Transparent Composite Material Refractive Index Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transparent composite materials face issues with light transmittance and mechanical strength due to differences in refractive index between glass fibers and resin, leading to temperature-dependent light transmittance and increased haze.
Innovation Solution
A transparent composite material is developed by unidirectionally aligning glass fiber filaments without intersection or overlap within a transparent inorganic-organic hybrid resin, with specific bonding ratios and angles, and embedding them in a film to create a glass fiber plate with improved optical and mechanical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If glass fibers are embedded in typical resin to create transparent composite material, then mechanical strength is improved, but light transmittance changes easily with temperature due to refractive index difference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the resin to create an inorganic-organic hybrid resin with specific refractive index properties. By adjusting the ratio of inorganic components (such as silica) to organic components, the resin's refractive index is optimized to match glass fibers, thereby stabilizing light transmittance across temperature variations while maintaining mechanical strength enhancement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite resin system combining inorganic and organic components. This inorganic-organic hybrid resin structure allows simultaneous achievement of refractive index matching for optical stability and mechanical reinforcement from glass fiber embedding, resolving the contradiction between strength improvement and light transmittance stability.
2Strength
If glass fibers are embedded in resin, then mechanical strength is enhanced, but haze increases due to refractive index mismatch
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the resin's optical parameters by incorporating inorganic components with specific refractive indices. This parameter adjustment reduces the refractive index difference between resin and glass fibers, minimizing light scattering at interfaces and thereby reducing haze while preserving the mechanical strength benefits of fiber reinforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The inorganic-organic hybrid resin creates a more homogeneous optical environment by matching refractive indices between matrix and reinforcement phases. This homogeneity reduces optical discontinuities and light scattering, decreasing haze while maintaining the structural integrity and strength enhancement provided by glass fiber embedding.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves high light transmittance, reduced haze, and enhanced mechanical strengths such as impact and flexural strength, while maintaining transparency across a wide temperature range.
Implementation Method 1
the glass fiber and the typical resin exhibit a great difference in view of a rate of change in a refractive index. This may cause light transmittance to easily change according to a change in temperature
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a transparent composite material including preparing a film coated with a transparent resin, unidirectionally aligning glass fiber filaments and manufacturing a glass fiber plate by embedding the unidirectionally aligned glass fiber filaments in the transparent resin, wherein the transparent resin includes Si—O—Si bond and one of methyl, ethyl and phenyl.