Adding Low Profile Additive to Polyester Resin for
Ultimate Quality
Low profile additives (LPA) are thermoplastics particles
which are incorporated into polyester resins to improve the surface finish of
fiber composites. With great capability of providing strength by compensating
porosity and shrinkage, low profile additives are widely used in wide range of
composite; automobile and engineering areas.
General application areas of Low Profile Additives
- inability
to hold tolerances
- major
warpage
- voids
& cracks
- poor
surface
- fiber
pattern
- sink or
depression on the surface
How Low Profile Additives actually work for composite
industry?
Since application of composites made of fibers and
polyester resins is wide, understanding the failure processes of such
composites is equally important to know the importance of Low Profile Additives
(LPA). As a matter of fact, the fracture of the resin initiates bulk
composite fracture thereby further leading towards residual stresses. The
residual stresses that occur due to the resin volumetric shrinkage during the
curing of the resin are undesired and un-favorable. These un-favorable stresses
further enhance the resin fracture. Due to the resin shrinkage, there is a high
probability of decrease in the surface quality of the product which is treated
with the addition of Low Profile Additives (LPA). These stresses can be reduced
and even reversed by the addition of high quality LPA which is done by SGS
Frangible.
Since, even the best low profile additives find it hard
to achieve a mirror like surface, the low profile additives added by the SGS
Frangible not only belongs to an exclusive range of quality but of high end
methodology too, that’s why the effective use of low profile additives at SGS
Frangible acts as a surface quality enhancer. Since LPA decrease surface
roughness and improve surface smoothness of the thermosetting resin, it cures
the cross section of the surface having lower peaks and shallower valleys
thereby eliminating sink or depression in the surface.
Final Wordings
Since the use of fiberglass reinforced thermosetting
polyester resins has been an effective method of improvisation and innovation
in the composite industry, SGS Frangible has been highly efficient in using the
low profile additives in the rightmost manner for producing the materials with
high heat resistance and strength. As by their very nature it is difficult to
mold the thermosetting composites without compromising the surface cosmetics of
the finished part so it is assured at SGS Frangible to deliver exceptional
quality to consumers by continuously improving the surface smoothness and
dimensional stability of composite parts with the addition of high quality low
profile additives (LPA) to polyester resins for ultimate life and finish.