Laminated Plastic

a material consisting of several sheets, referred to collectively as filler, of fabric, paper, wood, fiber, or fiber mat impregnated with a synthetic resin (bonding agent). Bonding agents include phenol-formaldehyde resins, polyesters, epoxy resins, and polyimides. A distinction is made between various fabric laminates depending on the type of filler. In asbestos laminated plastic, for example, the fabric in asbestos; in glass laminated plastic, it is glass cloth. Cotton and synthetic fibers serve as fillers in fabric laminates, and glass veneers, fibers, and fiber mats are the fillers in fiber-glass reinforced plastic. With wood laminates, the filler is made up of thin sheets (single-ply veneer) of wood. Laminated plastics containing various types of paper as filler are referred to as micarta, of which asbestos micarta is an example. Laminated plastics are important construction materials and are widely used in the construction of aircraft, automotive vehicles, and ships.