Physical Properties of Glass-Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Filled with Alumina Trihydrate and Calcium Carbonate

Gutters made of glass-fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) are usually produced with a three-millimetre thickness. The fillers are mixed into unsaturated polyester (UP) resin, which is intended to make the composite material more affordable. This study aims to examine the effects of the addition of alumina trihydrate (ATH), calcium carbonate (CC), and a mixture of ATH and CC of 15 and 30 parts per hundredweight of resins (PHR) on the material properties of the three-millimetre-thick three-layered GFRP composites. The properties observed included physical properties, namely, specific gravity and water absorption, chemical properties such as burning rate, and mechanical properties such as hardness, flexural strength, and toughness. The effects of the fillers on the voids and interfacial bond between the reinforcing fibre and matrix were analysed using the flexural fracture observation through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the addition of fillers into the UP resin led to an increase in the density, hardness, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, and toughness but a decrease in water absorption and burning rate in a horizontal position. This information can be helpful for manufacturers of gutters made of GFRP in selecting the appropriate constituent materials while considering the technical and economic properties.