Chemical and thermal resistance of basalt fiber in inclement environments

To study the applicability of the basalt fiber through various experimental works in thermal and chemical environments, glass fiber and carbon fiber were compared and discussed. The tensile strength testing was used to investigate the corrosive resistance of basalt fiber, meanwhile, surface study by scanning electron microscopy and microanalysis with complementary X-ray diffraction analysis (SEM/EDS) was also used to ascertain the durability of basalt fiber. The basalt fiber showed better strength retention than the glass fiber at relatively high temperature. Its tensile strength increased when exposed at 300 °C for several hours, and still maintain about 70% of the initial strength at 400 °C, whereas that of the glass fiber decreased dramatically. The better stability of the basalt fiber was observed in hydrothermal and chemical environment. The tensile strength of the basalt fiber increased by 20% after the immersion in boiling water and remained well in acid solution, when it comes to glass fiber, the tensile strength decreased to some extent. Although the alkali resistance of basalt fiber was poor at the initial stage, it shows better resistance than the glass fiber after long time treatment.