Properties of Basalt Plastics and of Composites Reinforced by Hybrid Fibers in Operating Conditions

© 2012 Chikhradze et al., licensee InTech. This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Properties of Basalt Plastics and of Composites Reinforced by Hybrid Fibers in Operating Conditions


Introduction
Polymeric reinforced materials are characterized by a number of advantages over traditional structural materials since they offer such unique properties as high specific strength in some cases, in combination with light transmission, radio transparency, high electrical insulating characteristics, non-magnetic properties, corrosion resistance.
The possibility of the preparation of new materials with predetermined characteristics is one of the main advantages of reinforced plastics.In Table 1 the standard mechanical characteristics of the most abundant structural materials as well as averaged standard characteristics, for example, of oriented and randomly reinforced glass-plastics are given.
In recent years an information on new type of polymeric composite-basalt plastic (BP), in which the basalt fiber is used instead of glass reinforcing one [1,2], is of frequent occurrence.Basalt fibers are practically highly competitive with glass ones by main mechanical characteristics and surpasses them by some of them, in particular, by water-resistance and chemical stability (is shown below).But in the form of twisted and non-twisted threads, rovings, roving cloth and discrete fibers, basalt ones represent an alternative and promising reinforcing element for composites.In addition, at solving of a series of specific problems, for example, for preparation of materials with predetermined strength and deformation characteristics in different directions of load application, the combination of glass, highstrength basalt, high-strength and high-modulus carbon fibers were used, that is to say, the production of composites, reinforced by hybrid fibers (HFRC) was organized [3][4][5][6][7][8].
Here we don't detail the properties of these and other types of reinforcing fibers.We have restricted ourselves to the comparison of glass, basalt and carbon fibers (Table 2).presence of polymeric matrix in considered materials predetermines an impossibility of the evaluation of strength or deformability at room temperature without specifying of time in the course of which the materials are in stressed state. Directional locating of reinforcing fibers in the plane of reinforcement as well as a lamination of the structure in the direction perpendicular to mentioned plane, causes an anisotropy of mechanical and other properties.As a rule, a number of characteristics, necessary for determination of one or another properties of reinforced plastics, is considerably more than for isotropic materials.Moreover, the regularities of the behavior of reinforced plastics at mechanical testing depend on the direction of load application.For example, for oriented composites a tension diagram in the direction of reinforcement is governed by Hooke's law.At loading at an angle to the direction of reinforcement, this diagram becomes essentially non-linear.A lamination of the structure of polymeric composites predetermines their low resistance to interlayer shear and to transverse breaking off.Therefore, at bending, these materials may be destroyed because of the fact that tangential stresses will be higher than material's resistance to interlayer shear instead of the fact that normal stresses (extending or compressing) may attain the limiting values. Deformations, generated perpendicularly to reinforcing fibers, are mainly realized in matrix interlayers because of low rigidity of the latter in comparison with glass, basalt or carbon fibers; this fact leads to the formation of the cracks in the interlayers of a binder between the fibers or at phase boundaries.Low crack resistance is particularly characteristic of oriented plastics.The cracks have little or no effect on the values of characteristics, obtained as a result of short-term testing.However, such characteristics of a material as hermeticity, resistance to corrosive media, mechanical and electrotechnical properties in the conditions of long-term operation at the appearance and intergrowth of the track are significantly impaired.


Relatively low value of elasticity modulus of reinforced plastics and composites leads to the fact that load-carrying ability of thin-wall structures is limited by deformability and stability instead of the strength.For complete use of high strength characteristics of the composites it is profitable to design the item and structure as three-layered or to provide the stiffening ribs.Designing must be carried out in such a way as to the material will operate on tension instead of compression, whenever possible.However, it should be noted that in some cases the low elasticity modulus is a definite advantage of reinforced polymers (for example, pipe-lines from mentioned materials without the compensators of temperature deformation and etc.) Considered peculiarities of reinforced polymers, generally, and of BP and HFRC, in particular, must be taken into account at designing and at the use of structures and items from mentioned materials.
Appearance of new generation of reinforced polymers -BP and HFRC is due to the quest for preparation of the materials, characterized by higher initial mechanical and other indexes and by higher stability of these indexes at the action of various operating factors.
At the present time the volumes of the production and of the use of the composites, reinforced by high-strength and high-modulus fibers, are insignificant.The main consumers of mentioned materials are aviation and rocket-space engineering.The main barrier for widening of the fields of the use of such materials (for example, in wind power engineering, chemical production and etc.) is their high cost.
In regard to the cost of BP and HFRC, it should be noted that the ways for their cost reduction, probably, are associated with a cheapening of initial materials as well as of mechanization of the production instead of the increase of the output, concentration and specialization of the production.In this connection, the problem of the cost reduction for composites by, if only for, partial replacement of expense and scarce carbon fiber by considerably cheaper (by an order) basalt one without significant impairment of main operating properties of the material is highly topical.Moreover, the share of reinforcing fibers as well as of a binder in the expenses of raw materials is distinct for the composites of various types.For the composites, in which the nonwoven reinforcing elements are used in the form of threads and mats, the expenses of reinforcing materials attain to 30-35% of all material expenses.At the same time the expenses of reinforcing materials in the form of the cloths may attain to 50-70% at the preparation of basalt plastics.Therefore an essential effect in the reduction of composite's cost may be attained by replacing of the cloths from twisted threads by nonwoven reinforcing materials and roving cloths.
Price cost reduction for BP and HFRC is also possible at the expense of introducing of efficient fillers-reinforcers into the matrix composition.This method allows a considerable decrease of fiber content without an essential reduction of characteristics of the resulting material.
One more way for enhancement of the efficiency of the use of BP and HFRC in action is a rational design and the use of the items from them with regard to the effect of real environment on the material.Below the primary attention is given to more or less detailed consideration of these problems.

General methodology of investigations
At designing of structures and items from composite materials, primarily the values of their calculated resistances are necessary.By long-term calculated resistance (Rcl) of the material in normal conditions the product of normative resistance of the material by coefficient of longterm resistance and by coefficient of the uniformity of its mechanical characteristics is meant: Normative resistance (Rnor) was determined a strength limit of the materials under study by the results of short-term testing of small samples, carried out in accordance with acting standards.Coefficient of long-term resistance (Kℓ-t) was determined by testing to failure of the series of the samples of the materials at long-term loading at the stresses comprising a definite part from a strength limit of the material.Uniformity coefficient (Ku) was determined by well-known three sigma rule by calculation of arithmetic mean and by rootmean-square deviation of the strength, which are defined on the basis of statistical analysis of the results of mass testing of strength properties of BP and HFRC.
Calculated resistances of the materials, operating at the joint action of static load and regimes, different from normal ones (elevated temperature, high humidity, corrosive medium and etc.) were determined by multiplying the long-term calculated resistances into corresponding coefficients of operating conditions: , , , where KT, Kw, Kcor, Katm -coefficients of operating conditions of composites, service of which is provided, respectively, at elevated temperature, in water or at high humidity at the action of corrosive media, in atmospheric conditions, as well as at synchronous long-term action of load as well as of external factors.In some cases the coefficients of operating conditions were determined at the joint action of various factors, for example, of temperature, water /humidity (KT,w).
The objects of investigations were:
The mode of preparation: contact moulding (without pressure and temperature).
Expected field of application: light-transparent guarding building structure.
Expected field of application: shells of three-layered building panels (among them for corrosive media).
The mode of preparation: production of veneer, its impregnation by a binder, direct pressing of semifinished item.
Expected field of application-auxiliary structural elements and details.
The mode of preparation: preliminary impregnation of reinforcing element, direct pressing at the temperatures of 140-160 0 C; pressure 250-350 kgf/cm 2 , holding time 2-5 min on 1 mm of material.
Expected field of application: auxiliary structural details for corrosive media.
The mode of preparation: production of prepreg, its direct pressing.
Expected field of application: shell of wind turbine blade.

HFRC-2.
The same, but 20% of carbon fiber is replaced by basalt one in the form of roving.
The mode of preparation: the same as in the case of HFRC-1 and HFRC-2.
Expected field of application: the spar of wind turbine blade.

HFRC-4.
The material similar to the composite HFRC-3, but 20% of carbon fiber is replaced by basalt one in the form of roving.
The results of determination of normative resistances at various types of stressed state (tension, bending, compressing, shear -, , , as well as of short-term elasticity modulus at tension, bending and compressing ( , ,  ) and coefficients of uniformity of strength properties of the materials under study are given in Table 3.
Returning to the problem on uniformity coefficient of material, it should be noted that testing, carried out for its determination were performed at room temperature -humid conditions.Incidentally, in the course of operating of the structures by the use of plastic materials, they may undergo to various temperature-humid effects and it may be suggested that these effects may exert some influence not only to the variation of absolute values of mechanical properties of BP and HFRC, but, to some extent, they may reflect on the indexes of uniformity of strength properties of the materials.To check this suggestion the investigations were carried out to reveal the influence of preliminary action on the indexes of uniformity of strength properties of BP-1, BP-2, HFRC-2 and HFRC-4 at tension.In Table 4 the results of these testing are given.They involve the data necessary to calculate the uniformity coefficient (number of testing -n, arithmetic -mean value for strength -σav, mean square deviation -σ´ as well as variation coefficient -V).The regimes of preliminary action on the samples of the material were: №1 -holding in laboratory room; №2 -heating at 353K over 10 days; №3 -steeping over 1 day; №4 -steeping over 10 days; №5 -steeping over 10 days by further drying over 10 days; №6 -steeping over 10 days at 353K.
As is seen from Table 4, the variation of Ku is relatively small and maximum reduction of Ku comprises 9 % for BP and 6 % for HFRC.Hence, the value of Ku, obtained by testing in normal temperature-humid conditions, may be used by confidence at practical calculations.
Under prolonged (long-term) strength of the solid the dependence of time duration up to its failure on the stress and temperature is meant.The coefficient of long-term resistance is a value, determined by testing of a series of the materials samples under prolonged loading to failure at the stresses, constituent a definite part from material strength limit.Thus, in the terms "long-term resistance" and "durability" an equal meaning is assigned.Remark: 1 BP-1.Resistances at shear are given in the direction, perpendicular to sheet plane.2. BP-2.For efforts acting in the direction of the base of basalt cloth (δ=7mm).

Material
3. BP-3.At the ratio between longitudinal and transverse fibers, equal to 1:1 for efforts, acting in the direction of fibers.4. BP-4.In numerator and denominator at reinforcing by chopped and oriented fibers, respectively.5. HFRC-1, HFRC-2, HFRC-3, HFRC-4.In numerator and denominator the values along and transversely to X axis, respectively (Fig. 1,2).The equation of temperature-time dependence of the solids, as it well known, relates durability (τ), stress (σ) and temperature (T) to each other [9,10]: where τo -is a constant, approximately equal to 10 -13 sec, which in order of a value is near to the period of thermal oscillations of atoms; U0 -initial activation energy of the process of material destruction; k -Boltzmann's constant; γ -average coefficient of overstresses.
Physical meaning of the formula (1) may be explained by means of thermal fluctuation theory of strength.According to this theory, destruction is kinetic, thermally fluctuating process of permanent accumulation of damages, developed in the body since the load application to its destruction.Breaking of interatomic bonds, activated by applied stress, is an elementary act of destruction process.
In the course of experiments it has been established that BP and HFRC under our study are, mainly, obey the temperature-time dependence.Along with it, it should be noted, that in relation to BP and HFRC, which are bi or more component composites, physical meaning of the values τo, U0 and γ is not reasonably evident.But it should be taken into account that the main goal of our investigations is to obtain the empirical relationships between long-term resistance (durability) of new types of structural materials and the conditions of their operation.In this case the question about physical meaning of above-mentioned values does not need to be posed.
From (1) the following is obtained: where Thus, the linear dependence between material strength and temperature at τ = const is in existence.At elevating of testing temperature, primarily, the adhesion bonds are broken at the boundaries of basalt (glass) -binder and in the matrix the cracks, parallel to the fiber, are formed, since U0 values for silicate fibers are equal to 350-385 kJ/mole and the values of activation energy of destruction of polymeric matrix comprise 125-190 kJ/mole.Intensity of breaking of adhesion bond: carbon-binder is of lesser importance, since U0 for polyacrylonitrile is near to U0 for binder (200 kJ/mole).In spite of this fact, in materials under study, breaking of adhesion bond doesn't lead to their destruction since reinforcing element continues an operation as the bundle of non-bound fibers.In this case minimal breaking stress for uni-directional basalt plastics is estimated as a half of breaking stress, obtained by standard testing of the material at normal temperature.

Effect of duration of static loading and temperature on strength
Dependence of breaking stress of BP and HFRC on temperature was estimated by the coefficients of operating conditions KT = σT / σs-t, where σT and σs-t are breaking stresses for the samples after temperature action and at short-term testing, respectively.The values of KT are presented in Table 5.
where lg In regard to material under study, the linear relationship between strength and durability logarithm is mainly obeyed at normal as well as at the temperatures of 313K and 333K.Mentioned temperatures are considerably less than temperature of forced elasticity of BP and HFRC and because of this fact the dependence σ -lg τ on tension hasn't a kink, characteristic of the case of the action of high (>350K) temperatures.Below these dependences are presented in the coordinates σ -lg τ in contrast to the coordinates lg τ -σ, used in the theory of the strength of the solids (Fig. 3, 4).To estimate a time dependence of the strength, the coefficients of operating conditions of the material were used: Kτ = στ / σs-t, where στ breaking stress after the time interval, corresponding to service life of the structure or item.The values Kτ for BP and HFRC are given in Table 6.Direct experimental determination of στ is fraught with great difficulties: the maintenance of constant external conditions and predetermined stress over a long period of time is necessary.Therefore the values στ were determined for three values: 1, 10 2 , 10 3 hours by extrapolating on the basis of equation ( 1), obtained curve and by assuming that external factors don't distort a linear character of temporal dependence of the strength.
Hence, we have, separately, the coefficients of operating conditions providing the temperature influence as well as considering the loading duration.Over many years the method of multiplying of these coefficients has been used to account the joint effect of these factors on long-term resistance.But as it was shown in [11], this method leads to considerable overstating of calculated resistances of glass plastics, especially at the temperatures close to glass transition temperature of a binder.To check this fact, a materials under study were subjected to the joint action of loading and temperature (313 K, 333 K), correlating the data, obtained in this case with the values of the coefficients of operating conditions Kτ and KT (Table 7).

Coefficient
Temperature The analysis of the data of Table 7 confirms the fact that the method of coefficients multiplying really leads to enhanced values of the coefficients of operating conditions and consequently to overstating of calculated resistances of BP.Thus, it was decided to determine the coefficients of operating conditions for the joint action of external factors and loading.

Effect of the time of loading action and temperature on deformation characteristics
Deformability of the materials under study, caused by force action, was estimated by shortterm and long-term elasticity and shear modulus (Es-t, E ℓ-t, Gs-t, Gℓ-t) were determined by short-term static testing of small standard samples as a ratio between the increment of stress and the increment of relative deformation of a sample.E ℓ-t, G ℓ-t were obtained by long-term static testing of the samples at stresses equal to calculated long-term resistance of materials as a ratio between the stress and maximum relative deformation of the sample at damping of creeping.It should be noted that the term "long-term elasticity modulus" is conventional in this case, since deformations of polymeric composites at long-term loading, in reality, aren't elastic.
At the temperatures, no greater than the temperature of beginning of binder destruction, reinforcing fibers act as linear-elastic materials.Binders are characterized by visco-elastic properties.Therefore, deformations of BP and HFRC, generally, depend significantly on duration and temperature of operation.
As might be expected, in uni-directional or orthogonally-reinforced BP and HFRC, the creeping is formed at the action of constant loading applied to the direction of reinforcement.But after a time, this process is practically terminated.This fact is quite clear since at first an effort is distributed between fibers and binder, but stresses in binder relax and all stresses are progressively imparted to fibers.
At loading of BP and HFRC, randomly reinforced and oriented at angle to loading direction, creeping isn't damped and is continued up to material destruction.Creeping anisotropy of these materials is expressed to a considerable more extent than an anisotropy of elastic properties and sharply enhances with temperature elevation.
The goal of experiments for determination of creeping of BP and HFRC was an establishment of functional relationship between stress, deformation and duration of loading action.Some results of the study of BP and HFRC creeping are given in Fig. 5.
As is seen, experimental points of all curves, plotted for various levels of stresses in the coordinates ε -τ, fall on one curve, constructed in the coordinates ε / ε o -τ, which allows to consider the material under study as linearly visco-elastic.Isochrones, constructed for this reason, are straight lines, reflecting a linear relationship between deformations and stresses for each fixed instant of time τi.Creeping of HFRC has been investigated.The levels of relative stress, that is to say, ratio between acting stress and breaking one comprised 0.4; 0.5; 0.6; 0.7; 0.8; Experimental curves of creeping of the composite HFRC are presented in Fig. 6.By creeping curves the families of isochronic curves    were constructed, by which the dependence of elasticity modulus on time was found.After 10 4 hours the reduction of elasticity modulus comprised 10-12%.
Creeping of BP-1 exhibits non-damped character.Deformation of creeping at tension over 5•10 3 -1•10 4 hours appears to be several times more than instantly-elastic ones (Fig. 7).Similar picture is observed for other types of stressed state (Fig. 8).Creeping plots at the coordinates lgε -lgτ present a series of parallel straight lines, which is indicative of the presence of power dependence of deformation creeping on time.
In Table 8, 9 the values of the coefficients of operating conditions are given, considering the variation of deformation characteristics of BP and HFRC depending on duration of loading action and on temperature variation.

Mechanical characteristics at atmospheric action
It is well known that by selecting of corresponding regimes of accelerated testing on atmospheric resistance the reduction of mechanical characteristics of materials may be relatively readily attained.But the determination of reasonably accurate correlation between the results of natural and accelerated testing on ageing of polymeric composites was unsuccessful.So far as we know, this problem wasn't solved up till now in relation to inorganic as well as to organic materials.In this connection it was decided to perform the bench testing on natural ageing of BP and HFRC in environmental conditions of South Caucasus.
Ageing of BP and HFRC, intended for operation in atmospheric conditions, is a result of complex action of such factors as chain reaction of oxidation, temperature-humid deformation of a binder, penetration of moisture into material with further leaching of fiber, abrasive action of dust.
Exposure of BP and HERC in unloaded state and under stresses, close to calculated resistances of materials, revealed a considerable difference in the character of development of ageing processes in loaded and unloaded composites, as well as a difference between the values of long-term resistance and creeping of the samples, tested in atmospheric and laboratory conditions.For example, in  As a result of atmospheric ageing, mechanical characteristics of BP and HFRC on the basis of epoxy and phenol-formaldehyde matrixes are gradually decreased depending on material thickness and applied stress.Difference in the variation of mechanical indexes of loaded and unloaded samples is revealed to a greater extent than in BP and HFRC on the basis of polyester matrix.Ageing process of materials are developed, mainly, on the surface; in this connection their atmospheric resistance significantly depends on material thickness.Existence of stressed state has a pronounced effect on intensification of ageing of BP and HFRC on the basis of epoxy and phenol-formaldehyde binders in atmospheric conditions; in this case the effect of materials thickness is reflected to the greatest extent.Thus, a great number of BP-2 samples of 1.0 mm thickness, exposed at stress of 0.75 σs-t, were destructed immediately at the stand before expected exposure time, whereas the samples of 4.5 mm thickness weren't destroyed.The results of mechanical testing have shown a slight reduction of the strength of these samples (stresses in both cases were equal).
As a result of performed investigations, the values of the coefficients of operating conditions of BP and HFRC in service, have been obtained (Table 10).

Material For calculated resistances
For

Mechanical characteristics at the action of water and some corrosive liquid media
Stability of mechanical properties of BP and HFRC is determined by resistance of reinforcing component of material, matrix and adhesion bond between them to aqueous and chemical media.An advantage of basalt fiber over other ones, in addition to higher thermal stability, must consist in water resistance and chemical endurance.In order to prove this fact, the action of alkali and mineral acids of various concentration (up to 60%) was studied on threads strength from alkalineless, alkaline and basalt glass, used in composites.Chemical composition of these glasses is the following (in mass%): aluminumborosilicate (alkalineless ) -SiO2-54; Al2O3 -14; B2O3 -10; CaO-16; MgO-4; Na2O -2; sodiumcalciumsilicate (alkaline) -SiO2-71; Al2O3 -3; CaO-8; MgO-3; Na2O -15; basalt one: SiO2-49; Al2O3 -16; Fe2O3 -10; CaO -9; MgO-7; Na2O-4; MnO<1; TiO2<1.It was studied the behavior of roving, offering the non-twisted strand with a diameter of elementary fiber of the order of 10-16μ.
Testing was carried out in water and in the media, most characteristic for chemical production: in caustic soda, sulphuric and nitric acids.Solution temperature comprised 291-295K.Before testing the samples were preliminary conditioned.Duration of static action of corrosive medium on threads was taken to be 240 hours, since the most intensive reduction of strength of fibers and of materials on their base at normal temperature is observed within first 200-240 hours, after which some stabilization of their strength indexes takes place.After maintenance in corrosive media the samples of threads were tested on the machine at relative humidity of air -75-78% by determination of breaking load -P (P0 -breaking load of dry threads).Because of some reversibility of strength reduction in fibers at the action of corrosive media, the samples of threads didn't dried before testing on the machine.
As is seen from the data of Table 11, 5-10% solutions of caustic soda have the most destructive effect on alkalineless threads.With increasing of the concentration of NaOH, the stability of strength characteristics of threads enhanced.
With increasing of the temperature of alkaline solution the total solubility of glass fiber enhances.In this case maximum solubility is slightly smoothed, in doing so its displacement is observed to the realm of higher concentrations.For basalt threads, in principle, the same character of the strength dependence on temperature and solution concentration is observed, but the values of mass loss is significantly lower (Table 12).
The most intensive strength reduction for glass threads is also observed at the action of 5-10% NaOH.Residual strength of basalt threads is considerably higher (Fig10   Testing of glass and basalt threads in sulphuric and nitric acids has shown that a factor of concentration exerts a lesser influence on the variation of strength characteristics.By the example of behavior of alkaline glass threads it may be noted a some increased influence of sulphuric and nitric acids on them in concentration range of 5-10%.But effect of this influence is very limited.Especially it may be said in relation to basalt threads ( Fig 11).
Action of acids in the range of higher (>20%) concentrations is different.Concentration factor of nitric acid doesn't effect on strength of glass threads as well as of basalt ones.At the action of sulphuric acid (40%) a sharp decrease of the strength of glass threads is observed and an effect on the strength of basalt threads is not so noticeable ( Fig 11).
Data on strength reduction in threads from alkalineless glass and basalt threads in sulphuric and nitric acids are presented in Table 11.Sulphuric acid acts considerably more aggressively in concentration range of 5-10%.Concentration factor of nitric acid doesn't effect significantly on the value of strength reduction of glass threads.The character of acid action on basalt threads remains identical but a level of residual strength of these threads after exposure in the media remains higher in comparison with a level of the strength of alkalineless glass threads.
Similar character in discordance of the values of the coefficients of operating conditions was also found at accounting of one more factor -temperature.Diagrams of long-term resistance of BP-1 at air and in water at the temperatures of 293K, 313K and 333K, presented in Fig. 12, as an example, permit to determine , W T K  , the comparison of which with KT•Kτ•KW once again convinces in incorrectness of the method of coefficients multiplying (Table 14).
As indicated earlier, the joint effect of environment and time of its action on long-term resistance of materials to destruction is every so often estimated by multiplying of corresponding coefficients of operating conditions.But as with separate accounting of the effect of duration of the action stresses and temperature, this method causes the considerable errors in direction of reduction of safety factor.This fact is evident by the data of Table 13, where Kw and w K  are coefficients of operating conditions in aqueous medium, and at the joint effect of water and duration of its action, respectively.Analysis of obtained data permits to conclude that if at room temperature the physical character of water action on BP and HFRC is dominated, then by temperature elevation the chemical activity of aqueous medium becomes predominant.It may be also concluded that a long-term operation of materials under study don't cause a sharp decrease of their loadcarrying capacity and destruction, since the medium temperature (313K, 333K) is significantly lower then the glass transition temperature of the binders and reinforcing elements (basalt, glass, carbon) are sufficiently stable in these conditions.
Going to the problem of chemical resistance of BP and HFRC, first and foremost it should be noted that the character of variation of their strength in alkaline media to a large extent depends on the composition of reinforcing component of materials, whereas an acid effect depends, mainly, on acid resistance of a matrix.Correlation of strength indexes of materials with epoxy, phenol-formaldehyde and polyester binders depending on the concentration of caustic soda after 240-hour maintenance shows that general character of strength variation is identical in all cases (Fig. 13).The greatest reduction of strength is observed in 5-10% solutions of caustic soda.In concentrated solutions the strength, practically, remains at initial level.Such character of strength variation is retained for all structural directions of BP and HFRC.In Fig. 14 strength variation for main structural directions is presented at bending of HFRC-4 after 240 hour maintenance in the solution of caustic soda.It is evident that maximum reduction of strength limit, in all cases, takes place in the range of concentration of caustic soda of 5-10%.The character of strength variation for BP and HFRC, depending on acid concentration, is determined, mainly, by inertia of a binder and by its adhesion to reinforcing fiber.Polyester BP, in comparison with phenol-formaldehyde ones, exhibit better resistance to the action of mineral acids, their strength properties are more stable.In 5-10% solutions of sulphuric acid the penetration of liquid into phenol-formaldehyde BP takes place; this fact reduces an adhesion of a binder to basalt fiber and causes the swelling of the samples of BP-4.Its strength limit at tension is gradually reduced and in the range of medium concentrations is practically unchanged (Fig. 15).
Nitric acid is a powerful oxidizer and even at low temperatures causes the breakage of the surface of phenol-formaldehyde BP, with leads to definite losses in its mass.By increasing of acid concentration the swelling of the samples of BP-2 takes place but its strength in the range of low concentrations is varied moderately.By increasing of acid concentration strength drop is continued (Fig. 15).The further stage of the work was the determination of long-term resistance of BP and HFRC in water and in 1 % solutions of caustic soda, sulphuric and nitric acids.Long-term resistance of BP and HFRC on bending was studied by the procedure, described in [12].Long-term resistance of the materials, operating in water and corrosive liquid media, is nothing more nor less than the coefficient of their operating conditions, accounting the joint action of temporal factor and of water or anyone corrosive medium on the materials.For example, in fig.16, the dependence of   Processing of these and other above-presented results of investigations, for all materials, considered in this work, permitted to obtain the reference data on long-term calculated resistances of BP and HFRC.These data, by our opinion, may be beneficial at designing of structures and items by the use of BP and HFRC.

Conclusion
At present a sufficient experience is accumulated in world practice in the field of the technology of preparation of basalt plastics and composite materials with reinforcing structures from hybrid fibers.Development of the works along this line is determined by possibility of preparation of new generation of materials with a wide spectrum of properties.Along with it, a diversity of the requirements, imposed to structural materials, tended to the fact that none of newly elaborated materials can occupy the dominant place at current stage of technology development, at least, in the immediate future.Each type of materials may be optimal in certain specific cases, as shown in presented work.A wide spectrum of needed materials, apart from considered here, may be prepared by the use of a number of reinforcing fibers with various elastic and strength characteristics and combined

Figure 1 .Figure 2 .
Figure 1.Structure of composite intended for shell
Fig 9 the behavior of the samples of BP-2, unloaded and loaded by various intensity are shown.

Figure 9 .
Figure 9. Dependence of strength at BP-2 tension on ageing time at open air and on the level of action stress: 1 -zero stress, 2 -0.2 σs-t, 3 -0.45σs-t, 4 -0.70 σs-tBinder nature has a pronounced effect on atmospheric resistance of BP and HFRC.It is difficult to judge about atmospheric ageing of BP and HFRC on the basis of polyester matrix, since the process of binder hardening isn't finished; this leads to enhancement of elasticity modulus by 5-15%.True enough, the strength reduction by 8-17% still takes place.

Figure 10 .
Figure 10.Strength reduction of threads from alkaline glass (1) and from basalt (2) in caustic soda.

Figure 13 .Figure 14 .
Figure 13.Strength reduction at tension of BP in caustic soda

Figure 15 .
Figure 15.Strength variation at tension of BP-2 in sulphuric (1) and nitric (2) acidsAt long-term action of sulphuric acid on polyester BP the breaking of the surface of the samples of BP-1 takes place accompanying by the loss of its mass and strength reduction.True enough, this process occurs only at low concentrations (up to 5%) and in the solutions of higher concentrations the strength remains at original level.Concentrated nitric acid depending on the time of action on polyester BP, causes an intensive swelling or washing-out of the samples.Strength of BP-1 is gradually decreased by increasing of the concentration of nitric acid.

Table 15 .
Figure 16.Dependence of   w cor t K  

Table 3 .
Normative resistances, short-term elasticity modulus and uniformity coefficients for BP and HFRC

Table 4 .
Statistical processing of the result of testing to reveal the influence of preliminary action of various factors on uniformity indexes.

Table 5 .
Coefficients of operating conditions of materials in the structures at temperature 273 K are taken to be unity; 2. At intermediate temperatures KT may be determined by interpolation.Coefficients of operating condition KT in the structures, operating at elevated temperatures Remark: 1.

Table 6 .
The values of the coefficient Kτ at various types of stressed state 1 -313K; 2 -333K lg τ, min lg τ, min

Table 7 .
Values of coefficients of operating conditions of BP at bending

Table 8 .
The values of the coefficients of operating conditions Kτ by deformation properties

Table 9 .
The values of the coefficients of operating conditions KT by deformation properties

Table 10 .
Coefficients of operating conditions -Katm of BP and HFRC

Table 11 .
). Reduction of breaking strength of threads in corrosive media of various concentration : in numerator -the values of glass threads of alkalineless composition; In denominator-the values for basalt threads. Remark

Table 12 .
Effect of temperature and caustic soda concentration on mass variation of fibers from alkalineless glass and from basalt.

Table 14 .
Comparison of the coefficients of operating conditions, calculated by accounting of separate and joint effects of water, temperature and duration of their action on materials (at τ=10 4 hours)