Press release
January 2025

RATH is the first European manufacturer and supplier of oxide ceramic continuous fiber

RATH has been developing oxide ceramic continuous fiber for several years. The production plant for the manufacture of the ALTRA FLE® oxide ceramic continuous fiber in M75, MK85 and K99 qualities was recently commissioned at the RATH Mönchengladbach site (Germany). This makes RATH the first European supplier to offer a solution for producers and processors of temperature-resistant fabrics and composite materials. The new production plant will initially produce up to 10 tons of fiber per year.

Vienna, January 28, 2025

 

“Drawing on 35 years of experience in the development and production of high-temperature ceramic fiber, RATH is always looking for innovative ways to develop new, pioneering product solutions for industry. The addition of ALTRA FLEX® oxidic ceramic continuous fiber in three grades has enabled us to once again expand our broad portfolio of pioneering solutions”, says Christopher Kluthe, Senior R&D Manager, RATH. “ALTRA FLEX® is outstanding in the industry and maintains both strength and flexibility up to 1200 oC”, adds Christopher Kluthe. Other advantages include high thermal shock resistance, elevated creep resistance, excellent dimensional stability and low thermal conductivity.

 

Ideal for a wide range of applications in many industries

The properties, especially the retention of flexibility in extreme temperature ranges, open up many possibilities. The roving is ideal for fabrics, composites, weaving, braiding and more. These product properties make ALTRA FLEX® a future-oriented material in many industries and fields of application.

 

ALTRA FLEX®: important raw material for the production of oxide ceramic matrix composites

Oxide ceramic continuous fiber is widely used, especially as reinforcing fibers in various matrices (CMC, MMC). Due to its high tensile strength and stiffness as well as its excellent chemical and thermal resistance, continuous fiber can, for example, provide ceramic matrices with quasi-ductile, damage-tolerant fracture behavior. "This continuous fiber is an important raw material for the production of oxide ceramic matrix composites”, concludes Christopher Kluthe.

 

An annual production of up to 10 tons of ALTRA FLEX® oxide ceramic continuous fiber is planned

The fiber, produced using the sol-gel process with a dry spinning technique, has a pure mullite or corundum microstructure after its thermal treatment, while in the MK85 grade, both phases are present in parallel. To date, RATH has developed the mullite fiber M75 (with an elevated creep resistance as well as a tensile strength of up to 1,500 MPa and an modulus of elasticity of 200 GPa), the mullite-corundum fiber MK85 (with a tensile strength of up to 1,900 MPa and a modulus of elasticity of 230 GPa) and the corundum fiber K99 (with a tensile strength of up to 2,500 MPa and a modulus of elasticity of 350 GPa).  Initially, up to 10 tons of ALTRA FLEX oxide ceramic continuous fiber are to be produced annually in the production plant in Mönchengladbach.

 

ALTRA FLEX® is a product of RATH Research and Development and was created as part of the HORIZON EUROPE project InVECOF (Innovative Value Chains for European Ceramic Oxide Fibers).

 

More information: www.rath-group.com/altraflex 

 

Contact RATH

Anja Rauter
Global Manager Marketing Communications
T +43 1 513 44 27 – 21 76
E anja.rauter@rath-group.com

 

Thomas Binder-Krieglstein
Head of Group Marketing
T +43 1 513 44 27 – 21 74
E thomas.binder-krieglstein@rath-group.com

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