In the challenging field of aerospace, the performance of heat-resistant materials is directly related to the safety and performance of aircraft. High silicon fiber felt, as a new type of heat-resistant material, is gradually becoming a new favorite in the aerospace industry. Next, let's take a detailed look at the relevant situation of high silicon fiber felt.

Basic characteristics of high silicon fiber felt

High silicon fiber felt is an inorganic fiber material mainly composed of high-purity silicon dioxide. It has excellent high temperature resistance and can maintain stable physical and chemical properties in temperature environments of 1000 ℃ or even higher. This is due to its unique chemical structure, where the chemical bond energy of silica is high, making the fibers less prone to decomposition at high temperatures.

At the same time, high silicon fiber felt also has good thermal insulation performance. Its fiber structure can effectively prevent heat transfer and reduce thermal conductivity. For example, using high silicon fiber felt in the insulation layer of some aircraft engines can isolate the high temperature generated by the engine from surrounding equipment and protect other components from the effects of high temperature.

In addition, high silicon fiber felt also has advantages such as good chemical stability, corrosion resistance, and light weight. It does not react with most chemicals and can be used in harsh chemical environments. Moreover, its lightweight characteristics can reduce the weight of aerospace vehicles and improve flight efficiency.

Application of high silicon fiber felt in the aviation field

In the aviation industry, high silicon fiber felt has a wide range of applications. Firstly, the aircraft engine. The engine generates extremely high temperatures during operation, and high silicon fiber felt can be used as insulation material for the engine, wrapping around key parts of the engine to reduce heat dissipation to the surrounding environment and improve the thermal efficiency of the engine. For example, when a certain model of civil aircraft engine adopts a high silicon fiber felt insulation layer, the fuel consumption rate of the engine is reduced by a certain proportion, and the service life of the engine is also extended.

Secondly, high silicon fiber felt is also used in aircraft fire protection systems. Installing high silicon fiber felt fireproof partitions in the cabin, cargo hold, and other areas of the aircraft can effectively prevent the spread of fires and provide more escape time for passengers and crew members. In some aircraft designs, high silicon fiber felt fireproof partitions can withstand the impact of high-temperature flames for a certain period of time, maintaining structural integrity.

In addition, high silicon fiber felt can be used as a thermal insulation material in the leading edge of aircraft wings, nose covers, and other areas. When the aircraft is flying at high speed, these parts will experience intense friction with the air, generating high temperatures. High silicon fiber felt can withstand this high temperature and protect the structural safety of the aircraft.

Application of High Silicon Fiber Felt in Aerospace Field

In the aerospace field, the role of high silicon fiber felt is even more crucial. When spacecraft enter the atmosphere, they experience intense friction with the air, resulting in extremely high temperatures. High silicon fiber felt can be used as a thermal protection material for spacecraft, coated on the surface of spacecraft, such as the wings, fuselage, and other parts of space shuttles. For example, when the US space shuttle re enters the atmosphere, the high silicon fiber felt thermal protection layer on its surface can withstand temperatures of thousands of degrees Celsius, ensuring the safety of equipment and personnel inside the spacecraft.

In addition, high silicon fiber felt also has important applications in spacecraft engines and propulsion systems. It can serve as insulation material to reduce the impact of engine generated heat on other parts of the spacecraft. At the same time, the lightweight characteristics of high silicon fiber felt also meet the strict requirements of spacecraft for material weight, which helps to improve the payload of spacecraft.

In space probes, high silicon fiber felt can also be used to protect the electronic devices inside the probe. Due to the complex space environment, probes may be affected by high temperatures such as solar radiation and cosmic rays. The thermal insulation performance of high silicon fiber felt can provide good protection for electronic devices and ensure their normal operation.

Preparation process of high silicon fiber felt

The preparation process of high silicon fiber felt is relatively complex. At present, the sol gel method is mainly used. Firstly, prepare a sol containing silica precursor and control the concentration, temperature, and other parameters of the sol to form a uniform solution. Then, the sol is spun into fibers through a spinning process. During the spinning process, it is necessary to precisely control factors such as spinning speed and stretch ratio to ensure the quality and performance of the fibers.

Next, the spun fibers are subjected to heat treatment. The temperature and time of heat treatment have a significant impact on the properties of fibers. By appropriate heat treatment, the silica in the fibers can be further crystallized, improving the high temperature resistance and strength of the fibers. Finally, the processed fibers are processed into fiber felt through processes such as needle punching and bonding. In this process, it is necessary to ensure the uniform density of the fiber felt to ensure the consistency of its thermal insulation and heat resistance performance.

Different preparation process parameters can lead to differences in the performance of high silicon fiber felt. For example, excessive concentration of sol may lead to uneven diameter of fibers, affecting the thermal insulation effect of fiber felt; If the heat treatment temperature is too low, it may not be possible to fully improve the high temperature resistance of the fiber. Therefore, precise control of the preparation process is the key to producing high-quality and high silicon fiber felt.

Development prospects of high silicon fiber felt

With the continuous development of aerospace technology, the performance requirements for heat-resistant materials are also increasing. As a heat-resistant material with excellent performance, high silicon fiber felt has a very broad development prospect. On the one hand, with the continuous improvement and innovation of preparation processes, the performance of high silicon fiber felt will be further improved. For example, by developing new precursor materials and spinning techniques, finer and stronger fibers can be prepared, thereby improving the thermal insulation and heat resistance of fiber felt.

On the other hand, the application fields of high silicon fiber felt will continue to expand. In addition to the aerospace industry, it can also be applied to other fields such as national defense and energy. In the field of national defense, high silicon fiber felt can be used for insulation and protection of military equipment; In the field of energy, it can be used as insulation material for high-temperature industrial furnaces to improve energy utilization efficiency.

In addition, with the increasing awareness of environmental protection, the market demand for high silicon fiber felt as an inorganic environmentally friendly material will continue to increase. It does not contain harmful substances, is environmentally friendly, and conforms to the trend of future material development. I believe that in the future, high silicon fiber felt will play an important role in more fields and make greater contributions to human technological progress.