Refractories, fibers, aluminosilicate

Aluminosilicate fibers (commonly called refractory ceramic fibers (RCFs) in the United States) are amorphous fibers belonging to a class of materials termed synthetic vitreous fibers (SVFs), also termed man-made mineral fibers or manmade vitreous fibers. This class of materials also includes glass wool, rock (stone) wool, slag wool, mineral wool, and specialpurpose glass fibers. Fibers can be classified in various ways, such as natural versus synthetic, organic versus inorganic, and crystalline versus amorphous. Several fiber taxonomies have been proposed.
Aluminosilicate wools (ASWs) were first invented in the early 1940s and commercialized in the 1950s in the United States and somewhat later in other countries. Substantial energy price increases beginning in the 1970s increased the economic benefits of energy conservation and the market for these fibers.
ASWs are SVFs produced by melting (at ～1925°C) alumina, silica, and other inorganic oxides, and then blowing or spinning these melts into fibers. These fibers can also be produced by melting blends of calcined kaolin, alumina, and silica. The bulk fibers produced by this process can be used directly for some applications, but are more commonly converted into other physical forms, including blanket, modules (folded blanket capable of being installed rapidly in industrial furnaces), paper, felt, board, vacuum formed parts, textiles, and putties or pastes. Conversion to various physical forms takes place at locations where aluminosilicate fibers are produced, facilities operated by converters (producers of intermediate goods) or end users. Primary manufacturing facilities for aluminosilicate fibers are located in North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Conversion facilities and end users are distributed throughout the industrialized world.