JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #68 Special JEC Asia - October 2011 - 23

as an alternative to asbestos to produce brake pads in the automotive industry, and in the production of needle-punched mats which are widely used for thermal insulation. In such applications, it is critical that the strands remain glued during processing and do not disintegrate into monofilaments. This is achieved by using hydrophobic sizing. This kind of sizing is also necessary to ensure better adhesion with phenolic resin when manufacturing brake pads. JCM: What are the main physical and mechanical characteristics of basalt compared to glass and carbon fibre? Is it possible to recycle and control the lifecycle of the product? O.S. : Basalt fibre is not an ideal product compared to other specialty fibres but its unique combination of advanced features makes it a kind of universal product for all areas of the composite industry. The mechanical characteristics of basalt fibre are much higher than those of E-glass and similar to those of high-strength glasses and other specialty fibres, but at a better price. Continuous basalt fibres are ideally suited for applications requiring high temperature and chemical resistance, durability, mechanical strength and stiffness, low water absorption or aesthetic properties. Basalt fibres also have higher sound insulation properties than glass fibres. They lose only 20% of their initial strength after exposure precise idea of the opacity of basalt at ambient temperature, keep in mind that the basalt glass obtained after melting and homogenization of all the basalt constituents is basically obsidian. The composition of the basalt determines both its processability during the fibre production cycle and the mechanical properties of the fibre reinforcement, so it is very important to carefully select supply sources and batching procedures to ensure the best processability, the highest mechanical performance and the consistency of the final product.

to 400°C, while the strength of E-glass drops by more than 50% in the same conditions. Basalt fibre offers some other competitive advantages but if you consider them separately, it is easy to find better fibres. However, if a customer is looking for a product with a set of advantages, for instance a combination of strength/chemical resistance, strength/thermal insulation, strength/ecological properties, chemical resistance/thermal insulation, etc., especially in combination with a relatively low price, then basalt fibre will probably be the ideal product. As compared with E-glass, the advantages of basalt fibre include higher heat and chemical resistance, 25% higher tensile strength, 15% higher stiffness, excellent recycling properties, full compliance with the REACH protocol and an attractive dark-brown colour. Raw materials for manufacturing continuous basalt fibre are easily available and almost unlimited. During the recycling process, basalt fibre turns into a powder, as opposed to E-glass, and can be easily taken away and even applied as filler in different matrices. Due to the above-mentioned advantages, basalt fibre is used by automotive manufacturers in products such as headliners, insulation panels, etc. The use of basalt fibre in reinforced concrete products does not involve additional expenses as basalt is a completely natural product.

Basalt-fibre producers worldwide
Basalt fibres are manufactured

using a process that is similar to the one used to make glass fibres. However, since basalt is a darkcoloured product and a poor conductor of infra-red radiation, it is not well-suited to melting by exterior heat sources like a gas furnace or oxy-fuel combustion. In addition, its complex mineral composition requires homogenizing the melt during the melting process, which is very difficult to do mechanically, as basalt is very abrasive. On the other hand, its electrical conductivity makes basalt a good candidate for melt by electromagnetic induction, which also has a homogenizing effect through the action of magnetic fields that agitate the melt. One can conclude that basalt produced in electric

furnaces constitutes a “green” fibre producers in the world. It is product, as its manufacture hard to obtain precise figures on generates no emissions and it is installed capacities, unlike for environmentally inert when it is carbon and glass fibre, but the recycled. Most producers do not table below does give a general aspire to such a level of quality, idea of the industry. Kameny Vek however, and produce basalt products are distributed by the fibres with more modest Belgian company Basaltex-NV mechanical properties, but which Flocart. Worldwide production keep their insulating properties of continuous basalt fibre (CBF) and resistance to Basalt-fibre producers acid and alkaline environments. The Basalt fibre Trade Estimated 2011 Origin name capacity Tons/year ultimate example of production a basalt fibre Kamenny Vek Basfiber Russia 5,000 application that Technobasalt Ukraine 2,000 does not seek Invest LLC mechanical Isomatex Filava Belgium 1,000 performance is rock GBF Basalt wool used for China 3,000 Fiber Co., Ltd. insulation. For the Russia 2,000 moment, there are Vulkan RPA LLC not many basaltTotal 13,000 No68 October 2011 / jec composites magazine

JCM: What are the main applications for basalt fibre? O.S.: Due to a wide range of unique properties, basalt fibre can be used in various sectors such as: - construction: reinforced façade panels, fireproof gypsum boards, safe substitute for asbestos, rebar for concrete structure reinforcement, fireproof technical fabrics, geo-meshes for road reinforcement and soil stabilization and chopped fibre for polyester, epoxy and plastic materials reinforcement; - automotive industry: composite materials and parts made of continuous fibres and reinforcing fabrics (outer parts such as bumpers or fairings, inner finishing elements such as dashboards and decorative panels, protective body elements, bottom parts, wheel protections), thermal and sound insulating materials for the cabins, engines and mufflers, reinforcing materials for the production of brake pads and friction discs (clutch discs), materials for the production of sealing fillers for engines and mufflers, reinforcement of wheel outer covers (tyres) using continuous basalt fibres and bands; - chemical and oil industry: insulation materials, filters and pipes for chemically-aggressive environments; - sports and leisure: reinforcement fabrics for sports equipment such as hockey sticks, snowboards, boats, etc.; - electronics: fabrics for printed circuit boards.

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JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #68 Special JEC Asia - October 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #68 Special JEC Asia - October 2011