Opportunities for Continuous Basalt Fiber Development and the Current Status of Composite Materials Worldwide

1.New Advances in Composite Material Applications

Exhibitions show composite materials are entering a new stage of vigorous development, characterized by their expanding applications across multiple fields. The scale of application is increasing, leading to larger-sized composite components. This trend is driving the development and improvement of design methods, manufacturing processes and equipment, and various raw materials to meet the requirements of composite materials.

1.1 Large-scale Application of Composite Materials in Commercial Aircraft

Composite materials are increasingly being utilized in large-scale applications in commercial aircraft. The aviation industry has always been a significant field for advanced composite materials, and there have been remarkable advancements in recent years. For instance, the Airbus Group's A380, a large passenger aircraft, utilizes composite materials for over 20% of its total structure weight. Similarly, Boeing's latest development, the "Dreamliner" B787, employs composite materials for up to 50% of its structure, including the fuselage and wings. At the conference, Airbus provided detailed insights into developing the A380's all-composite horizontal tail, which features the world's most giant composite integral fuel tank. The application of aerospace composite materials in Europe is projected to continue to increase, with an estimated contribution to the total structure weight of aircraft reaching 35-50% shortly.

1.2 Surging Demand for Composite Materials in the Automotive Industry

The automotive industry is experiencing an unprecedented demand for composite materials due to the desire to reduce vehicle weight, save fuel, improve corrosion resistance, and enhance surface quality. Numerous composite material components for automobiles were showcased at the conference, including complete composite material vehicles. For example, Hexcel Corporation from the United States exhibited the K200Road 3bter Micro Car, a fully composite material vehicle weighing only 300kg, touted as the world's lightest two-seater car. Other companies such as Cytec from the US and SP from the UK also presented fully composite material automobiles. Additionally, a solar-powered composite material racing car named Nuna II, weighing 240kg and capable of reaching up to 170 km/h, was showcased. Research and development in automobile composite materials focus on optimizing materials and processes to enhance quality and affordability, thereby increasing competitiveness.

1.3 Soaring Market Demand for Composite Materials in Wind Turbine Blade Manufacturing

With approximately 25% annual growth in wind energy generation worldwide, there is a significant increase in the market demand for wind turbine blades made from composite materials. As wind turbines' power generation capacity increases, turbine blades’ size also grows, leading to higher requirements for strength and stiffness. While fiberglass has been traditionally used, there is a shift towards using carbon fiber composite materials or hybrid composite materials. Large turbine blades, which used to be around 30 meters, now exceed 50 meters, with the largest blades in Germany reaching 82 meters. This trend results in a significant increase in the consumption of composite materials. The conference showcased the cross-sectional structure of turbine blades manufactured using Hexcel materials, demonstrating a hybrid composite material design with fiberglass skin and carbon composite main load-bearing beams. Given the domestic energy shortage, wind power generation is seen as an inevitable trend despite its high initial investment costs due to its unique environmental benefits and renewable nature. Several domestic companies are already researching and developing such products, with more researchers joining in continuously. As the size of turbine blades continues to increase, addressing issues such as design optimization, material selection, and manufacturing processes becomes increasingly crucial.

1.4 Large-scale Application of Composite Materials in Ground Transportation

This field encompasses the manufacturing of sleeper carriages for railway systems, fast train carriages for light rail systems, and compressed natural gas cylinders for automobiles. Ground transportation emphasizes the safe application and large-scale use of low-cost materials and process technologies. A new fire protection standard named EN45545 has been introduced internationally to address this. This translation aims to capture the critical points regarding the opportunities for continuous basalt fiber development and the current status of composite materials worldwide. Let me know if you need further clarification on any specific section.

2.Carbon Fiber Shortage

It should be noted that the JEC exhibition primarily focuses on various raw materials and processing equipment related to composite materials. Various reinforcing fibers can be considered the most critical raw materials in composite materials. Regarding carbon fiber, although world-renowned manufacturers such as Japan's Toray and Toho and the US-based Hexcel, Cytec, and Zoltek had large-scale exhibits, carbon fiber needed to be more in stock and extremely short supply.

2.1 The Enormous Demand in the Aviation Industry is the Main Cause of Carbon Fiber Supply Tightness

As mentioned earlier, the expansion of carbon fiber applications, the increase in application scale, and the enlargement of component size inevitably lead to increased carbon fiber consumption. Statistics show that an A380 aircraft may consume about 35 tons of carbon fiber; with average mass production, the annual consumption may reach 1000 tons. A B787 passenger aircraft may consume about 25 tons of carbon fiber, with a yearly consumption of 1500 tons based on a production rate of 60 aircraft per year. Additionally, with significant military transport aircraft like the European A400M, the annual consumption could reach 3000 tons. Considering other military aircraft, small and medium-sized civilian aircraft, helicopters, and various drones, the yearly consumption of composite materials, including carbon fiber, in the aviation sector alone may exceed 5000 tons shortly. The enormous demand has led to a comprehensive tightening of the carbon fiber supply, resulting in a severe shortage in the market. At this exhibition, Taiwanese manufacturers of composite materials expressed their grievances about the shortage of carbon fiber, forcing some to switch to other products. It is estimated that domestic manufacturers using carbon fiber as raw material will also feel significant distress and pressure due to the shortage.

2.2 Price Surge and Severe Shortage of Supply

"The fluctuating carbon fiber prices threaten your application," as stated in the composite materials industry. According to the market's supply and demand dynamics, scarcity inevitably leads to price hikes. It is reported that the price of T700 carbon fiber, 12K products, has almost doubled in the past two years. The price per kilogram of Taiwan's 12K carbon fiber products has reached 350-380 RMB, serving as clear evidence. The global materials industry underestimated the severity of the current shortage of carbon fiber, indicating insufficient estimation of the positive trend in the development of advanced composite material applications.

2.3 Expansion of Production by Various Manufacturers but Short-term Relief is Difficult

Faced with the severe shortage of carbon fiber in the market, several major carbon fiber producers worldwide are formulating expansion plans. Toray's French subsidiary, Soficar, plans to increase its annual carbon fiber production from 800 to 2600 tons. Toho's German subsidiary plans to expand its carbon fiber production from 1900 to 3400 tons annually. Taiwan's producers also plan to increase production from 1000 tons annually to 1500 tons. However, expanding carbon fiber production requires a process, so the short-term relief of the carbon fiber shortage seems complicated based on the information obtained at the conference.Additionally, from the participation of other fiber exhibitors, it appears that only DuPont participated in the exhibition for aramid fibers. More exhibitors showcased fiberglass, including Zhejiang Jushi Group from China, International Composite Materials Company from Chongqing, Taishan Fiberglass, and Taiwan Glass, all exhibiting products in short supply.

3.Excellent Business Opportunities for Basalt Fiber Development

There were a total of three basalt fiber manufacturers and one basalt fiber wholesaler participating in this exhibition. In the context of a general tightening of various high-tech fibers and a severe shortage of carbon fiber, the exhibition of basalt fiber, with its unique excellent performance and cost-effectiveness, attracted particular attention. This was one of the highlights and hotspots of this year's JEC exhibition. The four exhibitors of basalt fiber were Sudaglass Fiber Technology from Russia, which is also building new factories in the US and Ukraine; Kamenny Vek Dubna Moscow from Russia, which is smaller in scale and was established in 2002; and one company from Belgium, primarily engaged in product distribution rather than production. The fourth company was our Chinese company, Jiangsu Tianlong Basalt Continuous Fiber Co., Ltd., participating in the JEC exhibition for the first time.

3.1Main Characteristics of Continuous Basalt Fiber

Continuous Basalt Fiber is a new type of high-tech fiber belonging to inorganic non-metallic fibers and is a pollution-free green industrial material. Continuous Basalt Fiber is produced by pulling natural basalt rocks into fibers at high temperatures. Basalt rocks are widely distributed in China, and their good quality provides abundant raw materials for basalt fiber production. Continuous Basalt Fiber is generally equivalent to S2 high-strength glass fiber in strength and stiffness and is superior to E-glass fiber. However, it is excellently cost-effective regarding chemical stability, resistance to high temperatures and acids, alkalis, moisture absorption, etc. A comparison of its main properties with other fibers is detailed in Table 1:

3.2 Main Forms of Continuous Basalt Fiber

Continuous basalt fiber is available in various forms, such as untwisted coarse yarn, fine yarn, chopped strand, woven fabric, grid, unidirectional tape, and needle-punched felt. It can be used as reinforcement in composite materials with various resins for multiple technical applications. Different surface treatments (sizing) are applied to other types of basalt fiber to meet the varying requirements for adhesion between the reinforcement and resin interfaces.

3.3 Applications of Continuous Basalt Fiber

The performance characteristics of continuous basalt fiber can extend its application to various fields: Basalt fiber can be used in fire-resistant and heat-insulating products, such as fireproof clothing and curtains. In the infrastructure sector, it can be used to repair and reinforce buildings, partially replacing expensive carbon fiber and enhancing cement for dam construction, coastal engineering, and road construction. It finds applications in environmental protection, thermal insulation, sound insulation, vibration isolation, high-temperature filtration, and adsorption of harmful substances and air. Materials formed by compounding with various resins can be used as structural materials, applicable in wind turbine blades, vehicle and ship structures, corrosion-resistant and pressure-resistant pipelines, storage tanks, and printed circuit board substrates. At the exhibition, demonstrations included basalt fiber camera tripods and high-pressure gas cylinders. Continuous basalt fiber can also be used in defense and military projects, such as nuclear radiation protection, radio wave stealth structures, radar coverings requiring electromagnetic properties, and bulletproof materials. It is believed that more economically efficient application areas will be developed with ongoing research into basalt fiber applications.

4.Conclusion

The severe shortage of reinforcing fibers such as carbon fiber provides unprecedented opportunities for the development and application of basalt fiber. Its outstanding and unique performance and its low-cost advantage ensure broad prospects for market applications. The participation of Jiangsu Tianlong Basalt Continuous Fiber Co., Ltd. in the JEC exhibition in Paris for the first time can be considered a success. The exhibition attracted widespread attention and interest from attendees, with constant visitors to the booth for discussions and inquiries. The promotional materials were eagerly taken, and some exhibited samples were quickly purchased. Overall, participating in the exhibition has further strengthened the company's confidence and determination to accelerate the development of basalt fiber. It will actively cooperate with domestic and foreign colleagues to develop downstream technical products and provide high-quality continuous basalt fiber to domestic and international customers.