Abstract
An experimental study has been carried out and it was observed that inorganic mineral fibres of the slag wool and rock wool types exhibit a physical disintegration and morphological modifications on the fibre surface when these fibrous products have been exposed to water vapour or immersed in a liquid water medium under heating at temperatures up to 100° C for a period of several months. The physical disintegration transformed the fine and thread-like fibres into small segments and granules. Scanning electron microscopic examinations showed that a rough and eroded fibre surface was formed for those fibres which have been immersed in water and heated at temperatures below 60° C for about 3 months and that a reticular network structure or “honeycomb morphology” was developed on the Jibre surface for those fibres which have been immersed in water and heated at temperatures above 85° C and up to 100° C for about 4 weeks. Measurement of the pH value of the water solution and thermogravimetric analysis of the disintegrated fibres suggest that these modifications of the fibrous products are caused by two possible mechanisms: chemical leaching and chemical hydration. Thermal conductivity measurements showed that the disintegrated fibres have thermal insulating values about 15% lower than that of the normal and thread-like fibres.
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Low, N.M.P. Observation of chemical hydration in inorganic mineral fibres. J Mater Sci 21, 998–1004 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01117385
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01117385