Inorganic Fiber

Abstract

Provided are inorganic fibers containing calcium and alumina as the major fiber components. According to certain embodiments, the inorganic fibers containing calcia and alumina are provided with a coating of a phosphorous containing compound on at least a portion of the fiber surfaces. Also provided are methods of preparing the coated and non-coated inorganic fibers and of thermally insulating articles using thermal insulation comprising the inorganic fibers.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A low shrinkage, high temperature resistant inorganic fiber having a use temperature of 1100° C. or greater, wherein at least 90 weight percent of said fiber consists essentially of a fiberization product of greater than 50 weight percent calcia, greater than 0 to less than 50 weight percent alumina, and about 10 weight percent or less silica. 
     
     
         2 . The inorganic fiber of  claim 1 , wherein at least 90 weight percent of said fiber consists essentially of the fiberization product of greater than 50 to about 60 weight percent calcia and from about 40 to less than 50 weight percent alumina. 
     
     
         3 . The inorganic fiber of  claim 1 , wherein at least 90 weight percent of said fiber consists essentially of the fiberization product of about greater than 50 to about 80 weight percent calcia and about 20 to less than 50 weight percent alumina. 
     
     
         4 . The inorganic fiber of  claim 1 , wherein at least 90 weight percent of said fiber consists essentially of the fiberization product of about 60 to about 80 weight percent calcia and about 20 to about 40 weight percent alumina. 
     
     
         5 . The inorganic fiber of  claim 1 , wherein at least 90 weight percent of said fiber consists essentially of the fiberization product of greater than 50 to about 70 weight percent calcia and about 30 to less than 50 weight percent alumina. 
     
     
         6 . The inorganic fiber of  claim 1 , containing about 5 weight percent or less silica. 
     
     
         7 . The inorganic fiber of  claim 1 , containing about 2 weight percent or less silica. 
     
     
         8 . The inorganic fiber of  claim 1 , containing substantially no alkali metal oxide. 
     
     
         9 . The inorganic fiber of  claim 1 , containing less than about 1 weight percent iron oxide, calculated as Fe 2 O 3 . 
     
     
         10 . An inorganic fiber containing article comprising at least one of bulk fiber, blankets, needled blankets, papers, felts, cast shapes, vacuum cast forms, or compositions, said fiber containing article comprising the fiberization product of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . The inorganic fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber exhibits a linear shrinkage of 5 percent or less when exposed to 1260° C. for 24 hours. 
     
     
         12 . A method for producing an inorganic fiber comprising:
 forming a melt with ingredients, wherein at least 90 weight percent of said ingredients consist essentially of greater than 50 weight percent calcia and greater than 0 to less than 50 weight percent alumina; and   producing fibers from the melt.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein at least 90 weight percent of said ingredients consist essentially of greater than 50 to about 60 weight percent calcia and from about 40 to less than 50 weight percent alumina. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein at least 90 weight percent of said ingredients consist essentially of about greater than 50 to about 80 weight percent calcia and about 20 to less than 50 weight percent alumina. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein at least 90 weight percent of said ingredients consist essentially of about 60 to about 80 weight percent calcia and about 20 to about 40 weight percent alumina. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein at least 90 weight of said ingredients consist essentially of greater than 50 to about 70 weight percent calcia and about 30 to less than 50 weight percent alumina. 
     
     
         17 . A method of insulating an article comprising disposing on, in, near or around the article, a thermal insulation material comprising inorganic fibers consists essentially of a fiberization product, wherein at least 90 weight percent of the fiberization product comprises greater than 50 weight percent calcia and greater than 0 to less than 50 weight percent alumina. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said thermal insulation material consists essentially of the fiberization product of greater than 50 to about 60 weight percent calcia and from about 40 to less than 50 weight percent alumina. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said thermal insulation material consists essentially of the fiberization product of about greater than 50 to about 80 weight percent calcia and about 20 to less than 50 weight percent alumina. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said thermal insulation material consists essentially of the fiberization product of about 60 to about 80 weight percent calcia and about 20 to about 40 weight percent alumina. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said thermal insulation material consists essentially of the fiberization product of greater than 50 to about 70 weight percent calcia and about 30 to less than 50 weight percent alumina.