innovative fibre basalt
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A
Paper
On
INNOVATIVE FIBRE – ROCK FIBRE BASALT
By
Valia Sanket P. Gudhka Mihir P.
(sanketvalia@yahoo.com) (mhrgudka@gmail.com)
Mob no: 9892916959 Mob no: 9820333894
DKTE SOCIETY’S TEXTILE & ENGINEERING INSTITUTE, ICHALKARANJI
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INDEX
Serial no. Content Page no.
1 Abstract 3
2 Introduction 4
3 How Basalt is formed? 5
4 Rock to Fibre! 6
5 Properties of Basalt Fibre 9
6 Scope of Basalt Fibre 10
7 Field Applications 11
8 Summary 12
9 References 13
2
1. Abstract
Today significant and steady growth up to 10 % of manufacture of composite materials is
observed in the world. One of the basic reinforcing elements of composite materials is fibers.
Besides fibrous materials are widely applied in quality of thermal, sound-proof, and filtering
materials. Therefore to present time it is executed a several works on development of modern
"know-how" of continuous fibers from basalt stones, the producing of continuous basalt fibers
and materials on their basis are started.
Basalt is an environment friendly natural material. Basalt is the most common rock type in the
earth’s crust. It is a hard, black volcanic rock with about 52% silica (SiO2) by weight. Basalt
rock is a mixture of minerals that has a fine grain and slight differences in chemical composition.
Common minerals in basalt include olivine, pyroxene, and plagioclase.
It is similar to carbon fiber and fiberglass, having better physicomechanical properties than
fiberglass, but being significantly cheaper than carbon fiber. It is used as a fireproof textile in the
aerospace and automotive industries and can also be used as a composite to produce products
such as camera tripods.
This paper will focus on the applications and the manufacturing techniques for a very common
material, basalt rock, in a relatively new form, continuous filament basalt (CFB). During the past
twenty years the technology was developed in the former Soviet Union to melt this once molten
rock and form continuous fibers. The continuous strand of multiple filaments can then be twisted
into a yarn, plied into a multi strand roving or cut into chopped fiber. The CFB can be converted
into woven or nonwoven textiles or used to reinforce composite structures with techniques
similar to those used with continuous filament fiberglass.
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2. Introduction
Basalt is a natural material found in volcanic rock. One third of the Earth’s crust consists of
basalts and eruptive rocks, so it is easily available source. It is mainly used as crushed rock in
construction, high way engineering and industrial purposes. Basalt also melts at around1300-
1700°C and can be spun into filament. The wide range of possible applications of basalt fibre
results from its wide range of good properties. Basalt has good thermal, electrical and sound
insulating properties. It can replace asbestos in almost all its possible applications (insulation)
since the former has three times the latter’s heat insulating properties.
When used as (continuous) fibres, basalt can reinforce a new range of (plastic and concrete
matrix) composites. It can also be used in combination with other reinforcements (e.g.
basalt/carbon). Some possible applications of basalt fibres and basalt-based composites are:
thermal and sound insulation/protection (e.g. basalt wool, engine insulation), pipes, bars, fittings,
fabrics, structural plastics, automotive parts, concrete reinforcement (constructions), insulating
plastics and frictional materials. In this paper we will read about the basalt and its fibre in detail.
Chopped Basalt 1
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3. How Basalt is formed?
According to the US Geologic Survey, because of basalt's low silica content of about 52%, it has
a low viscosity. Therefore, basaltic lava can flow quickly and easily move >20 km from a
volcanic vent. The low viscosity typically allows gases to escape without generating enormous
eruption columns. Basaltic lava fountains and fissure eruptions, however, still form explosive
fountains hundreds of meters tall. Common minerals in basalt include olivine, pyroxene, and
plagioclase. Basalt is erupted at temperatures between 1100 to 1250° C.
Basaltic magma is commonly produced by direct melting of the Earth's mantle, the region of the
Earth below the outer crust. On continents, the mantle begins at depths of 30 to 50 km. Shield
volcanoes, such as those that make up the islands of Hawaii, are composed almost entirely of
basalt. Huge outpourings of lava called "flood basalts" are found on many continents. The
Columbia River basalts cover most of southeastern Washington and regions of adjacent Oregon
and Idaho.
In India Basalt rocks are found in Deccan Trap in Maharashtra in abundance. It is also found in
Kutch, Saurashtra, Gujarat, Central India, Madhya Pradesh, Hyderabad region etc.
Basalt lava over Basalt Rock
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4. Rock to Fibre!
As we have seen earlier, Basalt rock is made from molten lava; i.e. it is made by melting of the
earth’s crust. So Basalt rock is also malleable which helps in melting the rock and making a
viscous solution which can be spun in fibre by melt spinning. Basalt doesn’t degrade by melting
as it has no toxic reactions with air, water, etc. and it is combustion & explosion proof. All these
factors lead to easy spinning procedure.
But Basalt needs high temperature range (about 1450°C) to melt. Such temperatures cannot be
achieved easily and needs proper attention of experts. Cost of extraction of basalt raw material is
very low. The technology of production process is not hazardous for environment; It does not
produce any emission or waste. Hence manufacturing cost is not vey high compared to other
fibres. When in contact with other chemicals they produce no chemical reactions that may
damage health or the environment.
Basalt fiber is produced in a continuous process similar in many respects to that used to make
glass fibers. Quarried basalt rock is first crushed, then washed and loaded into a bin attached to
feeders that move the material into melting baths in gas-heated furnaces. Here, the process is
actually simpler than glass fiber processing because the basalt fiber has a less complex
composition.
An overview of the basalt fiber manufacturing process is:
• A single-component basalt material is fed into a gas-fired furnace.
• The basalt is heated to about 1,450°C (2,650° F) and melted.
• From the furnace, the molten material flows into a fore-hearth where the temperature of the
molten material is more precisely controlled and distributed to each strand-making position.
• The molten material is gravity-fed from the fore-hearth at each forming position into a platinum
alloy “bushing”.
• Electricity is passed through the bushing to provide a final stage of resistance heating and
precise adjustment of the viscosity of the molten mixture.
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• Each bushing has hundreds of micro-orifice each make a filament that is gathered into a single
strand of continuous-filament basalt fiber. The no. of orifice (holes) and its diameter of the
spinnerets are determined by the end use of the fibre.
• The combination of micro-hole size and viscosity of the melt determine the diameter of the
resulting filaments (7-17μ).
• The basalt filaments are quenched with a water-based sizing to solidify the strands and deposit
a small quantity of lubricant/bonding agent on the filaments.
• The strands are wound onto a bobbin called a forming package at high speed.
• The strands can then be sold as an untwisted roving, twisted/plied into a yarn for weaving, or
chopped to a fixed length for production of a non-woven mat.
1. Batch silos: raw material supply,
2. Weighing, dosing and mixing,
3. Transport,
4. Batch charging,
5. Melting Furnace,
6. Fore-hearths (Spin pack),
7. Bushings, (continuous filament formation),
8. Sizing application,
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9. Strand formation,
10. Traversing,
11. . Automated winder
"BFCMTD" (BASALT FIBER & COMPOSITE MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD) and "BF&CM” (BASALT FIBRE & COMPOSITE
MATERIALS) Companies were developed and used a special technique to select the basaltic
rocks, suitable for the production of continuous fibers. The companies have special knowledge
and possess a big practical experience in selection of basalt breeds from which basalt fibers are
made.
Basalt fibre is produced mainly in contionous filament forms as it is easy to use the fibre as yarn
with no. of filaments along its length and thus reducing the need of spinning. This fibre is also
called as CBF (Continious Filament Basalt).
5. Properties of Basalt Fibres
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Safe and abundant, basalt rock has long been known for its thermal properties, strength &
durability. This properties are passed onto the fibres also. It is well known that the properties of
all mineral fibers depend on their chemical composition, thermal history, manufacturing
conditions, filament diameter and composition of the chemical sizing applied. Glass fibers are
made from a blend of raw materials whose recipe depends on the exact properties desired, i.e. E
(electrical) grade, C (chemical resistant) grade, S (high strength) grade.
Basalt fibers are made by melting a single material, basalt rock, with the properties
determined by selection of the quarry from which the rock is obtained rather than a raw
material recipe. Using a naturally occurring composition provides a high level of stability
to basalt fiber.
Some properties of Basalt Fibre:
CFB meets the technical definition of a glass, however the presence of iron oxides gives
basalt a golden brown color that doesn’t have the translucence of fiberglass.
Its operating temperature is as high as 820°C (1500°F).
Density of CBF is 2.8gm/cc
Elongation at break is 3.2%
Tensile strength is 3450-4900 Mpa.
Higher elastic modulus
Better strength at elevated temperatures
CBF is vibration resistant and will not powder like ceramic fibers.
Basalt base composites can replace steel and known reinforced plastics (1 kg of basalt
reinforces equals 9.6 kg of steel).
Good sound absorbing properties.
Good moisture regaining capacity.
6. Scope of Basalt Fibre
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In today’s world, when everyone is talking about cost cutting and reducing the input cost without
affecting the quality of product, very few innovative fibres fit to the bill. One of these is the
Basalt fibre. Basalt fibre production uses basalt rock which is abundant in nature. . Cost of basalt
raw material is very low; the share of raw material’s cost in the final cost of production is less
than 5%. This reduces the raw material cost. The cost of basalt is 10 times lower than that of raw
materials for fibreglass. Also the production does not produce any harmful gases or sewage
which needs to be treated which increases the manufacturing cost. CBF production technology
consists of only one phase – melting. There is no need for primary enrichment, fusion and
homogenization, as all of those were made for free by nature.
Basalt can replace almost all applications of asbestos and has three times its heat insulating
properties. Because of the higher performance (Strength, temperature range, & durability) and
lower potential cost predicted for basalt fibres, they have the potential to cost effectively replace
fibreglass, steel fibre, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, aramid and carbon fibre products
in many applications. Low cost, high performance fibres offer the potential to solve the largest
problem in the cement and concrete industry, cracking and structural failure of concrete. Basalt
can be used in this area as a composite.
Companies currently involved in production and marketing include Kamenny Vek (Dubna,
Russia), Technobasalt (Kyiv, Ukraine), Hengdian Group Shanghai Russia & Gold Basalt Fibre
Co. (Shanghai, China), and OJSC Research Institute Glassplastics and Fiber (Bucha, Ukraine).
Basaltex, a division of Masureel Holding (Wevelgem, Belgium), and Sudaglass Fiber
Technology Inc. (Houston, Texas) convert basalt fiber into woven and nonwoven reinforcement
forms for the European and North American markets, respectively.
7. Field Applications
10
Due to the advantages of the basalt fibre over other high performance fibre, Basalt fibre is used
in numerous areas. It is used in the following areas:
Construction: It is used along with concrete as a compostie material. It is used in
manufaturing of bridges. Chemical resistant chopped strand for concrete and mortar
reinforcement.
Road Construction: It is used as Basalt geogrids & stucco nets for roads, bridge
construction, for renovation of old concrete structures.
Underground construction: Due to its high tensile strength and water absorbing
properties, it is used in supporting the ceiling and in concrete mixture for underground
constrution.
The properties of continuous basalt could bring value in many other applications where
extensive testing has not yet been done. For instance, E-glass is used extensively in hot
gas filtration applications, but is lacking in acid and abrasion resistance. The inherent
abrasion resistance which makes basalt a good friction material would be an
improvement over E-glass in hot-gas filtration, particularly in pulsejet cleaned
applications where the fabric is placed over a metal cage.
Other Areas include:
Engineering network,
Agriculture,
Corrosion resistive material, etc.
Some Basalt fibre products:
Basalt Reinforcement Rod
Continuous Basalt Fibre
Basalt Geotextile
Basalt reinforcing mesh
8. Summary
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Basalt’s mechanical and physical properties bring the possibility for upgrading the performance
of thermal insulation blankets for use at 540-820°C (1,000-1,500°F), high temperature friction
materials in clutches and brakes and structural composites requiring a high strength to weight
ratio and /or chemical resistance. Continuous basalt is priced mid-way between standard E-glass
and S-glass with properties that can exceed those of both. Continuous filament basalt is a fiber
that brings value to several markets that currently use fiberglass, ceramic fibers or asbestos
replacement materials.
9. References
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Basaltex, The thread of stone-www.basaltex.com
www.basaltfm.com
www.wikipedia.com
www.basfibre.com
Kamenny Vek – Adavanced Basalt Fibre
Techtextil North America Symposium, april 2002.
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