As a high-performance fire-resistant insulation material, the thermal shock resistance of ceramic fiber blanket is one of the key indicators to measure its application reliability. Thermal shock resistance refers to the ability of a material to resist rupture when the temperature changes sharply, especially in high-temperature environments such as industrial kilns and aerospace equipment. This performance is directly related to the safety and service life of the equipment.
The thermal shock resistance of ceramic fiber blanket mainly depends on its unique microstructure. The fibrous morphology forms a large number of tiny pores inside the material, which can buffer thermal stress and reduce crack propagation when the temperature changes. At the same time, the interwoven structure between fibers disperses stress through the "bridging effect" to avoid brittle fracture caused by local stress concentration.
Ceramic fiber blanket usually uses alumina and silica as the main components, and its thermal expansion coefficient (CTE) can be optimized by adjusting the raw material ratio. For example, low CTE alumina fiber can reduce volume deformation and thermal stress when the temperature changes. In addition, adding phase change toughening materials such as zirconium oxide can absorb energy through phase change and further improve thermal shock resistance.
The needle punching process in the production process can enhance the friction between fibers and form a more stable interwoven structure. The heat setting treatment solidifies the fiber morphology at high temperature to reduce internal defects. Studies have shown that the thermal shock resistance of ceramic fiber blankets prepared by optimized processes is more than 20% higher than that of traditional products, and can withstand rapid cooling and heating cycles from 1000℃ to room temperature.
The industry usually uses water quenching or blowing to simulate thermal shock environments. For example, after heating the sample to 800℃, it is quickly immersed in 20℃ water to observe its surface cracks and strength loss. Test results show that after 10 thermal shock cycles, the strength retention rate of high-quality ceramic fiber blankets can still reach more than 85%, far exceeding that of ordinary refractory materials.
In scenes such as steel smelting and glass melting furnaces, ceramic fiber blankets need to withstand temperature fluctuations caused by frequent opening and closing of furnace doors. Actual application data shows that its thermal shock resistance extends the life of the furnace lining to more than 3 years, which is 50% higher than that of traditional refractory bricks. In the thermal protection system of spacecraft, its lightweight and high-strength characteristics make it an irreplaceable material.
Although ceramic fiber blanket has excellent thermal shock resistance, long-term high-temperature use may cause fiber crystallization and reduce toughness.
Gradient structure design: Develop gradient materials from high strength in the outer layer to high toughness in the inner layer;
Composite path: Composite with carbon fiber and ceramic matrix to form a multi-scale reinforcement system.
Ceramic fiber blanket has excellent thermal shock resistance due to its unique fiber structure and optimized preparation process. Through material innovation and process improvement, its application boundaries are constantly expanding, especially in extreme temperature environments, showing irreplaceable advantages. In the future, with the advancement of materials science, the thermal shock resistance of ceramic fiber blanket is expected to be further improved, providing more reliable solutions for high-temperature industry and aerospace fields.
