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Definition and production process of ceramic fibers
Ceramic fiber, an inorganic non-metallic fiber material based on natural minerals or synthetic raw materials, is carefully made by high-temperature melting, centrifugal wire spinning or injection into fiber. It is characterized by its low weight, high temperature resistance (up to 1800°C), low thermal conductivity (in the range of 0.03 to 0.18 W/m·K) and excellent chemical stability. Because of this, ceramic fibers play a vital role in aerospace, metallurgy, chemical industry and new energy, and become a key part of green refractories. The preparation process is mainly divided into two categories.
The production process of glass fiber is simple and low-cost, but the temperature resistance is poor, usually not exceeding 1200°C. First, the raw material is melted to a liquid state in a resistance furnace. Subsequently, the liquid raw material is converted into a fiber form by centrifugal spinning or high-pressure air jetting. This process route is relatively simple and inexpensive, but the resulting fibers are slightly less temperature resistant.
Polycrystalline fibers are made by complex chemical synthesis methods, which have high temperature resistance but high cost. Polycrystalline fibers, such as silicon carbide fibers and zirconia fibers, use more complex chemical synthesis pathways. Among them, the sol-gel method or the precursor conversion method is a commonly used method. Although these methods can significantly improve the temperature resistance of the fiber to more than 1600°C, the process is more complex and relatively expensive. Modern processes have combined closed-loop systems with smart manufacturing technologies to achieve a solvent recovery rate of up to 99.5%, reducing carbon emissions by 50% compared to traditional processes.
The core characteristics of ceramic fibers
Ceramic fibers stand out among many fiber materials due to their unique physical and chemical properties. Ceramic fibers can withstand high temperatures up to 1600°C and provide excellent thermal insulation, making them ideal for high-temperature applications. It is particularly resistant to high temperatures, withstanding temperatures of up to 1600°C and above, far exceeding other fiber materials. In addition, ceramic fibers also have excellent insulation, corrosion resistance and thermal shock resistance, so that they can maintain stable performance in harsh environments such as high temperature and corrosion. These excellent performance characteristics make ceramic fibers ideal for high-temperature applications.
Ceramic fibers can withstand high temperatures up to 1600°C and provide excellent thermal insulation, making them ideal for high-temperature applications. Alumina fibers can be used for long periods of time in environments up to 1600°C, while silicon carbide fibers are more resistant to temperatures up to 1800°C under non-oxidizing conditions. At room temperature, its thermal conductivity is only 0.03 W/m·K, which is about one-fifth of that of traditional refractory bricks, showing significant energy-saving effects.
Ceramic fibers have a low density and higher tensile strength than many metals, making them suitable for lightweight designs. The density range is between 64 – 500 kg/m³ and the tensile strength is 3800–4800 MPa, which is superior to many metals.
Ceramic fibers have good chemical stability and are suitable for use as chemical equipment linings and nuclear waste treatment. It is resistant to acid and alkali corrosion (except for strong acids and hydrofluoric acid), making it ideal for use in the lining of chemical plants and nuclear waste disposal.
陶瓷纤维生产过程环保，符合欧盟及中国“双碳”政策。原料可再利用，生产过程中无污染，废弃后也能自然降解，完全符合欧盟及中国的“双碳”政策。
脆性大：氧化铝纤维和碳化硅纤维均展现出较高的脆性，因此在加工过程中需要采取相应措施，如添加浸润剂或复合增强材料，以确保其稳定性。
成本考量：高端多晶纤维，特别是碳化硅纤维，其价格相对较高，每吨价格在1.5万至1.7万元之间，这在一定程度上限制了其大规模的应用。
陶瓷纤维的分类
包括氧化铝纤维，用于高温隔热衬里。如氧化铝纤维（Al₂O₃含量至少占72%）和硅酸铝纤维（Al₂O₃与SiO₂总和至少占96%），这些纤维主要用于构建高温隔热衬里。
包含碳化硅和氮化硅，常用于航空航天。包含碳化硅（SiC）和氮化硅（Si₃N₄）纤维，它们的耐温性超过1600℃，常被用于航空航天发动机的热端部件。
用于增强复合材料，使材料更轻强。其长度超过100毫米，常被用于增强复合材料。例如，碳化硅纤维可以增强钛合金，使其减重高达30%。
用于隔热板材和防火隔离带等建筑材料。这种纤维与树脂混合后，可以制成密度不超过200千克/立方米的隔热板材。它们在建筑中常被用于制作防火隔离带。
占市场60%，为陶瓷纤维的主要应用领域之一。例如，陶瓷纤维毯被广泛应用于钢铁炉衬，其节能效率可提升高达40%。
应用于光伏边框复合和锂电隔膜，提升耐温。在此领域，短切纤维的应用也颇为广泛。例如，光伏边框复合材料的使用降低了安装成本，而锂电隔膜的耐温性则提升至800℃。
用于隐身涂层和火箭喷管，支持高性能需求。短切纤维在这一领域的应用同样不可或缺。隐身涂层和火箭喷管隔热层等关键部件，都离不开这种材料的支持。
陶瓷纤维行业在2025年的发展前景
Reduce carbon emissions by 40% through the substitution of non-mineral raw materials. Through the use of non-mineral raw materials such as straw and bagasse, the proportion of bio-based raw materials in the production of ceramic fibers is expected to increase to 20%, thereby significantly reducing carbon emissions by up to 40%.
The recycling rate of waste fiber is targeted at 50%, which will promote the growth of the market size. A major breakthrough in recycled ceramic fiber technology (rCF) is expected to increase the recycling rate of waste ceramic fiber materials to 50%, and the technology is expected to drive the global market size to more than 2 million tons by 2030.
New fibers, such as polycrystalline alumina fibers, have been mass-produced to improve thermal insulation technology. Polycrystalline alumina fibers (up to 1800°C) and boron nitride fibers (with a dielectric constant of less than 3.5) have been mass-produced, bringing significant upgrades to the thermal insulation technology of semiconductor equipment.
Optimizing AI technology to improve yield and energy efficiency has been successfully applied in the Liangshan Prefecture project. Through the optimization of melting parameters through AI technology, the production yield rate has been greatly increased to 98%, and the unit energy consumption has been reduced by 15%, for example, it has been successfully applied in the 100,000-ton-per-year project in Liangshan Prefecture.
With the increase in photovoltaic installed capacity, the market demand for ceramic fibers is growing. With the global installed photovoltaic capacity increasing by 25% every year, the demand for ceramic fiber frames has also risen sharply, and its market size is expected to soar to 12 billion yuan by 2025.
Silicon carbide fiber production line to enhance domestic competitiveness and application scope. A 50,000-ton silicon carbide fiber production line has been put into operation, and its products are widely used in the thermal protection system of hypersonic vehicles, reflecting the depth and breadth of military-civilian integration.
It is planned to eliminate backward production capacity and promote zero wastewater discharge. In response to increasingly severe environmental protection requirements, China plans to eliminate outdated enterprises with an annual production capacity of less than 30,000 tons by 2025, and promote enterprises to upgrade to zero-wastewater discharge technology to achieve environmental protection standards of less than 10 tons per ton of fiber per unit of water consumption.
China needs to make breakthroughs in equipment technology and improve international competitiveness. In the high-end market, European and American companies such as Morgan Thermal Ceramics dominate. In order to enhance domestic competitiveness, domestic enterprises need to break through the localization problem of continuous fiber drawing equipment to break the international monopoly.
Ceramic fibers can become the backbone of a low-carbon economy through technological advancement, leading to sustainable development. Looking forward to the future, through the diversification of raw materials, functional compounding and the optimization of the layout of the global industrial chain, ceramic fiber is expected to become an important pillar of the low-carbon economy and lead the material industry to a more efficient and sustainable direction. It is expected that by 2025, driven by policy support and technological innovation, the industry will achieve green transformation and develop towards high-end. At that time, China's ceramic fiber production capacity is expected to exceed 500,000 tons, accounting for 70% of the global market share.
Contact: Allen.Jia
Phone: 15643622388
Tel: 15643622388
Email: allen.jia@cc3uzz.com
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