MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE COMPOSITE HYBRIDS

摘要

Glass mat reinforced polyethylene terephthalate (PET) composites were consolidated with uni- or bidirectional glass fibers at their surfaces. The idea for this construction, similar to the previous work on polypropylene based composites, is to use glass mat thermoplastic (GMT) composites to form the basic shape of a composite structure while adding oriented glass tape or fabric at strategic locations for additional reinforcement. The attraction, especially for automotive applications, is the possibility of saving cost and weight in structural parts while achieving improved mechanical properties. The GMT preforms and glass tape or fabric were consolidated using compression molding. The mechanical tests, including flexural, impact and tensile tests, were conducted on the molded composite hydrids. Significant increases in mechanical properties were achieved by adding tapes or fabrics.