Improving the thermal performance of PVC windows with pultruded thermoplastic reinforcement

Abstract Today, composite profiles of constant cross section are widely used in advanced engineering structures. The use of composite profiles in window and door structures can reduce thermal bridging and reduce energy consumption for heating and cooling. This article focuses on the production of ne...

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Main Authors: Kirill Minchenkov, Sergey Gusev, Ivan Sergeichev, Alexander Safonov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-01-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86019-6
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author Kirill Minchenkov
Sergey Gusev
Ivan Sergeichev
Alexander Safonov
author_facet Kirill Minchenkov
Sergey Gusev
Ivan Sergeichev
Alexander Safonov
author_sort Kirill Minchenkov
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Today, composite profiles of constant cross section are widely used in advanced engineering structures. The use of composite profiles in window and door structures can reduce thermal bridging and reduce energy consumption for heating and cooling. This article focuses on the production of new, thermoplastic-based structural pultruded profiles and their application in a PVC (polyvinylchloride) window structure as a reinforcement. The heat transfer model was developed to determine die temperature and pulling speed for pultrusion of the 30 × 20 × 3.5 mm tube and a 31.5 × 25.0 × 3.5 mm channel from tapes. The microscopy results demonstrated full consolidation of all tapes in the material, thus confirming proper selection of pultrusion parameters. The mechanical tests results of the welded angle joint show that the window structure with composite reinforcement can be twice as strong as the steel reinforced one. This was achieved by welding the composite reinforcement simultaneously with welding of the PVC frame on a butt welding machine. The results of the hot box test show that the U-value of the window sash and frame with the composite reinforcement is 12% lower than that of a window with a steel reinforcement. The U-value of the window with composite reinforcement is 1.47 W/(m2·K), and that of the steel reinforced window is 1.55 W/(m2·K). Thus, the windows with composite reinforcement have low thermal transmittance complying with building regulations in various countries, and their use is permitted in northern climatic zones.
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issn 2045-2322
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spelling doaj-art-b591340b310d47ef83ed0ba83f0404782025-01-19T12:22:54ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115111610.1038/s41598-025-86019-6Improving the thermal performance of PVC windows with pultruded thermoplastic reinforcementKirill Minchenkov0Sergey Gusev1Ivan Sergeichev2Alexander Safonov3Center for Materials Technologies, Skolkovo Institute of Science and TechnologyCenter for Materials Technologies, Skolkovo Institute of Science and TechnologyCenter for Materials Technologies, Skolkovo Institute of Science and TechnologyCenter for Materials Technologies, Skolkovo Institute of Science and TechnologyAbstract Today, composite profiles of constant cross section are widely used in advanced engineering structures. The use of composite profiles in window and door structures can reduce thermal bridging and reduce energy consumption for heating and cooling. This article focuses on the production of new, thermoplastic-based structural pultruded profiles and their application in a PVC (polyvinylchloride) window structure as a reinforcement. The heat transfer model was developed to determine die temperature and pulling speed for pultrusion of the 30 × 20 × 3.5 mm tube and a 31.5 × 25.0 × 3.5 mm channel from tapes. The microscopy results demonstrated full consolidation of all tapes in the material, thus confirming proper selection of pultrusion parameters. The mechanical tests results of the welded angle joint show that the window structure with composite reinforcement can be twice as strong as the steel reinforced one. This was achieved by welding the composite reinforcement simultaneously with welding of the PVC frame on a butt welding machine. The results of the hot box test show that the U-value of the window sash and frame with the composite reinforcement is 12% lower than that of a window with a steel reinforcement. The U-value of the window with composite reinforcement is 1.47 W/(m2·K), and that of the steel reinforced window is 1.55 W/(m2·K). Thus, the windows with composite reinforcement have low thermal transmittance complying with building regulations in various countries, and their use is permitted in northern climatic zones.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86019-6Fiber-reinforced materialsThermoplastic compositeThermoplastic pultrusion
spellingShingle Kirill Minchenkov
Sergey Gusev
Ivan Sergeichev
Alexander Safonov
Improving the thermal performance of PVC windows with pultruded thermoplastic reinforcement
Scientific Reports
Fiber-reinforced materials
Thermoplastic composite
Thermoplastic pultrusion
title Improving the thermal performance of PVC windows with pultruded thermoplastic reinforcement
title_full Improving the thermal performance of PVC windows with pultruded thermoplastic reinforcement
title_fullStr Improving the thermal performance of PVC windows with pultruded thermoplastic reinforcement
title_full_unstemmed Improving the thermal performance of PVC windows with pultruded thermoplastic reinforcement
title_short Improving the thermal performance of PVC windows with pultruded thermoplastic reinforcement
title_sort improving the thermal performance of pvc windows with pultruded thermoplastic reinforcement
topic Fiber-reinforced materials
Thermoplastic composite
Thermoplastic pultrusion
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86019-6
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AT sergeygusev improvingthethermalperformanceofpvcwindowswithpultrudedthermoplasticreinforcement
AT ivansergeichev improvingthethermalperformanceofpvcwindowswithpultrudedthermoplasticreinforcement
AT alexandersafonov improvingthethermalperformanceofpvcwindowswithpultrudedthermoplasticreinforcement