Fiber composite article and method of manufacture

Abstract

An article and method for its manufacture are described. The article is preferably a ladle used in the manufacture of metals and receives molten metal for further chemical processing in the ladle or for transportation. The ladle is transparent to a wide range of electromagnetic radiation wavelengths which allows the metal to be heated or stirred by induction without heating the ladle itself. The ladle is made of glass fibers and an inorganic cement, and this provides strength along with high temperature resistance. The article is manufactured by winding glass fiber around a mandrel, the glass fiber having an inorganic cement adhered to it. In one technique, the cement is provided on the fiber as an aqueous slurry, and the product is allowed to air cure after winding. In a second technique, the cement is adhered to the fiber by electrostatic attraction. After winding is complete, additional cement may be added, the product is placed in an autoclave supplied with steam whereby the cement takes up water, and it is then allowed to cure. After the product is cured, it is preferably sawed into two pieces to form two inductively transparent ladles.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.