E Glass Fibre Technical Information
The base material for the vast majority of heat resistant and composite textiles are manufactured from 6 - 9 micron 'E' glass fibre filaments that have been bought together to make rovings or yarns.
E glass fibre has the following key characteristics for thermal applications:
- Inorganic, sterile, incombustible and totally asbestos free.
- Do not contain any toxic matter or heavy metals.
- Low thermal conductivity.
- Good resistance to chemical agents.
- Good electrical properties.
- Good dimensional stability.
- High thermal resistance.
- Good flexibility.
- High mechanical strength.
| BASIC COMPOSITION OF E GLASS FIBRE | |
|---|---|
| SiO2 | 53 - 55% |
| Al2O3 | 14 - 15.5% |
| CaO - MgO | 20 - 25% |
| B2O3 | 6.5 - 9% |
| Fe2O3 - TiO2 | < 1% |
| Na2O - H2O | < 1% |
| GENERAL PROPERTIES OF E GLASS FIBRE | |
|---|---|
| Colour | White |
| Max Continuous Temperature | 550°C in optimum conditions. |
| Melting Point | 1200°C |
| Diameter Filaments | > 6-9 micron |
| Tensile Strength of Virgin Filament | 3400 Mpa |
| Young's Modulus | 7400 Mpa |
| Thermal Conductivity | 1.0 W/m °K |
| Fire Reaction | Incombustible |
| Loss on Ignition | < 1.5% |
| Dielectric Resistivity | 60-100 KV/mm |
| Solvent Resistance | Good |
| Bases Resistance | Good |
| Acid Resistance | Good – except hydrofluoric acid. |
Major E glass fibre producers include but are not exclusive to:
- St Gobain Vetrotex in Czech Republic
- AGY in USA
- China Jushi Co Ltd in China
- PFG Fiber Glass in Taiwan