Transparent Composites

[ZEB31]

Hi,

Does anyone know of a clear / transparent structural resin system that I can cast or infuse? It needs to have a fairly low viscosity, and preferably be room temp. cure. (with the ability to post cure up the Tg)

Thanks in advance for your help

 

[jediknight]

Polyurethane (don't know the composition), used in aircraft transparencies.

Talk to Pilkington Aerospace
Eckersall Road, Birmingham, England jedi-knight@fsmail.net

 

[rembrandt]

There are several manufacturers of transparent Composite materials, but suggest you consider Radiation Cured Materials (Not as bad as it sounds, they are cured by U.V.
Radiation, better known as 'Ultra Violet Light' )
Contact Akzo-Nobel, or Fibatech Industries of Holland,
or Global Solutions Ltd in Scotland.
Hope this helps.

 

i am not sure whether you are trying to make a composite or just the transparent resin casting alone. The former is pretty tricky as it requires precise refractive index matching with fibre (glass in most cases). Transmission would depend on the type of fibre, tex, weave pattern, resin system, cure schedule, curing agent, etc. Acrylics are a good starting point with ICI having some good materials towards this end.

good luck

/SS/

 

[kwekch]

Transparent composites?? Sounds interesting however what i feel is that it is very difficult to make a 100% completely transparent composites.

Let's talk about the reinforcement material first. For this case i don't think you can use continuous fiber. Maybe you can try chopped/cropped fiber or fiber in sand or grain form.

As for the resin wise, epoxy is a translucent white if you can manage to find a clear hardener you might get a transparent resin. I have try using Ancammine as the hardener (light brown in color) and the result resin system is slightly transparent. However your final product should have a small thickness.

The viscosity of the resin is usually a function of temperature hence you can varies the temperature until your desired viscosity and epoxy resin have no problem curing at room temperature but the properties of composites cure in air cannot be compared to one cure at an elvated temperature. I am not that sure about the Tg.

Please also take note that air bubbles or void content is part and parcel of composites material. Unless you have very close control of the resin you will get a composites with a high void content which may not be very pleasant to look at if your composites is transparent.

 

Hi.

I posted a photo on my website of a glass fibre / epoxy beam that I made recently. It contains 50+% fibre volume.

http://www.sml.lr.tudelft.nl/~home/rob/clearbeam.jpg

Rob de Bie

 

what about extruding high-medium temp perspex with glass.
Or heat sealing glass between 2 thin layers of actate, and part scintered/compressed under mechanical pressure?