Glossary - Introduction to Polymeric Composites with Rice Hulls - page 159

Tear resistance - the ability of a sample to resist tearing after a tear has been made.
Tear strength - a measure of the force required to continue to tear a sample after it
has been torn.
Tensile strength - a measure of force required to stretch a standard sample of
material to its breaking point.
Tertiary amine - an amine catalyst used in foaming. Tertiary amines are more
powerful than primary or secondary amines.
Thermal conductivity - the ability of a material to conduct heat. Measured by the
quantity of heat that passes through a unit cube of a substance in unit of time
if the difference between the two faces is 1 o .
Thermal gravimetric analysis - analysis of weight loss of a material sample at
different temperatures through a decomposition point or decomposition zone.
Thermoplastic - a material that can soften or melt at elevated temperatures
without degradation and, upon cooling, retain its original condition. Material
can be re-used (e.g. polyethylene and polystyrene plastics).
Thermosetting - a material that is fully cured by elevated temperatures into a solid
condition and cannot be recovered by re-heating. Material cannot be used
again (e.g. polyurethane).
Thixotropic - the ability of a fluid to be semi-solid at rest but revert to a liquid
upon agitation or stirring.
Throughput control - being able to vary the flow rate of a metering machine.
Throughput indicators - any one of the several devices that have been calibrated
for flow rates, such as tachometers and flow meters.
Throughput rating - applies to metering machines and mixing heads that indicates
the maximum flow rate that can be metered.
Tolerance - a specified acceptable allowance for deviations in measurements.
Top cracks - cracks that appear in the top surface of a composite slab that extend
across the width of the conveyor.
Top cure - shortening the tack-free time of composite products or slabs by heat.
Transfer pumping - the method of filling the processing machine tanks or keeping
them filled.
Trichlorofluoromethane - a chemical name for a fluorocarbon. It is a blowing
agent or auxiliary blowing agent.
Trim - results from the trimming of products that have been compressed-moulded
or are slabs before conversion to products. After shredding, these products can
be converted into saleable products.
U
Ultraviolet - zone of invisible radiations beyond the violet end of the spectrum.
Ultraviolet stabiliser - chemical compounds used to counter degradation by
ultraviolet light.