{
  "spore": "profile",
  "id": "frci-12-tile",
  "spore_version": "0.2",
  "family": "silica",
  "name": "FRCI-12 (fibrous refractory composite insulation) rigid tile",
  "abbreviation": "FRCI-12",
  "role": "Reusable rigid insulation tile of fibrous refractory composite insulation on the Space Shuttle orbiters",
  "category": "thermal-protection",
  "type": "reusable-tiles",
  "summary": "FRCI-12 is a rigid reusable insulation tile made of fibrous refractory composite insulation (FRCI). It was baselined for all Space Shuttle orbiters. The NASA Ames TPSX record gives its dielectric constant as 1.2 at 10GHz and room temperature, and the Wikipedia density table lists FRCI tiles at 192 kg/m3 (12 lb/ft3). The TPSX record says its mechanical properties stay relatively constant up to 1144K (1600F).\n",
  "best_for": "Reusable insulation on the hot underside of a re-entry vehicle, where low density and low thermal conductivity matter and strength must be higher than the original silica tiles",
  "weakest_at": "Few plain-number property values are available for this grade; most TPSX values are printed in exponent form and are not recorded here",
  "identity": {
    "formula": "Fibre composite of silica (SiO2) fibre and aluminoborosilicate fibre, per the TPSX composition line",
    "designations": [
      {
        "system": "Trade name",
        "code": "FRCI-12",
        "source": "tpsx-frci",
        "where": "Name line, FRCI-12 Rigid Tile"
      }
    ],
    "source": "tpsx-frci",
    "where": "Composition line of the FRCI-12 Rigid Tile record (TPSX Material id=3): Approximately 78% wt. silica (SiO2), 22% wt. aluminoborosilicate (62% Al2O3, 24% SiO2, 14% B2O3)"
  },
  "tags": {
    "environments": [
      "re-entry"
    ],
    "stresses": [
      "extreme-heat"
    ],
    "applications": [
      "heat-shields"
    ]
  },
  "properties": [
    {
      "benchmark": "dielectric_constant",
      "label": "Dielectric constant, RF at 10 GHz, room temperature",
      "value": 1.2,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "-",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "frequency": "10GHz (as printed in the TPSX note)",
        "temperature": "room temperature",
        "coating": "not stated in the row"
      },
      "method": "Measured value as listed in the TPSX property table (uncertainty and exponent-form rows not recorded)",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "tpsx-frci",
      "where": "Properties at Standard Conditions table, Dielectric Constant row; note 15",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "FRCI-12 Rigid Tile, NASA Ames Thermal Protection Materials database record (Material id=3)",
        "id": "TPSX Material id=3; record last modified 2001-10-01, property rows 2006-01-05",
        "url": "https://tpsx.arc.nasa.gov/Material?id=3",
        "year": 2006,
        "kind": "database",
        "license": "US government work (NASA)"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "density",
      "label": "Density, FRCI tile",
      "value": 192,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "kg/m3",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "tile": "FRCI (fibrous refractory composite insulation) tiles",
        "basis": "density column of the Wikipedia weight table; no test method printed"
      },
      "method": "Value printed in the density table of the Wikipedia weight considerations section (secondary compilation)",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "wiki-tps",
      "where": "Weight considerations, density table, row 'Fibrous refractory composite insulation tiles'",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Space Shuttle thermal protection system (Wikipedia)",
        "id": "en.wikipedia.org, accessed in this run (composition and history only)",
        "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_thermal_protection_system",
        "year": 2026,
        "kind": "web",
        "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikipedia)"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "density",
      "label": "Density, FRCI tile, imperial units",
      "value": 12,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "lb/ft3",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "tile": "FRCI (fibrous refractory composite insulation) tiles",
        "basis": "same table row as the kg/m3 value; no test method printed"
      },
      "method": "Value printed in the same density table row (secondary compilation)",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "wiki-tps",
      "where": "Weight considerations, density table, row 'Fibrous refractory composite insulation tiles' (lb/ft 3 column)",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Space Shuttle thermal protection system (Wikipedia)",
        "id": "en.wikipedia.org, accessed in this run (composition and history only)",
        "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_thermal_protection_system",
        "year": 2026,
        "kind": "web",
        "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikipedia)"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "mechanical_stability_limit_temperature",
      "label": "Temperature below which tensile properties stay relatively constant",
      "value": 1144,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "K",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "basis": "printed as 1144K (1600F) in the TPSX notes for the tensile strength rows",
        "note": "gradual strength reduction begins above this temperature"
      },
      "method": "Note on the TPSX property table, based on the NASA Ames record; not a use limit",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "tpsx-frci",
      "where": "Notes 8 and 9 of the Properties at Standard Conditions table",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "FRCI-12 Rigid Tile, NASA Ames Thermal Protection Materials database record (Material id=3)",
        "id": "TPSX Material id=3; record last modified 2001-10-01, property rows 2006-01-05",
        "url": "https://tpsx.arc.nasa.gov/Material?id=3",
        "year": 2006,
        "kind": "database",
        "license": "US government work (NASA)"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "temperature_capability",
      "label": "Temperature capability, composite of the present invention (patent comparison)",
      "value": 1540,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "°C",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "composite": "Example 1 tile of the patent (825 grams silica fibres and 175 grams aluminoborosilicate fibre, density 0.32 g/cc)",
        "comparator": "prior-art tile in the same table: 1480° C.",
        "test": "not stated in the table"
      },
      "method": "Printed in the comparison table after Example 1 of the patent; a laboratory tile, not a flight tile limit",
      "status": "ground",
      "note": "The patent tile density (0.32 g/cc) differs from the flight density in the Wikipedia table, so do not read this value as the flight-grade limit.",
      "source": "patent-frci",
      "where": "Comparison table after Example 1, row 'Temperature capability' (Tile: Present Invention)",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "US 4,148,962: Fibrous refractory composite insulation (Leiser, Goldstein, Smith)",
        "id": "US patent 4,148,962 (1979); TPSX reference 12",
        "url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US4148962A/en",
        "year": 1979,
        "kind": "web",
        "license": "public domain (US patent)"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "elongation",
      "label": "Strain to failure (patent name for elongation), laboratory tile of the patented composite",
      "value": 0.5,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "%",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "tile": "Example 1 tile of the patent, density 0.32 g/cc, silicon carbide opacified",
        "comparator": "prior-art silica fibre and colloidal silica matrix tile at 0.32 g/cc: 0.2-0.3%",
        "test": "not stated in the table"
      },
      "method": "Printed in the comparison table after Example 1 of the patent, row 'Strain to failure'; a laboratory tile, not the flight FRCI-12 tile",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "patent-frci",
      "where": "Comparison table after Example 1, row 'Strain to failure' (Tile: Present Invention)",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "US 4,148,962: Fibrous refractory composite insulation (Leiser, Goldstein, Smith)",
        "id": "US patent 4,148,962 (1979); TPSX reference 12",
        "url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US4148962A/en",
        "year": 1979,
        "kind": "web",
        "license": "public domain (US patent)"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "density",
      "label": "Density range of laboratory tiles of the patented composite",
      "value": 0.08,
      "value_high": 0.48,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "g/cc",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "tile": "Patented fibrous refractory composite (silica and aluminoborosilicate fibres), laboratory tiles",
        "basis": "range of densities the patent says the insulation has been prepared in; the flight FRCI-12 density is in the density rows above"
      },
      "method": "Printed in the patent description of the final density ('prepared in densities ranging from about 0.08 to 0.48 g/cc')",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "patent-frci",
      "where": "Description, paragraph on the final density of the tile (sentence beginning 'The insulation of the present invention has been prepared in densities')",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "US 4,148,962: Fibrous refractory composite insulation (Leiser, Goldstein, Smith)",
        "id": "US patent 4,148,962 (1979); TPSX reference 12",
        "url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US4148962A/en",
        "year": 1979,
        "kind": "web",
        "license": "public domain (US patent)"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "boron_oxide_content",
      "label": "Boron oxide content of the fibre mix, range preferred for re-entry shield applications",
      "value": 1,
      "value_high": 6,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "%",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "basis": "percent of the total fibre weight; boron oxide added as aluminoborosilicate fibre or as free boron oxide",
        "range_printed": "0.5 to 30% of the total weight of fibres in general"
      },
      "method": "Printed in the patent description of boron oxide content; a composition specification for the composite, not a test result",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "patent-frci",
      "where": "Description, paragraph beginning 'Boron oxide, it has been pointed out earlier' (sentence giving the preferred range)",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "US 4,148,962: Fibrous refractory composite insulation (Leiser, Goldstein, Smith)",
        "id": "US patent 4,148,962 (1979); TPSX reference 12",
        "url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US4148962A/en",
        "year": 1979,
        "kind": "web",
        "license": "public domain (US patent)"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "fibre_softening_onset_temperature",
      "label": "Temperature below which the aluminoborosilicate fibre does not soften or sinter significantly",
      "value": 1370,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "°C",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "fibre": "aluminoborosilicate fibre component of the composite",
        "basis": "patent statement of the lower limit of the temperature range without significant softening or sintering"
      },
      "method": "Printed in the patent description; a statement about the fibre, not a tile use limit",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "patent-frci",
      "where": "Description, paragraph beginning 'Silica fiber is highly reactive' (sentence on the aluminoborosilicate fibres)",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "US 4,148,962: Fibrous refractory composite insulation (Leiser, Goldstein, Smith)",
        "id": "US patent 4,148,962 (1979); TPSX reference 12",
        "url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US4148962A/en",
        "year": 1979,
        "kind": "web",
        "license": "public domain (US patent)"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "silica_fibre_fraction",
      "label": "Silica fibre share of the FRCI-12 fibre mix, by weight",
      "value": 78,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "% wt",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "basis": "approximate weight share printed in the TPSX composition line; the balance is aluminoborosilicate fibre"
      },
      "method": "Composition line of the TPSX record, printed as approximately 78% wt.",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "tpsx-frci",
      "where": "Composition line, FRCI-12 Rigid Tile record (Approximately 78% wt. silica (SiO2))",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "FRCI-12 Rigid Tile, NASA Ames Thermal Protection Materials database record (Material id=3)",
        "id": "TPSX Material id=3; record last modified 2001-10-01, property rows 2006-01-05",
        "url": "https://tpsx.arc.nasa.gov/Material?id=3",
        "year": 2006,
        "kind": "database",
        "license": "US government work (NASA)"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "aluminoborosilicate_fibre_fraction",
      "label": "Aluminoborosilicate fibre share of the FRCI-12 fibre mix, by weight",
      "value": 22,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "% wt",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "basis": "approximate weight share printed in the TPSX composition line; the balance is silica fibre"
      },
      "method": "Composition line of the TPSX record, printed as approximately 22% wt.",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "tpsx-frci",
      "where": "Composition line, FRCI-12 Rigid Tile record (22% wt. aluminoborosilicate)",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "FRCI-12 Rigid Tile, NASA Ames Thermal Protection Materials database record (Material id=3)",
        "id": "TPSX Material id=3; record last modified 2001-10-01, property rows 2006-01-05",
        "url": "https://tpsx.arc.nasa.gov/Material?id=3",
        "year": 2006,
        "kind": "database",
        "license": "US government work (NASA)"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "silica_fibre_purity",
      "label": "Silica fibre purity, raw fibre used in the patented composite",
      "value": 99.6,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "%",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "fibre": "silica fibre (Microquartz 108 type)",
        "basis": "minimum purity printed for the raw fibre before tile forming"
      },
      "method": "Printed in the patent description of raw materials; a raw-fibre specification, not a tile test",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "patent-frci",
      "where": "Description, paragraph on suitable raw materials (sentence beginning 'Silica fibers, at least 99.6% pure')",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "US 4,148,962: Fibrous refractory composite insulation (Leiser, Goldstein, Smith)",
        "id": "US patent 4,148,962 (1979); TPSX reference 12",
        "url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US4148962A/en",
        "year": 1979,
        "kind": "web",
        "license": "public domain (US patent)"
      }
    }
  ],
  "corrosion": [],
  "risks": {
    "hazards": [
      {
        "text": "PubChem's silica record (CID 24261, a generic silica entry) lists 'H315 (56.3%): Causes skin irritation' and states 'This chemical does not meet GHS hazard criteria for 35% (889 of 2540) of reports.' It is not a record for the bound fibre tile.",
        "ghs": [],
        "source": "pubchem-silica",
        "where": "GHS Classification section, CID 24261"
      },
      {
        "text": "PubChem's boron oxide record (CID 11073337, B2O3) lists 'H360FD: May damage fertility; May damage the unborn child' as Danger for reproductive toxicity. The FRCI tile contains boron oxide only as bound aluminoborosilicate fibre, so this is a constituent-level hazard.",
        "ghs": [],
        "source": "pubchem-b2o3",
        "where": "GHS Classification section, CID 11073337"
      },
      {
        "text": "PubChem's alumina record (CID 9989226) lists 'H335 (100%): May cause respiratory irritation' for the reports that give a hazard code, and states that most reports say the chemical does not meet GHS hazard criteria.",
        "ghs": [],
        "source": "pubchem-alumina",
        "where": "GHS Classification section, CID 9989226"
      }
    ],
    "failure_risks": [
      {
        "mode": "Tile damage during ascent or landing",
        "trigger": "Debris strikes or other impacts during launch, and handling after landing",
        "consequence": "The Wikipedia summary says the tiles, 'originally specified never to take debris strikes during launch, in practice also needed to be closely inspected and repaired after each landing'.",
        "severity": "moderate",
        "source": "wiki-tps",
        "where": "Overview section on tile inspection and repair"
      }
    ],
    "side_effects": [],
    "handling": [
      {
        "text": "The Wikipedia summary says the tiles were glued to Nomex felt strain-isolation pads with room temperature vulcanizing (RTV) silicone adhesive rather than mechanically fastened, to avoid heat transfer through attachment points.",
        "source": "wiki-tps",
        "where": "Tile attachment paragraph"
      }
    ],
    "mitigations": []
  },
  "uses": [
    {
      "application": "heat-shields",
      "device": "Space Shuttle orbiter reusable insulation tiles",
      "example": "NASA TPSX says FRCI-12 'was baselined for use on all of the shuttle orbiters' and 'has been flying successfully on the shuttle since its adoption shortly after the second orbiter Challenger was built'.",
      "source": "tpsx-frci",
      "where": "Description section of the FRCI-12 Rigid Tile record"
    },
    {
      "application": "heat-shields",
      "device": "Orbiter underside tiles, replacing some HRSI tiles",
      "example": "Wikipedia says 'Fibrous refractory composite insulation (FRCI) tiles, used to provide improved strength, durability, resistance to coating cracking and weight reduction. Some HRSI tiles were replaced by this type.'",
      "source": "wiki-tps",
      "where": "Materials section, FRCI tiles entry"
    },
    {
      "application": "heat-shields",
      "device": "Tiles around door penetrations (replacing LI-2200 tiles)",
      "example": "AZoM reports that LI-2200 tiles around door penetrations were replaced by FRCI, which helped reduce the overall weight of the Space Shuttle.",
      "source": "azom-pirolini",
      "where": "Article text on LI-2200 tiles"
    }
  ],
  "supply": [
    {
      "subject": "Boron (boric oxide in the aluminoborosilicate fibre)",
      "producers": [],
      "critical_lists": [
        {
          "list": "USGS 2025 Final List of Critical Minerals (boron added in the 2025 revision)",
          "listed": true
        }
      ],
      "recycling": "Not found in the USGS boron chapter we hold.",
      "substitutes": [],
      "source": "usgs-boron-2026",
      "where": "Import Sources line ('All forms: Turkey, 90%; Bolivia, 6%; and other, 4%', 2021-24) and the 2025 critical minerals paragraph. The chapter gives import shares for the United States, not fibre makers."
    },
    {
      "subject": "Aluminium (alumina, Al2O3, in the aluminoborosilicate fibre)",
      "producers": [],
      "critical_lists": [],
      "recycling": "Not found in the USGS bauxite and alumina chapter we hold.",
      "substitutes": [
        "USGS: 'Bauxite is the only raw material used in the production of alumina on a commercial scale.'"
      ],
      "source": "usgs-alumina-2026",
      "where": "Substitutes paragraph; Import Sources line for alumina. Critical-list status not checked in this run."
    },
    {
      "subject": "Silicon dioxide (silica fibre)",
      "producers": [],
      "critical_lists": [
        {
          "list": "USGS 2025 Final List of Critical Minerals (silicon added in the 2025 revision)",
          "listed": true
        }
      ],
      "recycling": "Not found in the USGS silicon chapter we hold.",
      "substitutes": [],
      "source": "usgs-silicon-2026",
      "where": "World Resources paragraph ('The source of the silicon is silica in various natural forms, such as quartzite.') and the 2025 critical minerals paragraph. This is the feedstock for silicon, not a fibre supply chain for FRCI."
    }
  ],
  "media": [],
  "documents": [
    {
      "title": "NASA Ames TPSX: FRCI-12 Rigid Tile material record (Material id=3)",
      "type": "database",
      "url": "https://tpsx.arc.nasa.gov/Material?id=3",
      "year": 2006
    },
    {
      "title": "Wikipedia: Space Shuttle thermal protection system",
      "type": "report",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_thermal_protection_system",
      "year": 2026
    },
    {
      "title": "US Patent 4,148,962: Fibrous refractory composite insulation (Google Patents)",
      "type": "paper",
      "url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US4148962A/en",
      "year": 1979
    },
    {
      "title": "AZoM: Materials Used in Space Shuttle Thermal Protection Systems",
      "type": "paper",
      "url": "https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=11443",
      "year": 2014
    },
    {
      "title": "PubChem: Silica (CID 24261), GHS classification",
      "type": "database",
      "url": "https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/24261",
      "year": 2026
    },
    {
      "title": "PubChem: Boron oxide (B2O3, CID 11073337), GHS classification",
      "type": "database",
      "url": "https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/11073337",
      "year": 2026
    },
    {
      "title": "PubChem: Alumina (CID 9989226), GHS classification",
      "type": "database",
      "url": "https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/9989226",
      "year": 2026
    },
    {
      "title": "USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Boron",
      "type": "report",
      "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-boron.pdf",
      "year": 2026
    },
    {
      "title": "USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Bauxite and Alumina",
      "type": "report",
      "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-bauxite-alumina.pdf",
      "year": 2026
    },
    {
      "title": "USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Silicon",
      "type": "report",
      "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-silicon.pdf",
      "year": 2026
    }
  ],
  "gaps": [
    "The TPSX record prints its density, thermal conductivity, specific heat, emissivity, use-temperature limits, strength, expansion, loss tangent and reuse limit in exponent form (for example 1.92e+02 kg/m^3), so those rows are left out, as the brief requires. The patent's modulus of rupture (6.04 x 10 to the power 6 N/m) is also in exponent form and is left out.",
    "The properties from the US 4,148,962 patent (strain to failure, density range, boron oxide content, fibre softening temperature, silica fibre purity) and the temperature capability are laboratory tile data from the patent examples, not flight-grade FRCI-12 data. The fibre softening temperature and boron oxide content are property names not in spores/property-canon.yaml, so those names are used as written.",
    "No plain-number thermal conductivity, emissivity or single-use or multiple-use temperature limit for FRCI-12 was found in a source we could read.",
    "No ageing, moisture-absorption or coating-degradation data for FRCI-12 was found in any source held; the corrosion section is empty for this reason.",
    "No flight-grade data sheet was reached. The Lockheed Missiles and Space Co. FRCI-12 data sheet (1987) is cited by TPSX but was not found online.",
    "The patent's density examples (0.32 g/cc, 0.11 g/cc, 0.24 g/cc) and its family density range are lab batches of the composite and are not recorded as FRCI-12 values.",
    "No producer or country-share data for FRCI silica fibre or aluminoborosilicate fibre was found. The USGS chapters give feedstock and import shares, not fibre makers.",
    "Hazard data are for the pure compounds in PubChem (silica, boron oxide, alumina). No safety data sheet for the bound FRCI tile was found.",
    "The Stewart and Leiser paper on FRCI thermal conductivity (NTRS citation 19860030482) was not read: its PDF download returned a not-found response. NASA NTRS report 19830004910 (a 1982 Ames contract report on FRCI) names an FRCI 20-12 composition adopted for the orbiters; that designation is not confirmed to be FRCI-12, so no values were taken from it.",
    "Designation: only the trade name FRCI-12 is printed in the sources held. No UNS, EN or ASTM code applies."
  ],
  "story": {
    "why": "FRCI-12 is a rigid reusable insulation tile made of fibrous refractory composite insulation (FRCI). It was used on the Space Shuttle orbiters and was designed to be stronger than the original silica tiles while keeping a low density. TPSX says it is 'substantially stronger than the original' silica tile at a low density.",
    "uses": [
      {
        "where": "Space Shuttle orbiters",
        "line": "NASA TPSX says FRCI-12 was baselined for use on all of the shuttle orbiters and has flown on the shuttle since shortly after the second orbiter Challenger was built."
      },
      {
        "where": "Orbiter underside tiles",
        "line": "Wikipedia says FRCI tiles improved strength, durability and resistance to coating cracking, reduced weight, and replaced some HRSI tiles."
      },
      {
        "where": "Door penetrations",
        "line": "AZoM reports that FRCI replaced LI-2200 tiles around door penetrations, which helped reduce the orbiter's weight."
      }
    ],
    "can_do": [
      {
        "label": "Density",
        "line": "Insulate the hot underside of a re-entry vehicle at a density of 192 kg/m3 (12 lb/ft3) per the Wikipedia density table.",
        "benchmark": "density",
        "scope": "material"
      },
      {
        "label": "Dielectric",
        "line": "Keep a dielectric constant of 1.2 at 10GHz and room temperature, per the TPSX record.",
        "benchmark": "dielectric_constant",
        "scope": "material"
      },
      {
        "label": "Strength limit",
        "line": "Keep its tensile properties relatively constant up to 1144K (1600F), per the TPSX notes.",
        "benchmark": "mechanical_stability_limit_temperature",
        "scope": "material"
      }
    ],
    "compare": "FRCI-12 is lighter than the LI-2200 tiles it was used beside and was used to replace some HRSI tiles, according to the Wikipedia and AZoM sources. TPSX says it is 'equivalent in strength to LI-2200 at a lower density'. The compare rows below show its density, dielectric constant and the patent's laboratory temperature comparison. No comparable figures for other tile grades are recorded here.",
    "compare_rows": [
      {
        "label": "Density",
        "benchmark": "density",
        "scope": "material"
      },
      {
        "label": "Dielectric constant",
        "benchmark": "dielectric_constant",
        "scope": "material"
      },
      {
        "label": "Temperature capability (patent lab tile)",
        "benchmark": "temperature_capability",
        "scope": "material"
      }
    ],
    "handling": [
      "Expect the tile to need inspection and repair after each flight, according to the Wikipedia summary."
    ],
    "good_for": [
      "Low density. The Wikipedia table lists the tile at 192 kg/m3 (12 lb/ft3).",
      "Reusable insulation on a re-entry vehicle. TPSX says it flew on the Space Shuttle."
    ],
    "watch_out": [
      "Most flight property values for this grade are printed in exponent form in the TPSX record and are not recorded here.",
      "The patent temperature figure is for a laboratory tile, not the flight tile.",
      "Inspection and repair were needed after flights, according to the Wikipedia summary."
    ],
    "verdict": "FRCI-12 is a documented flight tile with limited plain-number data in the sources we could read. The file is a partial draft.",
    "recipe": {
      "line": "FRCI-12 is a fibre composite, not a single compound. NASA's TPSX record describes it as a silica fibre body with an aluminoborosilicate fibre component, and gives the exact split in its composition line. The patent describes making the tile by washing the silica fibres, dispersing the aluminoborosilicate fibres, mixing both into a water slurry, pressing a billet, drying it and firing it.",
      "parts": [
        {
          "name": "Silica fibre",
          "symbol": "SiO2",
          "role": "The bulk of the tile. The patent describes the silica fibres as highly pure, at least 99.6% pure."
        },
        {
          "name": "Aluminoborosilicate fibre",
          "role": "Adds strength and durability. It carries the boron oxide listed in the TPSX composition line."
        }
      ]
    },
    "risk_groups": [
      {
        "title": "For people",
        "lead": "The safety information found here is for the pure compounds, not for the bound tile. No safety data sheet for FRCI-12 was found.",
        "points": [
          {
            "label": "Silica",
            "line": "PubChem's silica record lists skin, eye and respiratory irritation codes from company reports, and says most reports do not meet GHS criteria."
          },
          {
            "label": "Boron oxide",
            "line": "PubChem's boron oxide record lists a reproductive toxicity hazard (H360FD) for the pure oxide. Its presence in the tile is as bound fibre."
          }
        ],
        "level": 0,
        "verdict": "Irritant codes in the PubChem silica record"
      },
      {
        "title": "If a tile is damaged",
        "lead": "These are handling and inspection points from the sources, not from test data.",
        "points": [
          {
            "label": "Ascent damage",
            "line": "The Wikipedia summary says the tiles needed close inspection and repair after each landing, because they could be damaged during ascent."
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "updated": "2026-11-01",
  "review": {
    "status": "draft",
    "method": "assistant",
    "checked_values": 12,
    "unreachable": 0,
    "caveats": 2,
    "note": "Read by an AI assistant on 2026-11-01 and deepened on 2026-11-02: 12 property values taken from the TPSX record (plain-number rows only), the Wikipedia density table and the US 4,148,962 patent examples and description; all TPSX numeric rows printed in exponent form were left out."
  },
  "sources": {
    "tpsx-frci": {
      "title": "FRCI-12 Rigid Tile, NASA Ames Thermal Protection Materials database record (Material id=3)",
      "id": "TPSX Material id=3; record last modified 2001-10-01, property rows 2006-01-05",
      "url": "https://tpsx.arc.nasa.gov/Material?id=3",
      "year": 2006,
      "kind": "database",
      "license": "US government work (NASA)"
    },
    "wiki-tps": {
      "title": "Space Shuttle thermal protection system (Wikipedia)",
      "id": "en.wikipedia.org, accessed in this run (composition and history only)",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_thermal_protection_system",
      "year": 2026,
      "kind": "web",
      "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikipedia)"
    },
    "patent-frci": {
      "title": "US 4,148,962: Fibrous refractory composite insulation (Leiser, Goldstein, Smith)",
      "id": "US patent 4,148,962 (1979); TPSX reference 12",
      "url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US4148962A/en",
      "year": 1979,
      "kind": "web",
      "license": "public domain (US patent)"
    },
    "azom-pirolini": {
      "title": "Materials Used in Space Shuttle Thermal Protection Systems (AZoM, Alessandro Pirolini)",
      "id": "AZoM article 11443; byline 10 October 2014, updated 13 June 2019",
      "url": "https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=11443",
      "year": 2014,
      "kind": "web",
      "license": "AZoM website terms"
    },
    "pubchem-silica": {
      "title": "PubChem compound record, Silica (CID 24261), GHS classification",
      "id": "CID 24261",
      "url": "https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/24261",
      "year": 2026,
      "kind": "database",
      "license": "public domain (NCBI)"
    },
    "pubchem-b2o3": {
      "title": "PubChem compound record, Boron oxide (B2O3, CID 11073337), GHS classification",
      "id": "CID 11073337",
      "url": "https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/11073337",
      "year": 2026,
      "kind": "database",
      "license": "public domain (NCBI)"
    },
    "pubchem-alumina": {
      "title": "PubChem compound record, Alumina (CID 9989226), GHS classification",
      "id": "CID 9989226",
      "url": "https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/9989226",
      "year": 2026,
      "kind": "database",
      "license": "public domain (NCBI)"
    },
    "usgs-boron-2026": {
      "title": "Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Boron",
      "id": "USGS MCS 2026, February 2026",
      "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-boron.pdf",
      "year": 2026,
      "kind": "report",
      "license": "public domain (USGS)"
    },
    "usgs-alumina-2026": {
      "title": "Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Bauxite and Alumina",
      "id": "USGS MCS 2026, February 2026",
      "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-bauxite-alumina.pdf",
      "year": 2026,
      "kind": "report",
      "license": "public domain (USGS)"
    },
    "usgs-silicon-2026": {
      "title": "Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Silicon",
      "id": "USGS MCS 2026, February 2026",
      "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-silicon.pdf",
      "year": 2026,
      "kind": "report",
      "license": "public domain (USGS)"
    }
  },
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "url": "https://spacemushroom.com/profiles/frci-12-tile/"
}