Aluminum silicate fiber

Description

A manufactured fiber made from aluminum silicate. Aluminum silicate fibers are capable of withstanding temperatures up to 1200 C. They can be made by several processes. Short whiskers (about 1 cm) are made by heating aluminum fluoride with silica at 1000-1200 C. Longer fibers are made from melted aluminum oxide-silica mixed with small amounts of Boron or Zirconia. Aluminum silicate fibers are sometimes referred to as ceramic fibers and high temperature fibers. They are made into nonwoven mats ranging in thicknesses from paper-like to blanket-like. Aluminum silicate fibers are used for insulation, packing, smoke stack filters, gaskets, plastic reinforcement, and fireproof panels.

Synonyms and Related Terms

aluminium silicate fibre; ceramic fiber; high temperature fiber

Physical and Chemical Properties

• Resistant to organic solvents, acids and dilute alkalis.
• Attacked by concentrated alkalis.
• Fibers are white with a smooth surface; cross section is circular.

Melting Point	above 1760 C
Density	2.73 g/ml

Resources and Citations

• G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 514

• Hoechst Celanese Corporation, Dictionary of Fiber & Textile Technology (older version called Man-made Fiber and Textile Dictionary, 1965), Hoechst Celanese Corporation, Charlotte NC, 1990

• J.Gordon Cook, Handbook of Textile Fibres:II Man-made Fibres, Merrow Publishing Co. , Durham, England Comment: p. 666