CLEAR COMPOSITE MATERIAL
CLEAR COMPOSITE MATERIAL
(OP)
We would like to build a few items in our facility out of a clear composite matting or plastic of some kind. I have experience in laying up fiberglass and carbon matting but am not familiar with a clear material. It would have to be structural to some degree. Is anyone familiar with a material that fits the bill? Thanks.





RE: CLEAR COMPOSITE MATERIAL
You do not say whether or not you would like to use epoxy or polyester material and what degree of transparency you would like to have.
However I have had some success with using clear casting resin ( polyester) and chopped strand mat. This provides a translucent material that is almost clear enough to see through. This works best with vacuum bagging because the resin is very low viscosity and has a tendency to run out before curing if open mold laminating is used.
B.E.
RE: CLEAR COMPOSITE MATERIAL
RE: CLEAR COMPOSITE MATERIAL
If you use cloth, then you eventually see the fibers in that cloth - especially if you have several layers.
A possible alternative is to use a very low fiber content prepreg for the first ply, with transparent matrix, and then just add more matrix to build up a relatively transparent body.
It's more a trial and error method, and I doubt it will hold any forces, so I assume it's a decorative piece - not functional.
RE: CLEAR COMPOSITE MATERIAL
Does it *have* to be a composite?
RE: CLEAR COMPOSITE MATERIAL
This is the 'clearest' composite product in wide use that I'm aware. As a bit of trivia, it was a wound on a Bolenz and Schaefer filament winder.
I've also had good luck with translucent outcomes when using extremely smooth materials. (such as making chopped-strand fiberglass test-coupons on a sheet of glass)
RE: CLEAR COMPOSITE MATERIAL
RE: CLEAR COMPOSITE MATERIAL