The Role Of Boron In The Corrosion Of E-Glass Fibres

Corrosion of E-glass fibres in aqueous solutions of organic acids has been investigated. Of the acids tested, oxalic acid was the most corrosive & causes almost total strength loss after exposures of only a few days. Of particular importance is that oxalic acid is a degradation product of the plastic matrix of glass reinforced plastic materials. The proposed mechanism of corrosion is an ion exchange reaction in which metal ions on the glass surface are replaced by hydrogen ions from the acid. This is enhanced by complex formation of leached cation with the anion associated with the acid. Oxalic acid is a strong complexing agent for many of the cations found in E-glass fibres, which explains the severity of its action.