Investigation of the best percentage by weight of glass powder as fillers, in phenolic resins using flexural tests

Abstract

[Abstract]: This project is to find the best percentage by weight of glass powder, as fillers, in phenolic resins using flexural tests. Emphasis is placed on reducing the costs in industry while meeting needs. For this reason strategies have been developed for determining the best percentage by weight of glass powder. Increasing the amount of glass powder into phenolic resins will ensure cost savings and a decrease in weight of the specimens without sacrificing the mechanical properties of the composites. Commercial Phenol Formaldehyde based resole thermosetting resin was mixed with an acid catalyst Phencat 15 at a ratio of 30:1 along with varying percentage of glass powder. Flexural tests were performed on the produced composites to determine flexural strength, flexural strain and flexural modulus. These tests were used to determine the optimum level of glass powder to the samples. Once composites were removed from the moulds post-curing was conducted in an oven. Composite samples ranged of glass powder were produced from 0% to 35%, in increments of 5%, hence eight types of composites were produced. There were six specimens for each type of composite. At 15% by weight of glass powder, the flexural strength was highest (45.9MPa). The highest flexural strain (0.017 mm/mm) was obtained for composites with 15% by weight of glass powder. However, the highest flexural modulus (2544MPa) was achieved when the percentage of glass powder is 15%.