What is fiberglass?
Fiberglass is obtained thanks to the intervention of certain very small glass threads, which when interlaced form a mesh, pattern or weft. On the other hand, it is worth mentioning that these threads are obtained by the passage (which is carried out industrially) of a liquid glass through a highly resistant element or piece, which must also have tiny holes. This element is known as the "spinnerette". After this action, you must proceed to a cooling, which is what allows to solidify the fabric, which will result in a product that will be flexible enough to perform a correct interweaving, ie a fabric or mesh.
To make fiberglass, manufacturers use liquid glass from a glass melting furnace or melt glass marbles. The molten glass is then forced to pass through superfine holes creating very fine filaments (threads) of glass, so fine that they are measured in microns (usually 4 microns). Once the threads are cold, they can be interlaced to form the fiberglass or mesh fabric. Fiberglass is often combined with resins to improve the final material, resulting in an extremely strong and durable composite material.
Discovery
Although it is unknown when, how, or by whom the glass was discovered, it is known with certainty that it is an element of ancient origin. Different found objects testify that already 3800 years a.c. 105 Egyptians knew how to manipulate glass in a semi-fluid state. Presumably made by the Phoenicians some 2,500 years before our era, they have also been found in different regions of Asia, India, Mesopotamia, Assyria, among others. But, it is from the years 1500 to 1200 a.c. that the Egyptians manage to develop the first proper methods to manufacture glass on a certain scale; It is possible to observe, in the museum of London, some ornaments made in Egypt with glass fibers, approximately 3500 years ago.
The blowing of the glass is discovered in Syria about 250 years BC, and soon the art of working and carving glass extends throughout the known world, starting with Rome. The manufacture of glass acquires true splendor from the XII century of our era, by work, especially of the Venetians, who manage to give the product aerial movements of lace, with a luxury of extraordinarily beautiful shapes and colors. However, it was not until 1713 that the first precise reference was made on glass fibers when in the course of a conference given by Réaumur at the Paris Academy of Sciences, it exhibited some samples of a glass fabric. Approximately a century and a half later, in 1893, Edward Drummond Libbey presented, at the Combiana Exhibition in Chicago, a rough dress and other articles obtained with glass fabrics, without it is able to arouse greater interest due to the thickness, the fragility and the poor flexibility of the fibers, obtained by rudimentary procedures.
In 1931, the first batches of small diameter glass fibers, suitable for weaving, began to be produced on an industrial scale, as a result of the intense investigations initiated some years before by Owens-Ilinois Glass in North America, Modigliani in Italy, the Saint-Gobain in France and others in Germany, England. At the end of the Second World War, its manufacture spread to the main nations of the world.
Characteristics of fiberglass
To better understand the characteristics of fiberglass, let's turn to the properties of glass. The same has its distinctive features its fragility, transparency and also its high hardness. As long as it is found in a foundry state, then it may be malleable or handy. On the other hand, its ideal temperature to be melted is 1250ºC. Regarding its constitution, it is a material composed of silica - sand and quartz have glass in its composition -, by lime and by sodium carbonate. If we do a bit of history, it is pertinent to mention that this material was known from very ancient times. In fact, it is no secret that the Romans were familiar with the blow system. But it was in the Middle Ages that an important achievement was obtained: the handling of the material with extreme precision. From then on works of significant magnitude began to be executed, especially within the cathedrals, all of them decorated with the use of the vitreous technique.
In the specific case of fiber, its composition is as follows. It is the result of the union of the glass mesh with an epoxy resin. The latter is, in turn, liquid at the beginning, although it then goes on to solidify and maintain the final form or that which had previously been acquired from the mold used. However, in order for that resin to solidify in a fixed period of time, the chemical reaction must be accelerated. This is effected by the use of a catalyst, which can be extremely toxic, reactive and even very volatile. For all these reasons it is recommended to take extreme care during the use of the catalyst.
But perhaps the most notable feature of fiberglass is its resistance to extreme heat. Not only dissipates radiant heat with remarkable efficiency, but some types of fabrics can withstand temperatures of up to 1648 ° C for just over a minute, so it is used for both thermal and sound insulation. Despite their adaptability and resistance to almost all possible types of industrial risks, it is important that the fiberglass cloth is rolled over a tube for shipment, and not folded, no matter how large or small the fiberglass cloth. If folded for transport, it can damage the fabric where the fold is made.
Uses of fiberglass
Before proceeding to determine the different uses that are given to fiberglass, it is necessary to indicate its most relevant characteristics. Among them, we can highlight that it is an excellent thermal insulator, while it is inert to various substances such as acids. fiber-of-glass-uses other features are its tendency to malleability and its resistance to traction. Due to all these important qualities, it is used in many areas, although the main ones are industrial and artistic. In the second case, it is used for the production of handicraft or DIY products. However, it is also very common to use it for the manufacture of parts of the nautical world, such as surf and windsurf boards, boats and even sailboats. Likewise, fiberglass can be used for the realization of fiber optic cables, which are used in telecommunications areas for the transmission of light signals, which are produced by a laser or by LEDs. Another of the most common uses is to reinforce the plastic by using fiber, which often has the purpose of building tanks. For this, what must be done is a laminate of said material together with the resin, a mixture that will be used to assemble the water collector. Also, a mold is needed for the lamination and the application of thin layers of polished glass. The normal use of fiberglass includes acoustic insulation, thermal insulation and electrical insulation in coatings, as reinforcement to various materials, tent poles, sound absorption, fabrics resistant to heat and corrosion, high strength fabrics, poles for pole vaulting, arches and crossbows, translucent skylights, auto body parts, hockey sticks, surfboards, boat hulls, and lightweight honeycomb structural fillings (honeycomb arming technique). It has been used for medical purposes in splints. Fiberglass is widely used for the manufacture of composite tanks and silos.
