Uses and Benefits of FRP

Compared to metals, plastics, and other traditional materials used for structural applications, FRP offers a number of benefits, listed below.
 

• Increased strength to weight ratio
• Lower cost
• Low conductivity
• Improved flexibility
• Better ability to be molded into complex shapes
• Chemical inertness

For these reasons, FRP is commonly used as an alternative to metal or plastics. The applications are nearly endless, including storage tanks, piping, automobile parts, ship hulls, and general building and construction materials.

Common Types of Resin Used in FRP

As mentioned above, fiberglass consists of a thermosetting resin reinforced with glass fibers. A number of resins are used in FRPs like fiberglass, including epoxy, vinyl ester, and polyester resins. By far, the most common type of FRP resin is polyester. Polyester-based FRP resins are popular due to their ease of use and good temperature and chemical resistance. However, in some fiberglass applications, the chemical or heat resistance of polyester is not enough, and a more durable material is needed. 

QuaCorr^® - Corrosion & Flame Resistant FRP Resins

QuaCorr^® is a line of furfuryl alcohol–based resin systems designed to manufacture corrosion-resistant and flame-retardant FRP products.  FRP composites based on QuaCorr^® exhibit better chemical resistance, temperature resistance, and fire-retardant properties than polyester composites. ​​​​​​​

Chemical Resistance

QuaCorr^® FRP is highly resistant to aggressive solvents, strong acids, and strong bases. It is especially useful in applications where a solvent is combined with an acid or base, such as in chemical processing, agricultural chemical manufacturing, and acrylate production. In the table below, the corrosion-resistant properties of QuaCorr^® composites are compared to common metals and polyester composites. 

Flame Resistance

In addition to outstanding corrosion resistance, QuaCorr^® composites have inherent fire-retardant properties. The highly cross-linked nature of cured furan resin coupled with a high char yield gives QuaCorr^® resin natural low flame spread and low smoke development properties. Typical fire and smoke test results for laminates made of QuaCorr^® 1001 are listed in the table below. 

Temperature Resistance

Temperature should be an important consideration when selecting materials for developing composites. With polymeric material, physical strength tends to decrease as temperature increases. With QuaCorr^® resins, however, this decrease in strength is essentially linear between −50°F and 450°F rather than the sharp decrease in properties exhibited by styrenated polyester laminates. This provides easier calculations and more predictable results when engineering FRP structures using QuaCorr^®. 

 

Flexural Strength vs. Temperature

How to Use QuaCorr^®

FRP products can be fabricated from QuaCorr^® by hand layup, spray-up, and filament-winding techniques. QuaCorr^® is an acid-catalyzed, modified furfural alcohol system that consists of two parts: the resin, QuaCorr^® 1001 or QuaCorr^® 1300, and the catalyst, QuaCorr^® 2001. Once the resin and catalyst are blended, curing proceeds via a condensation mechanism where water is produced as a byproduct. The reactivity of the QuaCorr^® system has been optimized to allow a reasonable balance between pot life and viscosity, as well as rapid hardness development at ambient temperatures. 
 

Summary 

QuaCorr^® resins are the ideal choice for producing fiberglass that must perform in the most extreme conditions. QuaCorr^® has superior chemical resistance compared to resins such as polyester and has inherent flame resistance. It also has higher temperature resistance and more predictable flexural strength change at higher temperatures. Click below to request samples of the QuaCorr^® system today.