FRP Composite 101

Fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) composites have revolutionized the manufacturing sector. In many commercial, industrial, and municipal applications, FRP composites offer high-end performance at a fraction of the weight and cost of comparable metal materials. Construction, energy, aerospace, and other critical sectors are realizing the benefits of FRP for producing reliable parts and components.

The Basics of FRP Composites

A composite is any material made from more than one constituent material with significantly differing properties. The union of these constituent materials often yields a product that is stronger, more versatile, and more durable than any of the input materials alone. An FRP composite consists of a plastic resin or polymer matrix and a fiber.

The fiber may be anything from glass to recycled carpet flooring, depending on target properties of the material. The resin provides superior support and transfer of force between fibers and insulates them from exposure to environmental conditions such as rain, insects, heat, and wind. In turn, the fibers provide stiffness and structural support for the flexible plastic, granting the composite material an incredibly high strength-to-weight ratio.

Fiber-reinforced plastic composites also go by other names, such as fiber-reinforced polymer composites, fiber reinforcement composites, and fiber composites—though they all generally refer to the same type of material.

Material Benefits

There are thousands of composites being used in the market for purposes ranging from structural components in construction to spacecraft components in aerospace. Designers and manufacturers across industry sectors turn to FRP for the expansive range of benefits it offers. Here are some of the beneficial features of FRP composites:

Applications of FRP Composites

Some of the common applications for FRP materials include:

Choosing Miura Board™ — A 100% Recycled FRP Composite

Miura Board is an environmentally friendly and weatherproof FRP composite made entirely from recycled plastic and the following: post-consumer carpet fibers, or rice hulls, peanut shells, coconut shells, soybean hulls and any man made or natural fiber. To make this versatile material, we first take in commingled recycled plastics. We then use a patented process to blend these recycled thermoplastics with non-melting fibers—usually nylon or polyester—drawn mostly from carpet backing. The composite is then shaped, cooled, and cut to meet design specifications. The result is usually gray or slate in color, but at customer request, we may add a colorant the fiber-reinforced plastic to obtain a different pigmentation.

Why Miura Board?

Currently one of the most eco-friendly and durable wood replacements on the market, Miura Board boasts low weight, high strength, impact resistance, and invulnerability to the elements. Like other FRP composites, Miura Board does not sustain fungus, bacteria, or termites, and has a long useful lifetime that surpasses that of treated wood. This makes our product a valuable solution for decks, siding, gangways, and just about anywhere a strong, durable material is needed.

Our customers are constantly finding new uses for our product and cutting global demand for lumber in the process. Miura Board is pressure washable, weldable, able to be sanded, and may be left without maintenance for years. Miura Board material is also itself recyclable.

If you share our passion for reducing waste and logging or have a need for a material with far fewer maintenance requirements than wood, please contact our team or request your quote today.

Miura Board. Cut waste, not trees™.