Choice of composite materials

The composites chosen for our hockey stick where 300grms/m and 450grms/m of chopped
strand mat and 200grms/m Woven roving fibreglass and the resin used was polyester resin.
Chopped Strand Mat Fibre
Chopped strand mat fibre glass are made up from 50mm long fibreglass strands that are
haphazardly oriented and typically held together with a styrene-soluble binder that acts like
glue connecting the fibres together . The binder is designed to melt upon contact with styrene
in polyester resin or vinyl ester resin. Once dissolved, the fabric loses its rigidity, allowing it
to wrap around curved shapes easily.[a]This type of fibre was chosen as it is the cheapest of
fibres thus making for an economic approach to making the hockey stick .The CSM displays
good strength in all directions because of the random orientation of the fibres.[b]CSM is also
used to add thickness to the material and was used as the first layer after the gel coat to
prevent print through which is when the weave of the fabric shows through the resin .[c]
Difference weights of CSM was used as we taught that adding a heavier fibre (450grms/m)
on the outside and a lighter fibre(300grms/m) on the inside of the mold would act like an
object that is cooled fast where the outside will turn to martensite and its core will turn into
pearlite which will result in a strong outer core but will remain flexible something that would
be needed for a hockey stick .[d]
Woven Roving Fibre
roving is used to increase the strength and stiffness of materials . It is normally placed
between layers of Fibreglass mat and should not be used as the external layer of any
laminate ,and are also cost effective as well. [e] A 200 grms/m weight was used as it could
give us the required strength and thickness needed but also the strength and reinforcement
needed for the hockey stick.[f]
The strength of the woven roving is in two directions of the weave only ,these are 90 to each
other, and overall giving a good strength to the hockey stick combined with the CSM. .
[f]Also it was found that Woven Roving fibre is used in applications to reduce impact
resistance [g]which is needed in hockey considering the forces that are implemented when
shooting a hockey puck.[g]

A.

WEST SYSTEM - Projects - Chopped stand mat & epoxy. 2016. WEST SYSTEM - Projects -Chopped strand mat
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B.

2016].
Chopped Strand/Plain Weave E-Glass as Reinforcement in Vacuum Bagged Epoxy Composites. 2016.Chopped
Strand/Plain Weave E-Glass as Reinforcement in Vacuum Bagged Epoxy Composites. [ONLINE] Available

C.

at: http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jma/2015/957043/. [Accessed 18 April 2016].

Fiberglass Information - Fiberglass Warehouse. 2016. Fiberglass Information - FiberglassWarehouse.
[ONLINE]Available at: https://www.fiberglasswarehouse.com/fiberglass_information.php. [Accessed 18 April

D.

2016].
[ONLINE] Available at: http://academic.uprm.edu/pcaceres/Courses/MatEng/MSE8-2.pdf. [Accessed 18 April

E.

2016
Fibreglass

F.

at:https://www.fibreglassdirect.co.uk/fibreglass-mats/woven-roving.html. [Accessed 18 April 2016].

Fiber reinforcement forms : CompositesWorld . 2016. Fiber reinforcement forms : CompositesWorld .

Woven

Roving.

2016. Fibreglass

Woven

Roving.

[ONLINE]

Available

[ONLINE]Available at: http://www.compositesworld.com/articles/fiber-reinforcement-forms. [Accessed 18 April

G.

2016].
[ONLINE]Available
at:http://composites.owenscorning.com/uploadedFiles/Composites/Docs/Woven_roving_and_combinations_4pp_b
rochure_low_res(1).pdf. [Accessed 18 April 2016].