JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #51 - September 2009 - 10

COMPANIES COMPANIES Kamenny Vek: the Russian basalt-fibre specialist Established in 2002 in Dubna (Moscow region, Russia), Kamenny Vek manufactures high quality continuous basalt fibres to offer a broad range of products (direct rovings, assembled rovings, twisted yarns, chopped strands, etc.) and technical solutions for many different applications, such as thermoinsulation, construction industry, automotive parts, windmill blades, friction applications, high-pressure cylinders, and more. amenny Vek has headquarters about 100 kilometres north of Moscow in the town of Dubna, which developed after World War II as the site of one of the world’s largest nuclear research institutes. A number of elementary particles were discovered there, including element 105, which was named “dubnium” in honour of the town. Kamenny Vek has production facilities there, and at another site about twenty kilometres away. K Production The graded basalt rock is loaded onto a conveyor belt and carried to the furnaces. On the way, the rock is rinsed with water and inspected visually for quality by an operator. The rock arrives in the gas furnace, where rocks are melted and then melted basalt enters the electrically heated bushings. The process is similar to the glass-fibre fabrication process, with two exceptions: 1) the oven receives rock instead of a silica-oxide-flux mixture and 2) the temperature required for basalt is about 300°C higher (1,500°C). It takes 24 hours to melt down and homogenize the basalt. The melted basalt is drawn through a bushing with 400 to 800 holes, and wound by a winder while sizing is applied. The entire fibre fabrication process is fully automated and managed from a control room. Once they have been dried in a drying oven, the fibres are sent to the further processing such as assembling or twisted yarn production, and then packaged for delivery according to international standards (with product tracking labels for each batch). Kamenny Vek stresses the fact that it uses equipment from the top European and American manufacturers for getting the best perfomances and to guarantee to its customers consistent high quality of products. The maximum annual output is currently at 2,000 metric tons (MT) and could reach 3,000 - 5,000 MT in 20092010 if the economy revives. Kamenny Vek claims to be ready to expand to 15,000 MT/year in 18-24 months if necessary. The company manufactures strands with filament diameters in the 9-21 µm range. Its portfolio consists of rovings, chopped strands, twisted yarns, needle punched mats, nonwoven and woven fabrics. The company is open to collaboration for the manufacture of special design fabrics and braided sleeves. aesthetic application. Basalt fibres also have better sound insulation properties than glass fibres. They also lose only 20% of their initial strength after exposition under 400°C, while the strength of Eglass under the same conditions drops more than 50%. Main characteristics • Higher mechanical properties than that of the E-glass • Higher chemical resistance than E-glass in both acidic and basic environments • Extended temperature range (up to 580°C) • Environmental friendliness • Easy recycling/disposal in comparison with glass • Cost effective material In Europe, Japan and the United States, fibre-reinforced PP and PE auto parts are often recycled by incineration. The problem with this is that the glass-fibre reinforcement melts and builds up on the bottom of the ovens, which must be shut down for cleaning. In the same conditions, basalt fibre burns down into a fine powder, so the ovens can continue to operate with an extractor. The extracted powder can then be used as a filler for resins or in road materials. Moreover, this powder is a natural material (basalt powder), not a chemical substance as in case with the E-glass. Thus using basaltfiber reinforced parts instead of the Eglass fibre reinforcement allows car Main advantages According to Kamenny Vek, its basalt fibres show 15-20% higher tensile strength and modulus (Figure 1), better chemical resistance, an extended operating temperature range (up to 580°C), and better environmental friendliness and recyclability than regular E-glass, all in a single material – approaching and sometimes outperforming high-strength glasses and other specialty fibres, but at a better price. Continuous basalt fibres are ideally suited for applications requiring high temperatures, chemical resistance, durability, mechanical strength and stiffness, low water absorption or 10 jec composites magazine / No51 September 2009

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #51 - September 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #51 - September 2009