Fibers, Part 7: Inorganic Fibers

This time, I'll be writing about inorganic fibers.

The previous article is linked at the bottom of the page; please feel free to read it.

Now, as the name suggests, inorganic fibers are fibers made from inorganic materials.

They can be classified into "metallic fibers," "glass fibers," "rock fibers," "slag fibers," and "carbon fibers."

This time, I will be writing about "metallic fibers," "glass fibers," and "carbon fibers."

First, let's talk about metallic fibers.

The metals mainly used are gold, silver, iron, stainless steel, and aluminum.

Steel wool used in chemical combustion experiments is a prime example of iron metallic fiber.

Metallic fibers using gold and silver are mainly used for decorative purposes.

Naturally, even though they are fibers, they are still metals, possessing metallic properties and offering significant advantages in strength and heat resistance. Of course, they also have disadvantages due to their metallic nature; repeated bending can lead to metal fatigue and a decrease in strength.

Metal fibers are primarily used in materials.

For example, ropes used in cable cars, wires used in construction cranes, and copper wires used for power transmission are all metal fibers.

Next is glass fiber.

While less commonly encountered than metal fibers, it's surprisingly used in many everyday applications.

Short-fiber glass fibers are used as insulation.

They excel in heat resistance, durability, and non-flammability, and their degradation rate is extremely slow. Furthermore, being inorganic, they are unaffected by pests, making them ideal for insulation.

Long-fiber glass fibers boast excellent strength and virtually no stretching, making them suitable for reinforced plastics. Their high electrical insulation and poor heat conductivity also make them suitable for motor coils, etc.

Finally, there's carbon fiber.

This fiber is well-known simply as carbon.

It's characterized by its extreme lightness yet remarkable strength.

In fact, this carbon fiber is made from the synthetic fiber acrylic.

Carbon fibers, specifically those classified as PAN-based, are manufactured by repeatedly baking acrylic at high temperatures.

They are lighter, rust-resistant, and more elastic than metal fibers.

Their applications are diverse, including aircraft and space applications, industrial uses, and sports equipment.

While most inorganic fibers currently in use fall into the three categories mentioned above, "rock fibers" were previously widely used.

This refers to asbestos. Asbestos, once called a "miracle mineral" due to its excellent durability, heat resistance, and low cost, is no longer used due to the high risk of lung cancer and other diseases from inhalation.

Summary of this lesson:

Metal fibers are made from gold, silver, iron, copper, stainless steel, etc.

Their excellent strength and heat resistance make them suitable for industrial materials such as wires.

Those with excellent conductivity are used in electrical wires.

Short glass fibers are used as insulation in homes and public facilities.

Long glass fibers are used in reinforced plastics and motor coils for power generation.

Carbon fiber is a lightweight, high-strength, and elastic high-performance fiber.

It is used in applications such as aircraft and space.

Asbestos, which was previously used, is a rock fiber and is no longer used.

Thank you for reading to the end.

The next article is here ↓