Inorganic fibers, applications

Wallenberger, F. T., et al., Advanced Inorganic Fibers Processes, Structures, Properties, Applications, Kluwer, 1999. 

Table 19.1 summarizes the processes, characteristics and applications of commercial inorganic fibers. 

The need for high-temperature-resistance fibers has arisen from demands of a number of industrial applications, as well as applications in aerospace programs. In many of these applications, the usual characteristics of organic-based fibers are desired, but the high temperature resistance of inorganic fibers is required. Thus, the fibers are expected to retain their structural integrity at temperatures of 300°C and above for considerable periods of time, but otherwise... 

By far the most important application fields for inorganic fibers are the insulation and reinforcing sectors. Fibers are also used as fillers and as filter materials. As with other materials, functional properties such as electrical, optical or magnetic properties are becoming increasingly important for fibers, in addition to mechanical and electrical properties. 

In the following sections the fibers are discussed organized according to application field, the order approximating to the order of their industrial importance. A survey of several inorganic fibers together with their most important application fields is given in Table 5.2-1. 

Table 5.2-1. Important Application Fields for Inorganic Fibers.

In some applications, it is useful to incorporate nonplastic substances into a plastic object, to reduce its cost or improve its performance in some way. Fillers are typically used to lower the cost of the plastic, and generally consist of minerals of some kind. Reinforcements are often more expensive, per unit mass or volume, than the plastics, but provide improvement in properties such as strength and/or rigidity. They usually consist of either organic or inorganic fibers. Use of fillers and reinforcements is less common in packaging applications than in uses such as automotive components or housewares, but is sometimes significant. In addition, these additives are more commonly used with thermoset polymers than with thermoplastics. 

Advanced inorganic fibers processes-structures-properties-applications/ contributors, Frederick T.Wallenberger... [et al.] editor, Frederick T. Wallenberger. p. cm. — (Materials technology series)... 

Most natural fibers have a maximum density of about 1.5 g/cm. Though some natural fibers, such as wood, are hollow and have low densities in their native state, they are often densified during processing. Nevertheless, even the maximum density of these fibers is considerably less than that of inorganic fibers such as glass fibers. As such, their low density makes them attractive as reinforcement in applications where weight is a consideration. 

Competing Inorganic Fibers. The competitors to carbide and nitride fibers are glass, ceramic oxides, carbon, and boron. Table 14.7 summarizes their processing, characteristics, and typical applications. ... 

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