The goal is to prevent the fiberglass from sticking to the mold.
5. Clarifying Agent (MMA)
This purifier is a clear, volatile liquid with a pungent odor. Serves to make the resin clearer and more brilliant. In addition, it can also reduce bubbles when mixing the catalyst resin.
Still curious is fiberglass safe? Next, consider an explanation of the fiberglass production process.
Fiberglass Production Process
Fiberglass is produced using a large furnace. It aims to melt the sand or chemical mixture slowly until it is completely melted. Then, the molten material is processed through a series of very small holes (about 17 to 25 micrometers in diameter for E-Glass type fiberglass and 9 micrometers for S-Glass type fiberglass); this process aims to form filaments.
Next, the filaments will be glued together using a chemical solution to form a roving or thread-like coil of filament. The diameter and number of filaments in a bundle will determine its weight. In this case, the weight is expressed in yield yards per pound. This means how many yards of fiber are in one pound of material. Thus, a smaller number indicates a heavier roll. The rolls can be used for combined engineering applications.
Like the pultrusion technique, filament winding (pipe), and gun roving (automatic tool for chopping glass into small pieces and dropping them into a resin spray to be projected on the surface of the mold), another technique is the intermediate technique used to produce materials such as chopped strand mat (which is made of fibers that are cut into small irregular pieces and tied together) which can also be woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, or multi-directional fabrics. Then, is fiberglass safe? Of course!