Micarta
Encyclopedia : M : MI : MIC : Micarta
A composite of linen or paper fabric in a thermosetting plastic, used in electrical and decorative areas. Micarta was developed by Westinghouse at least as early as 1910 using phenolic resins invented by Dr. Leo Baekeland. These resins were used to impregnate paper and cotton fabric which were cured under pressure and high temperature to produce laminates. In later years this manufacturing method included the use of fiberglass fabric, other resin types we also used.
Factory
The factory originally near Pittsburgh was moved to South Carolina in the early 1950s and sold to Nevamar Corporation about 1990. In the year 2000 the industrial sections of that division were sold to Norplex and moved to a factory in Iowa.Manufacturing Process
Micarta industrial laminates are phenolic thermoset materials. Phenolic sheet is a hard, dense material made by applying heat and pressure to layers of paper or glass cloth impregnated with synthetic resin. These layers of laminations are usually of cellulose paper, cotton fabrics, synthetic yarn fabrics, glass fabrics or unwoven fabrics. When heat and pressure are applied to the layers, a chemical reaction (polymerization) transforms the layers into a high-pressure thermosetting industrial laminated plastic.Grades
Micarta is manufactured in dozens of commercial grades.References
http://www.norplex-micarta.com/
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