Heavy 450 g/m² chopped strand glass mat – ideal for rapid laminate build-up, greater wall thicknesses and robust GFRP components.
This powder-bound E-glass chopped strand mat introduces a substantial amount of reinforcement with every ply. With a calculated laminate thickness of approximately 1.15 mm per ply, greater material thicknesses can be achieved with comparatively few layers. The 127 cm width is particularly practical for larger moulds, shells, tanks, boatbuilding and automotive components.
The glass-fibre mat consists of chopped E-glass fibres arranged randomly in the plane. This provides largely non-directional reinforcement within the laminate plane. The mat is particularly suitable for robust GFRP structures where uniform reinforcement without a pronounced principal fibre direction is required.
At 450 g/m², this is the heaviest grade within this chopped strand mat range. Its key advantage is rapid thickness build-up: considerably more reinforcement is introduced with each ply than with lighter mats. Greater laminate thicknesses can therefore be produced with fewer individual cut pieces and fewer plies.
The 50 mm long glass fibres are held together by a powder binder. When impregnated with a suitable resin system, the mat becomes conformable and can be adapted to curves, surfaces and component contours.
| Fibre type | E-glass |
| Construction | chopped strand mat, powder-bound |
| Areal weight | 450 g/m² |
| Fibre length | 50 mm |
| Yarn fineness | 30 tex, split strand |
| Binder | powder-bound |
| Width | 127 cm |
Benefits of the Glass Mat
- 450 g/m² for particularly rapid laminate and thickness build-up
- approx. 1.15 mm calculated laminate thickness per ply
- fewer individual plies required for greater laminate thicknesses
- largely non-directional in-plane reinforcement
- well suited to large and robust GFRP components
- straightforward processing by conventional hand lay-up
- 127 cm width for large continuous cut pieces
Applications
The 450 g/m² chopped strand mat is the right choice where greater laminate thicknesses need to be built up efficiently with as few plies as practical. It is particularly suitable for large and robust components, moulds and laminated coatings.
Compared with lighter chopped strand mats, each ply introduces more reinforcement material. This reduces the number of processing steps required for thicker laminates and makes the 450 g/m² grade particularly attractive for larger projects.
Typical applications:
- larger GFRP mouldings and shells
- mould and model construction
- boat and yacht construction
- automotive components
- tanks and covers
- pond and basin linings
- substantial backing and reinforcement plies
- multi-ply GFRP laminates requiring greater wall thickness
Suitable Resin Systems
The powder-bound chopped strand mat is particularly suitable for processing with polyester and vinyl ester laminating resins. In contact with styrene-containing resins, the mat becomes soft and can be formed readily to the component geometry.
Suitable epoxy resin systems may also be used. Depending on the epoxy system, the powder binder may be affected more slowly than with styrene-containing resins. The 450 g/m² grade is nevertheless very well suited to larger and comparatively uncomplicated component surfaces.
Calculated Data for Hand Lay-Up Laminates with 15 Vol.-% Fibre Content
| Resin consumption | approx. 1,127 g/m² |
| Laminate thickness per ply | approx. 1.15 mm |
| Laminate weight | approx. 1,577 g/m² |
These values are calculated guidelines. Actual resin consumption and laminate thickness depend on the resin system, processing method and degree of consolidation.
Which Glass Mat Should I Choose?
| Areal weight | Laminate thickness per ply* | Typical use |
| View chopped strand mat 225 g/m² → | approx. 0.58 mm | thinner laminates, repairs and finely controlled laminate build-up |
| View chopped strand mat 300 g/m² → | approx. 0.77 mm | versatile standard grade for general laminating work |
| 450 g/m² | approx. 1.15 mm | greater laminate thickness and rapid material build-up with fewer plies |
* Calculated values at 15 vol.-% fibre content.
Benefits of the 127 cm Width
The 127 cm width is particularly advantageous for larger components. Moulds, shells, tanks and large-area laminates can be covered with wide continuous cut pieces. This can reduce the number of joints and overlaps and allows large surfaces to be laminated efficiently.
Artistic and Decorative Applications
The characteristic random fibre structure of the chopped strand mat can also be deliberately used as a visible design feature. For transparent or decorative applications, we recommend the highly transparent Epoxy Resin HT 2 + Hardener HT 2 (Item No. 105100). It is particularly suitable where the distinctive glass-fibre structure is intended to remain visible beneath a clear resin matrix.
Processing Tips
Wet-out
Apply the laminating resin evenly to the substrate first, then position the pre-cut glass mat and impregnate it completely. With the 450 g/m² grade in particular, make sure that the resin penetrates the full thickness of the mat and that no dry areas remain inside the reinforcement.
Consolidation
Carefully work the fully impregnated mat with a laminating brush or consolidation roller. This removes trapped air, distributes the fibres evenly and supports a homogeneous laminate structure.
Multi-ply laminates
Several layers can be applied wet-on-wet. For greater laminate thicknesses, it is advisable to fully wet out and consolidate each ply before applying the next mat. This makes it easier to control impregnation and produces a more uniform laminate build-up.
Prepare sufficient resin
With a calculated resin requirement of approximately 1,127 g/m², resin consumption per ply is correspondingly high. For larger areas, ensure that sufficient resin is available, but only mix quantities of resin and hardener that can safely be processed within the specified working time.
MSDS Glass fabric, tapes, braided sleeves, rovings, yarns, chopped strands (PDF)
