FIBERGLASS REINFORCED POLYESTER FOAMS.

In the reported experiments, fiberglass reinforced high-density polyester foams have been prepared on a commercial scale, characterized and analyzed. These foams are attractive as low-weight materials if comparisons are made on an equal stiffness/strength basis. Their elastic modulus is shown to be predictable using the concepts of the quasi-isotropici laminate theory. The temperature sensitivity of the tensile properties of the reinforced foams is significantly reduced. Energy absorption in a falling ball test occurs by the formation of many small cracks restricted to the impacting zone. Fiber reinforcement also reduces the coefficient of thermal expansion.