Basalt fiber has broad prospects. Academician Liu Jiaqi - Basalt fiber, a new green material, has broad prospects.
On May 13, 2009, Academician Liu Jiaqi of the Institute of Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences published an article titled "Green New Material - Basalt Fiber Has Broad Prospects" in the front column of the "Science and Technology Herald" magazine.
The content of the article is quoted as follows:
Liu Jiaqi, from Beizhen, Liaoning, is of Manchu ethnicity and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He has long been engaged in geological and environmental research. He is currently a researcher at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a member of the Consultation and Evaluation Committee of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a standing committee member of the Department of Earth Sciences, Chairman of the China Science Writers Association, Honorary Chairman of the China Volcanological Committee, Vice Chairman of the Asian Lake Drilling Science Guidance Committee, and a standing committee member of the International Union for Quaternary Research Stratigraphy and Chronology Committee.
Green High-tech Material - Basalt Fiber Has Broad Prospects
A Kind of New High-tech Green Material: Basalt Fibre,Its Bright Prospect in Applications
Once the mythical alchemy of turning stone into gold is now a reality. The most typical example is using ordinary stone - basalt to draw fibers and manufacture various high-end products. The booming basalt fiber industry utilizes volcanic basalt as raw material, crushing it and melting it at high temperatures to produce continuous, coarse, fine, ultrafine, fine scales, and other materials through specific processes. These are then used to weave and process into various shaped products, creating super strong plastics from spacecraft shells to military ammunition boxes, from bulletproof vests and fireproof suits to brake pads and fishing rods. It is widely used in aerospace, aviation, military industry, firefighting, automotive, marine, construction, environmental protection, sports, and other fields, with broad application prospects.
Basalt is an inorganic silicate. It undergoes numerous transformations in volcanoes and furnaces, changing from hard rock to soft fibers, lightweight scales, and rugged ribs. Its material has excellent properties such as high-temperature resistance (> 880°C), low-temperature resistance (< -200°C), low thermal conductivity (thermal insulation), sound insulation, flame retardancy, insulation, low moisture absorption, corrosion resistance, radiation resistance, high tensile strength, low elongation, high modulus of elasticity, and lightweight. It belongs entirely to a new material category. Moreover, no toxic substances are produced during average production and processing processes. There is no emission of exhaust gas, wastewater, or waste residue, making it known as the pollution-free "green industrial material and new material" of the 21st century.
Compared with glass fiber, which is widely used in industries such as construction and chemical engineering, it is evident that basalt fiber and its composites have advantages such as high mechanical strength, good physical and chemical properties, and can be used to produce high-end products. Compared with expensive carbon fiber, the comprehensive performance of the two is comparable, with some properties of basalt fiber even better than carbon fiber, and its cost is currently less than one-tenth of that of carbon fiber on the market. Therefore, basalt fiber is new for low-cost, high-performance, and environmentally friendly applications after carbon fiber, aramid fiber, and polyethylene fiber. The Basalt Continuous Fiber Industry Alliance in Texas, USA, pointed out: "Basalt continuous fiber is a low-cost substitute for carbon fiber with a series of excellent properties. It is essential because it is derived from natural ore without additives. It is the only pollution-free and non-carcinogenic green and healthy glass fiber product, with broad market demand and application prospects."
Since the successful trial production of basalt rock wool by Welshmen in Britain in 1840, people have begun to explore basalt materials. In the 1960s, the All-Union Fiberglass and Basalt Fiber Research Institute of the former Soviet Union, Ukrainian branch, began to develop continuous basalt fibers based on instructions from the former Soviet Ministry of Defense and achieved industrialized production in 1985. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the research and production unit in Kyiv belonged to Ukraine. Thus, the countries currently dominating the production technology of basalt fiber are mainly Ukraine and Russia. In recent years, some scientifically and technologically advanced countries such as the United States, Japan, and Germany have strengthened research and development on this new type of non-metallic inorganic fiber and achieved some new results. Still, the countries that can achieve large-scale production are few, and their products fall far short of meeting social needs.
China began to focus on developing continuous basalt fiber since the Eighth Five-Year Plan. The relevant national authorities attach considerable importance to basalt materials, especially some visionary entrepreneurs who foresee the vast prospects of this cause and have actively participated in and even invested efforts to carry out this work. Research institutions or manufacturers related to basalt materials have been successively established in Shanghai, Chengdu, Yingkou, Mudanjiang, Beijing, Yangzhou, Zhejiang, and other places, some of which have produced primary products, laying a specific foundation for the development of the basalt material industry in China. However, the main problem now is that those engaged in this work need an understanding of the nature of basalt and the principles and central processes of making continuous basalt fibers. Many manufacturers attempt to produce continuous basalt fibers using glass fiber production technology. Although this approach is simple and quick to implement, the quality could be higher, and the products are not purely basalt fibers in a strict sense. They cannot play the role of basalt fibers and are substitutes for glass fibers. If this concept is not changed, the basalt material industry will not develop well. Jiangsu Tianlong Basalt Continuous Fiber High-tech Technology Co., Ltd., relying on the technical research and development strength of the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, researches raw material allocation, process optimization, and modern large-scale production technology for continuous basalt fiber production, and has established a constant basalt fiber production line with high technical content. It has introduced and absorbed advanced foreign technology, combined with its own practical experience, to develop a basalt material industry with Chinese characteristics, genuinely considering the overall situation and producing scarce and urgently needed strategic materials for the country. Government departments concerned should attach great importance to and strengthen the leadership of the research and production of basalt materials, actively mobilize the enthusiasm of all sectors of society to develop the basalt material industry, turn the disorderly state into an orderly state, promote the industrialization of the basalt material industry, strengthen the investigation of basalt resources, conduct experimental research on basalt fibers, improve and innovate the production process of basalt fibers, establish national standards for basalt fibers, develop practical products of basalt fibers, and develop basalt fiber composites, allowing basalt fibers and their composites to play an increasingly significant role in national construction.
Materials are a crucial indicator of societal progress and represent the synthesis of science and technology. The development of science and technology and the advancement of social civilization rely heavily on material foundations. China possesses abundant basalt resources, with suitable basalt for fiber extraction found in most provinces and regions. Notably, the northeastern and southeastern coastal areas have extensive distributions, providing a robust material basis for developing the basalt material industry. Leveraging the widespread availability of basalt can significantly reduce the consumption of petroleum, coal, and other mineral resources. From a long-term perspective, this endeavor holds significant meaning. Moreover, China boasts a vast market with extensive demand. Therefore, developing the basalt material industry in China holds promising prospects. We wish for the rapid growth of China's basalt material industry.
