REDCO GRC Raw Material
Cem-FIL AR Glass Fibre
Cem-FIL AR Glass Fibre is a continuous filament, alkali resistant glass fibre with high durability in cement. The fibre composition lies within a critical region of the Na2O CaO ZrO2 SiO2 system. Some typical properties of Cem-FIL AR Fibre are as follows:
- Single filament tensile strength 3.5 GN/m2 3.5 GN/m2
- Strand tensile strength 1.7 GN/m2 1.7 GN/m2
- Youngs Modulus of Elasticity 72 GN/m2
- Specific Gravity 2.68
- Strain at breaking point (strand) 2.4%
- Filament diameter 14 or 20 µm
There are two product forms used in cement reinforcement. These are Chopped Strands, for use in premix GRC and as a reinforcement in renders and concretes, and Rovings, for use in the spray production of GRC or for continuous reinforcement. Chopped Strands consist of continuous strands chopped to uniform length while maintaining the integrity of the original strand. They are available in lengths of 3mm to 35mm. Chopped Strands are normally designated by length, by the Tex (mass in grams of a kilometer length) of the individual strands (bundle of filaments) and by reference to their size coating. The size coating on Chopped Strand products is designed to give resistance to mechanical damage in processing or designed to allow the strands to disperse into individual filaments on contact with moisture. Chopped Strands are supplied packed either in boxes or bags, or in bulk shipments. A Roving is a grouping of individual parallel strands wound as a bundle into a cylindrical shaped package containing typically 20 kg of fibre. A Roving is a grouping of individual parallel strands wound as a bundle into a cylindrical shaped package containing typically 20 kg of fibre. It may be:
- Chopped in a 'gun' and sprayed simultaneously with the cement matrix material to provide composites which may be of complex profile.
- Chopped on-site to reduce transport costs, and allowing direct feeding into premix processes nRovings are designated by the Tex of the whole Roving, the Tex of the Strand and the number of strands they contain and by reference to their size coating.
- Rovings are normally shrink-wrapped in plastic film and packed in cardboard cartons.