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

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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

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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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