Rath secures European ‘first’ in oxide ceramic continuous fibre
Vienna, January 28, 2025
The new production plant will initially produce up to 10 tons of fibre per year.
Rath has been developing oxide ceramic continuous fibre for several years. The production plant for the manufacture of the ALTRA FLEX oxide ceramic continuous fibre in K99 and M75 qualities was recently commissioned at the Rath Mönchengladbach site.
“Drawing on 35 years of experience in the development and production of high-temperature ceramic fibre, Rath is always looking for innovative ways to develop new, pioneering product solutions for industry. The addition of ALTRA FLEX oxidic ceramic continuous fibre in two grades has enabled us to once again expand our broad portfolio of pioneering solutions,” said Christopher Kluthe, senior R&D manager of Rath. “ALTRA FLEX is unsurpassed in the industry and maintains both strength and flexibility up to 1,200°C.”
Other advantages include high thermal shock resistance, excellent dimensional stability and low thermal conductivity.
The properties, especially the retention of flexibility in extreme temperature ranges, open up many possibilities. The roving is ideal for fabrics, 3D printing, 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 fibre is widely used, especially as reinforcing fibres in various matrices (CMC, MMC). Due to its high tensile strength and stiffness as well as its excellent chemical and thermal resistance, continuous fibre can, for example, provide ceramic matrices with quasi-ductile, damage-tolerant fracture behaviour. "This continuous fibre is an important raw material for the production of oxide ceramic matrix composites,” concluded Christopher Kluthe.
The fibre, produced using the sol-gel process with a dry spinning technique, has a mullite or corundum microstructure after its thermal treatment. To date, Rath has developed the corundum fibre K99 (with a tensile strength of up to 3,000MPa and an E-modulus of over 350GPa) and the mullite fibre M75 (with a tensile strength of up to 1,500MPa and a modulus of elasticity of over 200GPa).
Other qualities, especially those with higher creep resistance, are already in development. Initially, up to 10 tons of ALTRA FLEX oxide ceramic continuous fibre are to be produced annually in the new production plant in Mönchengladbach.
Contact:
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