Shrink-resistant refractory fiber and process for making same
AssigneeThe Carborundum Company
InventorThomas A. Myles
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shrink resistant flexible ceramic fiber and its process of manufacture which comprises melting from about 40 to 65 weight percent of alumina with from about 35 to about 60 weight percent of silica, forming fibers from the melt, rapidly solidifying the fibers, heating the fibers to a sufficient temperature for a sufficient time to form microcrystals and cooling the fibers to below the crystallization temperature before macrocrystals can form.
Claims11
A shrink resistant flexible ceramic fiber comprising a microcrystalline combination of alumina and silica manufactured by forming amorphous fibers from a melt containing from about 40 to about 65 weight percent alumina and from about 35 to about 60 weight percent silica followed by heating the fibers to a sufficient temperature for a sufficient time to form microcrystals and cooling the fibers below the crystallization temperature before macrocrystals form, said melt being essentially free from alkali and alkaline earth metal oxides and oxides of boron, lead, copper and zinc;
- the ceramic fiber being capable of being exposed to a temperature of 1425.degree. C. for 24 hours with a linear shrinkage of less than 2 percent.
A process for the manufacture of a shrink resistant flexible ceramic fiber which comprises:
- (a) melting from about 40 to about 65 weight percent of alumina with from about 35 to about 60 weight percent of silica;
- (b) forming fibers from the melt;
- (c) rapidly solidifying said fibers to form amorphous fibers;
- (d) heating the fibers to a sufficient temperature of from 1150.degree. C. to 1240.degree. C.;
- (e) maintaining said temperature for a sufficient time of between 0 and 30 minutes to convert the amorphous fibers to microcrystalline fibers of sufficient crystallinity such that a mat formed from said fiber has a linear shrinkage of less than two percent after 24 hours at 1425.degree. C.;
- and
- (f) cooling the fibers to below the crystallization temperature before macrocrystals can form.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.