Pultruded Glass Fiber-reinforced Plastic and Paperboard Composite Tubes

Abstract

This research investigates the production of hybrid composite tubes by combining spirally wound paperboard tubes and fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) materials using the pultrusion process to improve selected mechanical and physical properties of the paperboard tube. Higher natural frequencies of vibration of tubes used in the converting industry is needed in the marketplace because of continued pressure for throughput productivity improvements. This study focuses on hybrid tubes with increased natural frequencies of flexural vibration. A manufacturing feasibility study is conducted which determined that the pultrusion method is the most cost-effective process for this purpose. To evaluate the proposed method, a series of production trials is conducted using 1-in. (2.54 cm) diameter paperboard tubes as the internal mandrel with a thin layer (0.050 in. (0.13 cm)-0.15 in. (0.38 cm)) of FRP material pultruded on the outer surface. Trials are conducted with different FRP layer thicknesses, fiber architectures, and volume fractions. Bonding between the interface of the paperboard and the FRP layer is examined by a microscopy study, and flexural properties of the hybrid tubes are determined using modal analysis. Overall, the research project reveals that manufacturing composite FRP/paperboard tubes is feasible and that little modification is needed to the existing production machinery. In addition, the process results in a highly cost-effective method to produce hybrid paperboard and FRP tubes with high natural frequencies of vibration.