FR4 Glassfiber Rod

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Product details

AHD FR4 G10 Epoxy Fiberglass Rod. We also offer FR4 Glassfiber Sheet and ESD glass fiber Sheet. Welcome to contact us for more professional advice.

FR4 rods (glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin laminated rods) are composite materials made of epoxy resin as the matrix and glass fiber cloth as the reinforcement. They are a rod-shaped form of FR4 material. FR4 (Flame Retardant 4) gets its name from its flame retardant rating of 4 (UL94 V-0 standard). It is one of the most commonly used insulating rigid materials in the electronics, electrical, and machinery manufacturing industries.

Advantages and Characteristics of FR4 Rods

1. Excellent Electrical Insulation

Epoxy resin itself is a good insulator, and the addition of glass fiber further enhances the material's volume resistivity and breakdown voltage. Even in humid, high-temperature, or high-frequency environments, FR4 maintains stable insulation properties, making it an ideal material for isolating current and preventing short circuits in electrical and electronic equipment.

2. High Heat Resistance and Flame Retardancy

Heat Resistance: The glass transition temperature (Tg) of standard FR4 is approximately 130-140°C, while high-Tg FR4 can reach 150-180°C, with short-term temperature resistance exceeding 200°C. This property enables long-term stable operation in heat-generating equipment such as motors and transformers.

Flame Retardancy: By adding brominated flame retardants, FR4 resists combustion in flames and quickly self-extinguishes upon removal from the source, making it extremely safe and widely used in applications requiring stringent fire protection requirements.

3. Excellent Mechanical Strength

The reinforcement of fiberglass cloth significantly enhances FR4's mechanical properties:

Tensile strength: approximately 300-500 MPa (significantly higher than the 20-100 MPa of ordinary plastics);

Flexural strength: approximately 500-900 MPa;

Impact resistance: While relatively rigid, it can still withstand certain external impacts. This "tough yet brittle" property makes it suitable for structural support components.

4. Stable Dimensional Precision

The addition of glass fiber reduces the material's coefficient of thermal expansion, resulting in minimal dimensional change within the temperature range of -50°C to +150°C. This property enables assembly accuracy in precision equipment, minimizing structural deformation or failure caused by thermal expansion and contraction.

5. Chemical Resistance

FR4 exhibits excellent corrosion resistance to most acids, alkalis, salt solutions, and organic solvents, and is only sensitive to strong oxidizing acids or certain solvents at high temperatures. This property makes it suitable for use as insulating structural components in chemical and electroplating environments.

6. Ease of Processing and Cost Advantage

FR4 rods can be formed into various shapes (such as sheets, rods, and special-shaped parts) through conventional machining methods such as cutting, drilling, milling, and CNC engraving. With low raw material costs, they are suitable for large-scale industrial production and offer a high overall cost-effectiveness.

Applications of FR4 Rods

Based on the aforementioned properties, FR4 rods are widely used in electronics, electrical equipment, machinery, industrial equipment, and other fields where high insulation, heat resistance, and mechanical strength are required:

1. Electronics and Electrical: PCB Substrates and Insulators

Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs): FR4 is a mainstream PCB substrate material. Its surface can be etched with copper foil to form conductive traces, and it is used for circuit integration in electronic devices such as mobile phones, computers, and home appliances. High-Tg FR4 is used in high-frequency and high-speed circuit boards.

Electrical Insulation: Motor slot wedges, insulating struts, terminal block spacers, transformer bobbins, etc., leveraging its insulation and heat resistance to ensure safe equipment operation.

2. Machinery and Industrial Equipment: Structural Support and Protection

Precision Mechanical Structural Components: Robot joint positioning blocks, automated equipment guide rail spacers, instrument housing brackets, etc., leveraging its high rigidity and dimensional stability to ensure mechanical precision.

Wear-Resistant Protective Parts: Although not resistant to high friction, it can be used as a lightweight protective material in low-friction applications, replacing metal to reduce equipment weight.

3. Rail Transit and Aerospace: Lightweight, High-Strength Components

In rail transit vehicles, FR4 rods are used for insulation supports for high-voltage boxes and control box panels, balancing lightweightness with corona resistance.

In aerospace equipment, high-reliability FR4 is used for non-load-bearing structural parts that require insulation.

4. Chemical and Environmental Protection Equipment: Corrosion-Resistant Structural Parts

In applications such as chemical reactor gaskets, plating tank partitions, and insulation brackets for waste gas treatment equipment, FR4's corrosion resistance and insulation properties can replace some metal materials, reducing maintenance costs.

5. New Energy: Battery and Photovoltaic Module Auxiliary Components

In lithium battery modules, FR4 rods are used for tab insulation and support of BMS (Battery Management System) circuit boards, leveraging their temperature resistance to ensure electrical safety.

In photovoltaic inverters, FR4 serves as an insulating base for capacitors and IGBT modules, isolating the high-voltage circuit from the metal casing.