The partners share their structures where you can find different technical skills, useful in the characterization and evaluation of basalt fiber properties.

A first assessment can be made on the primary fiber and on the resulting products (yarn, fabrics, ...).

Depending on the possible final applications and, therefore, with the collaboration of partner companies, the quality of the material may be properly checked for example with the design and testing of prototypes and using special equipment



From Fiber to Prototype

The properties of primary fiber, of the different intermediate products currently marketed and of the designed prototypes was and will be tested by the network.

Chemical properties
Chemical analysis of materials currently on the market may be conducted by the different available laboratories. Tests on the manufactured prototypes have a great value too: between the unlimited possible activities, we can list for example the assessment of the chemical resistance in different environments and of the compatibility of fiber with other materials such as resins or inorganic binders.

Mechanical properties
The Department of Chemical Engineering, Industrial Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Pisa can test the mechanical properties of materials (resilience, tensile, compression, bending and fatigue resistance).
Tecnotessile can also test resistance to tensile, flexural and tear stress of composite materials and sandwich structures. These are very interesting to assess the properties of fibers, products (yarn, fabrics, ...) and final application in the different fields of use (composite materials, ...).

Microscopic analysis (SEM)
The Scanning Electron Microscope – SEM allow to obtain three-dimensional images immediately intelligible and intuitive with a resolution that is about 5 nm. This particular device, that allows detailed morphological and structural analysis of fibers and end products, is available at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Pisa.

Resistance to flame
Fire test resistance facilities are available at CPTM laboratories. Multiple tests on samples of basalt fiber with organic or inorganic matrix have been executed emphasizing very good results comparing with commercial materials. This kind of assessment was carried out following the example of 20 years old jet fire resistance tests on passive fire protection system for off-shore equipment: the test in question have the considerable advantage of being on a laboratory scale allowing greater convenience and speed.

Final uses

The opportunities for using the materials described, produced from the single continuous basalt filament, are countless.
Companies partner in the Basaltnet and other ones who will join in, can share their experiences about their specific work areas and thus assess the actual feasibility of using this fiber.
In particular, design and manufacture of prototypes on which to conduct assessments and trials, may be of considerable interest.

Composite with organic and inorganic matrix
The partnership between companies led to the creation of several samples of organic matrix, basalt fiber reinforced composites. All the experience in the implementation of composites both structural or not, is properly exploited before you can then better quantify the results achieved by the research centres partners.

Industrial and civil insulation
Possible uses of basalt as thermal and noise insulation are significant. Materials made with the fiber, such as fabric or mat, offer many employment opportunities in this important segment of industrial and building sectors: in fact they combines good physical properties and an important capability to resist to fire effects. Termisol Termica srl is working on innovative materials for industrial insulation and protection that would replace existing solutions with less environmental impact, ease of application and lower costs.

Personal protective equipment
On more sector interesting for the Continuous Basalt Filament should be the realization of technical fabrics for the production of personal protective equipment (PPE). Samples of suits and accessories for fire or ballistic protection have already been realized and suggest considerable chances for technological research. In this context, network makes use of the partner Lenzi Egisto spa specialization in technical fabrics production for personal protection and accident prevention.