A Brief History Of Alumina Fiber Research

On May 19, 1987, China filed patent application CN87103775A, disclosing a method for producing polycrystalline alumina fibers. Utilizing a sol-gel process with industrial-grade aluminum chloride as the primary raw material and a three-stage heat treatment regime, this method aimed to establish an industrial-scale production process for high-quality, 95% polycrystalline alumina fibers at a low cost. The resulting fibers feature a dense, defect-free microstructure and exhibit excellent properties-including low cost, high strength, flexibility, and minimal thermal shrinkage-with an operating temperature range of 1400–1600°C. They are suitable for applications such as steel-rolling reheating furnaces and soaking pits in the metallurgical industry, kilns for firing electrical porcelain and ceramics, and high-temperature furnaces in the refractory materials industry, offering significant energy savings.