Both ceramic fiber and rock wool are high temperature resistant, and they can both be used in single crystal furnace, metallurgy casting, petroleum cracking; ablation-resistant, high-temperature insulation materials in space technology; sound-absorbing materials, thermal insulation materials for construction and equipment. So what is the difference between them?
One. Production technology
Ceramic fiber is used kaolin, alumina powder, silica powder, zircon sand etc as raw material; melted in industrial electric furnace in high temperature, and form into fluid. Then the fluid is blown or spun into fibers by fiber forming machine, going through fiber collecting machine and becomes ceramic fiber bulk.
According to different production technology, ceramic fiber bulk can be further processed into ceramic fiber blanket, board, paper, cloth, rope etc. Ceramic fiber is a high efficient thermal insulation material, with excellent heat stability, low thermal conductivity, low thermal capacity, excellent heat insulating property and tensile strength etc.
Rock wool uses natural basalt, dolomite, iron ore as the main raw material, through high temperature melting, high-speed centrifugal spinning into rock wool fiber, Rock wool fiber can be made into rock wool board, blanket, pipe, strip and other kinds of rock wool products. Rock wool products are widely used for construction and industrial equipments, pipelines, heat insulating, fireproof, sound absorption, shock resistance of furnaces.
Compare to rock wool, ceramic fiber blanket contains less slag, and the color of ceramic fiber blanket is white, while rock wool is yellow color.
Two. Difference in properties
Ceramic fiber bulk has long usage life, better toughness. and working temperature is over 1000C. Comm type is 1050C standard type and 1350C Zirconium type. For rock wool, the working temperature is about 650C.
Three. Differences in application
Ceramic fiber blanket is fireproof and heat insulation, and rock wool is only heat insulation
Ceramic fiber blanket is high temperature material, usually used in high temperature environment over 650C, mainly thermal insulation material for industrial kiln wall lining, back lining, high temperature pipe, kiln door and cover, high level home appliance etc. Ceramic fiber blanket is also used to make ceramic fiber module and ceramic fiber block. And after heating in high temperature, there is no peculiar smell.
Rock wool is mid temperature insulation material, usually no more than 650C.Rock wool is mainly used for thermal insulation of building external wall, and there is peculiar smell after heating.
