Does anyone know how long it takes the strength of HDPE to degrade, when it is reinforced with A-glass? Are there additives which can be used to treat HDPE, to make it less reactive with high-alkali glass fibers? (Short of using non-alkali glasses, that is.)
Thanks in advance, -- TTK
It's the glass fibre which degrades, not the polymer. Many, many years ago the UK Rubber and Plastics Research Association did a series of long-term weathering tests on a variety of thermoset resins, reinforced with E and A glass in various forms.
I don't think it ever got to termination, but the A-glass laminates degraded very quickly. The only way in which you might improve matters is to leach the alkali out of the fibres with nitric acid, say, to leave a silica skeleton, then re-treat that with a binding agent.
Once upon a time, "Terry Harper" said: [..]
Thank you, both of you, Terry and Al. I was looking at the HDPE when I should have been looking at the A-glass. Now that I'm on the right track, I'm finding many references for this same problem. I'm grateful.
-- TTK
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