Refractory ceramic fibre insulation (alumina-silica) RCF

spore: profile
id: ceramic-fibre-insulation
spore_version: 0.2
family: oxide-ceramics
name: Refractory ceramic fibre insulation (alumina-silica)
abbreviation: RCF
role: lightweight high-temperature insulation blanket and board
category: ceramics
type: oxides
summary: 'Refractory ceramic fibre (RCF) is an amorphous alumina-silica wool, made into blankets, boards and modules for furnace and high-temperature insulation. Morgan''s Cerablanket has a classification temperature of 1260 °C and a continuous use temperature of 1180 °C, and its 64 kg/m3 grade conducts 0.06 W/(m·K) at 200 °C and 0.45 W/(m·K) at 1000 °C. The fibre is also a carcinogen risk by inhalation: Morgan''s safety data sheet classifies RCF as a category 1B carcinogen (H350i).'
best_for: Furnace, kiln and boiler linings that need a light, low-conductivity blanket up to about 1180 °C in continuous use.
weakest_at: Respirable fibre dust, which is classified as a carcinogen by inhalation, and crystallisation to cristobalite after heating above about 1300 °C, which embrittles the fibre.
identity:
  formula: 'Amorphous alumina-silica wool. Cerablanket: SiO2 52 to 58 %, Al2O3 42 to 48 %, trace other oxides. CAS 142844-00-6 defines refractory ceramic fibres as SiO2 45 to 60 %, Al2O3 28 to 55 %, ZrO2 under 18 %.'
  cas: 142844-00-6
  source: morgan-rcf-sds
  where: Section 3, Composition, CAS number and the CAS definition note
tags:
  environments: []
  stresses:
    - thermal-cycling
  applications:
    - thermal-control
    - heat-shields
properties:
  - benchmark: max_service_temp
    label: Continuous use temperature, Cerablanket
    value: 1180
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: Cerablanket blanket
    method: Continuous use temperature as printed in the properties table
    status: ground
    source: morgan-cerablanket-2025
    where: Properties table, Continuous Use Temperature row
  - benchmark: classification_temperature
    label: Classification temperature, Cerablanket
    value: 1260
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: Cerablanket blanket
    method: Classification temperature as printed in the properties table; the table names no test standard
    status: ground
    source: morgan-cerablanket-2025
    where: Properties table, Classification Temperature row
  - benchmark: melting_point
    label: Melting temperature, Cerablanket
    value: 1760
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: Cerablanket blanket
    method: Melting temperature as printed in the properties table
    status: ground
    source: morgan-cerablanket-2025
    where: Properties table, Melting Temperature row
  - benchmark: density
    label: Available blanket density range, Cerablanket
    value: 64
    value_high: 160
    unit: kg/m3
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: Cerablanket blanket
      grades: 64, 96, 128 and 160 kg/m3 (4, 6, 8, 10 pcf)
    method: Available densities as printed in the properties table
    status: ground
    source: morgan-cerablanket-2025
    where: Properties table, Density row
  - benchmark: thermal_conductivity
    label: Thermal conductivity, Cerablanket 64 kg/m3 at 200 °C
    value: 0.06
    unit: W/(m·K)
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 200 °C
      density: 64 kg/m3
      product: Cerablanket blanket
    method: ASTM C201, as printed in the thermal conductivity table
    status: ground
    source: morgan-cerablanket-2025
    where: Thermal conductivity table, ASTM C201, 64 kg/m3 column, 200 °C row
  - benchmark: thermal_conductivity
    label: Thermal conductivity, Cerablanket 64 kg/m3 at 1000 °C
    value: 0.45
    unit: W/(m·K)
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 1000 °C
      density: 64 kg/m3
      product: Cerablanket blanket
    method: ASTM C201, as printed in the thermal conductivity table
    status: ground
    source: morgan-cerablanket-2025
    where: Thermal conductivity table, ASTM C201, 64 kg/m3 column, 1000 °C row
  - benchmark: thermal_conductivity
    label: Thermal conductivity, Cerablanket 128 kg/m3 at 800 °C
    value: 0.19
    unit: W/(m·K)
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 800 °C
      density: 128 kg/m3
      product: Cerablanket blanket
    method: ASTM C201, as printed in the thermal conductivity table
    status: ground
    source: morgan-cerablanket-2025
    where: Thermal conductivity table, ASTM C201, 128 kg/m3 column, 800 °C row
  - benchmark: thermal_conductivity
    label: Thermal conductivity, Cerablanket 128 kg/m3 at 1000 °C
    value: 0.27
    unit: W/(m·K)
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 1000 °C
      density: 128 kg/m3
      product: Cerablanket blanket
    method: ASTM C201, as printed in the thermal conductivity table
    status: ground
    source: morgan-cerablanket-2025
    where: Thermal conductivity table, ASTM C201, 128 kg/m3 column, 1000 °C row
  - benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
    label: Average tensile strength, Cerablanket 64 kg/m3
    value: 30
    unit: kPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      density: 64 kg/m3
      product: Cerablanket blanket
      note: blanket test, not a fibre property
    method: Average tensile strength, EN 1094-1, as printed in the properties table
    status: ground
    source: morgan-cerablanket-2025
    where: Properties table, Tensile Strength row, 64 kg/m3 line
  - benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
    label: Average tensile strength, Cerablanket 128 kg/m3
    value: 90
    unit: kPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      density: 128 kg/m3
      product: Cerablanket blanket
      note: blanket test, not a fibre property
    method: Average tensile strength, EN 1094-1, as printed in the properties table
    status: ground
    source: morgan-cerablanket-2025
    where: Properties table, Tensile Strength row, 128 kg/m3 line
  - benchmark: max_service_temp
    label: Continuous use temperature, Cerachem alumina-silica-zirconia blanket
    value: 1315
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: Cerachem blanket, made from alumina-silica-zirconia
    method: Continuous use temperature as printed in the properties table
    status: ground
    source: morgan-cerablanket-2025
    where: Properties table, Continuous Use Temperature row, Cerachem column
  - benchmark: classification_temperature
    label: Classification temperature, Cerachem alumina-silica-zirconia blanket
    value: 1430
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: Cerachem blanket, made from alumina-silica-zirconia
    method: Classification temperature as printed in the properties table
    status: ground
    source: morgan-cerablanket-2025
    where: Properties table, Classification Temperature row, Cerachem column
  - benchmark: classification_temperature
    label: Classification temperature, Superwool Plus Pyro-Log
    value: 1200
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: Superwool Plus Pyro-Log, alkaline earth silicate wool
      standard: EN 1094-1 (2008), as printed
    method: Classification temperature as printed in the properties table
    status: ground
    source: morgan-superwool-pyrolog-2025
    where: Properties table, Classification Temperature row, Plus column
  - benchmark: classification_temperature
    label: Classification temperature, Superwool Prime Pyro-Log
    value: 1300
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: Superwool Prime Pyro-Log, alkaline earth silicate wool
      standard: EN 1094-1 (2008), as printed
    method: Classification temperature as printed in the properties table
    status: ground
    source: morgan-superwool-pyrolog-2025
    where: Properties table, Classification Temperature row, Prime column
  - benchmark: max_service_temp
    label: Continuous use temperature, Superwool Plus Pyro-Log
    value: 1100
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: Superwool Plus Pyro-Log
    method: Continuous use temperature as printed in the properties table
    status: ground
    source: morgan-superwool-pyrolog-2025
    where: Properties table, Continuous Use Temperature row, Plus column
  - benchmark: max_service_temp
    label: Continuous use temperature, Superwool Prime Pyro-Log
    value: 1150
    value_high: 1200
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: Superwool Prime Pyro-Log
    method: Continuous use temperature range as printed in the properties table
    status: ground
    source: morgan-superwool-pyrolog-2025
    where: Properties table, Continuous Use Temperature row, Prime column
  - benchmark: density
    label: Density, Superwool Plus Pyro-Log
    value: 160
    value_high: 240
    unit: kg/m3
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: Superwool Plus Pyro-Log
      grades: 160, 192 and 240 kg/m3 (10, 12, 15 pcf)
    method: Density as printed in the properties table, EN 1094-1 (2008)
    status: ground
    source: morgan-superwool-pyrolog-2025
    where: Properties table, Density row
  - benchmark: thermal_conductivity
    label: Thermal conductivity, Superwool Plus Pyro-Log 160 kg/m3 at 1000 °C
    value: 0.32
    unit: W/(m·K)
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 1000 °C
      density: 160 kg/m3
      product: Superwool Plus Pyro-Log
    method: ASTM C201, as printed in the thermal conductivity table
    status: ground
    source: morgan-superwool-pyrolog-2025
    where: Thermal Conductivity W/m·K table, 160 kg/m3 column, 1000 °C row
  - benchmark: specific_heat
    label: Specific heat capacity, Superwool Plus Pyro-Log at 1000 °C
    value: 1.05
    unit: kJ/(kg·K)
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 1000 °C
      product: Superwool Plus Pyro-Log
    method: As printed in the properties table
    status: ground
    source: morgan-superwool-pyrolog-2025
    where: Properties table, Specific heat capacity row
  - benchmark: linear_shrinkage
    label: Linear shrinkage after 24 hours, Superwool Plus Pyro-Log
    value: 1.5
    unit: '%'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 1000 °C
      time: 24 hours
      product: Superwool Plus Pyro-Log
      note: printed as less than 1.5 %
    method: EN 1094-1 (2008), upper bound as printed in the properties table
    status: ground
    source: morgan-superwool-pyrolog-2025
    where: Properties table, Linear Shrinkage row, 1000 °C line
  - benchmark: classification_temperature
    label: Classification temperature, Promatect-L calcium silicate board
    value: 500
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: Promatect-L calcium silicate board
    method: Classification temperature as printed in the technical data table
    status: ground
    source: promat-promatect-l
    where: Technical data table, Classification temperature row
  - benchmark: density
    label: Bulk density, Promatect-L calcium silicate board
    value: 450
    unit: kg/m3
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: Promatect-L calcium silicate board
    method: Bulk density as printed in the technical data table
    status: ground
    source: promat-promatect-l
    where: Technical data table, Bulk density row
  - benchmark: thermal_conductivity
    label: Thermal conductivity, Promatect-L at 20 °C
    value: 0.08
    unit: W/(m·K)
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 20 °C
      product: Promatect-L calcium silicate board
    method: As printed in the technical data table
    status: ground
    source: promat-promatect-l
    where: Technical data table, Thermal conductivity, 20 °C row
  - benchmark: thermal_conductivity
    label: Thermal conductivity, Promatect-L at 400 °C
    value: 0.11
    unit: W/(m·K)
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 400 °C
      product: Promatect-L calcium silicate board
    method: As printed in the technical data table
    status: ground
    source: promat-promatect-l
    where: Technical data table, Thermal conductivity, 400 °C row
  - benchmark: linear_shrinkage
    label: Shrinkage after 12 hours at 500 °C, Promatect-L
    value: 0.25
    unit: '%'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 500 °C
      time: 12 hours
      product: Promatect-L calcium silicate board
    method: As printed in the technical data table
    status: ground
    source: promat-promatect-l
    where: Technical data table, Shrinkage row
uses:
  - application: thermal-control
    device: Furnace, boiler and heater linings
    example: Morgan lists Cerablanket for furnace, boiler and heater linings, and for back-up linings in kilns and furnaces.
    source: morgan-cerablanket-2025
    where: Applications list, Features and Applications table
  - application: heat-shields
    device: Reusable spaceplane insulation development (Hermes)
    example: An ESA bulletin article on Hermes-driven high-temperature insulation says temperature durability increases with the alumina content of the fibre, thread or fabric, and that silica products are the best compromise up to some 700 °C under moderate mechanical loads.
    source: esa-bulletin-80-keller
    where: Article text, Hermes insulation discussion
  - application: thermal-control
    device: Dryers and industrial furnaces, with calcium silicate board
    example: Promatect-L is listed for heat protection in dryers and industrial furnaces, with a 500 °C classification.
    source: promat-promatect-l
    where: Application areas, Heavy industry list
documents:
  - title: Cerablanket and Cerachem Blankets Product Data Sheet, BL.03 (Morgan Advanced Materials, Thermal Ceramics)
    type: datasheet
    url: https://www.morganthermalceramics.com/media/3993/cerablanket_cerchem-blankets_eng.pdf
    year: 2025
  - title: Superwool Pyro-Log Product Data Sheet, MD.02 (Morgan Advanced Materials, Thermal Ceramics)
    type: datasheet
    url: https://morganthermalceramics.com/media/z04jy3wy/superwool-pyrolog_eng.pdf
    year: 2025
  - title: Safety data sheet, refractory ceramic fibres (alumino-silicate wools), Morgan Thermal Ceramics
    type: sds
    url: https://morganthermalceramics.com/media/exole3w1/104-ghs-uae.pdf
  - title: Promatect-L Technical Data Sheet (Promat)
    type: datasheet
    url: https://media.promat.com/doc_682553_us/original/1850243040/promat-data-sheet--promatect-l-en-us.pdf?market=us
    year: 2017
  - title: Method of making refractory ceramic products and the products thereof (US 5260011, Ganz and Kronert)
    type: report
    url: https://patents.google.com/patent/US5260011
  - title: IARC Monographs Volume 81, refractory ceramic fibres (IARC, 2002)
    type: report
    url: https://inchem.org/documents/iarc/vol81/81.html
    year: 2002
  - title: Keller, Hermes-driven high-temperature insulation development (ESA Bulletin 80)
    type: paper
    url: https://www.esa.int/esapub/bulletin/bullet80/keller80.htm
  - title: Aluminum, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (USGS)
    type: report
    url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-aluminum.pdf
    year: 2026
gaps:
  - 'Nextel 312 and Nextel 440 (3M): the 3M datasheets returned HTTP 403 or an HTML error page in this run, so no density, filament, tensile or composition value for either grade is in this file. Composition and melting point seen only in a search snippet were not used.'
  - Calcium silicate board is covered by Promatect-L only. Other calcium silicate grades were not read.
  - 'Alkaline earth silicate wool: Superwool Pyro-Log is read; no Superwool HT or Superwool 607 sheet was read. The Superwool VF board sheet returned an empty file.'
  - 'Space flight results for alumina-silica blankets: NASA 1967 FTA-442A memo (Saturn booster aft sections) was a scanned PDF and returned no readable text. No NASA or ESA primary flight document for alumina-silica fibre was read.'
  - FRCI (NASA, aluminoborosilicate tiles) was seen only in search snippets and is not in this file.
  - Classification temperature, linear shrinkage and compressive strength are not in spores/property-canon.yaml; short snake_case names are used for them.
  - Critical-mineral listing for aluminium (USGS 2025 list, EU CRM list) was not found in the USGS aluminium text checked.
  - Silica or silicon feedstock supply for the fibre was not checked for this profile; the silicon entry is in silica-aerogel.yaml.
  - Manufacturing process (melting and blowing) was not described in a fetched page, so it is not stated.
  - No devitrification time at 1200 °C or 1000 °C was found; the patent gives a 1300 °C threshold for a 46 % Al2O3 fibre only.
  - The NIOSH exposure figure (0.5 f/ml TWA) is quoted by Morgan's safety data sheet; the NIOSH 2006 criteria document was not read.
  - IARC 2B is the RCF classification; Morgan's statement that Superwool is not classified as carcinogenic is the manufacturer's claim, not an independent review.
  - Moisture, humidity and chemical-compatibility data for the blankets were not read beyond the Cerablanket statement that it resists most chemical attack.
sources:
  morgan-cerablanket-2025:
    title: Cerablanket and Cerachem Blankets, Product Data Sheet BL.03
    id: Morgan Advanced Materials, Thermal Ceramics, publication 01 January 2025
    url: https://www.morganthermalceramics.com/media/3993/cerablanket_cerchem-blankets_eng.pdf
    kind: datasheet
    year: 2025
    license: manufacturer datasheet, linked not reproduced
  morgan-superwool-pyrolog-2025:
    title: Superwool Pyro-Log, Product Data Sheet MD.02
    id: Morgan Advanced Materials, Thermal Ceramics, publication 11 June 2025
    url: https://morganthermalceramics.com/media/z04jy3wy/superwool-pyrolog_eng.pdf
    kind: datasheet
    year: 2025
    license: manufacturer datasheet, linked not reproduced
  morgan-rcf-sds:
    title: Safety data sheet, refractory ceramic fibres (alumino-silicate wools), Morgan Thermal Ceramics
    id: CAS 142844-00-6
    url: https://morganthermalceramics.com/media/exole3w1/104-ghs-uae.pdf
    kind: datasheet
    license: manufacturer safety data sheet, linked not reproduced
  promat-promatect-l:
    title: PROMATECT-L Technical Data Sheet, calcium silicate boards (Promat, Etex)
    id: Promat data sheet, 2017-09
    url: https://media.promat.com/doc_682553_us/original/1850243040/promat-data-sheet--promatect-l-en-us.pdf?market=us
    kind: datasheet
    year: 2017
    license: manufacturer datasheet, linked not reproduced
  ganz-kronert-us5260011:
    title: US 5260011, Method of making refractory ceramic products and the products thereof (Ganz and Kronert)
    id: US patent 5260011
    url: https://patents.google.com/patent/US5260011
    kind: web
    license: patent publication, public record
  iarc-vol81:
    title: IARC Monographs Volume 81, refractory ceramic fibres
    id: IARC Monographs Volume 81 (2002)
    url: https://inchem.org/documents/iarc/vol81/81.html
    kind: report
    year: 2002
    license: IARC monograph, public record (summary page)
  esa-bulletin-80-keller:
    title: Keller, Hermes-driven high-temperature insulation development (ESA Bulletin 80)
    id: ESA Bulletin 80
    url: https://www.esa.int/esapub/bulletin/bullet80/keller80.htm
    kind: web
    license: ESA public web page
  usgs-aluminum-2026:
    title: Aluminum, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (USGS)
    id: USGS MCS 2026
    url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-aluminum.pdf
    kind: report
    year: 2026
    license: US government public domain
license: CC-BY-4.0
updated: '2026-10-26'
story:
  why: Refractory ceramic fibre gives a lightweight, low-conductivity blanket up to about 1200 °C. Cerablanket has a 1260 °C classification and a continuous use temperature of 1180 °C, and its 64 kg/m3 grade conducts 0.06 W/(m·K) at 200 °C.
  can_do:
    - label: Insulation
      value: 0.06 W/(m·K) at 200 °C
      line: Cerablanket 64 kg/m3 conducts 0.06 W/(m·K) at 200 °C and 0.45 W/(m·K) at 1000 °C (ASTM C201, datasheet table).
    - label: Service limit
      value: 1180 °C
      line: Continuous use temperature 1180 °C. The datasheet lists the 1260 °C classification separately, so 1180 °C is the working limit.
    - label: Higher grade
      value: 1430 °C
      line: Cerachem, an alumina-silica-zirconia blanket in the same datasheet, has a 1430 °C classification and 1315 °C continuous use.
  compare: Compared with the alkaline earth silicate wool Superwool Plus Pyro-Log, Cerablanket has the higher continuous use temperature (1180 against 1100 °C; Superwool Prime reaches 1150 to 1200 °C). Morgan's Superwool sheet says the wool is not classified as carcinogenic by IARC, while IARC places RCF in Group 2B. Promatect-L, a calcium silicate board, is rated to 500 °C and conducts 0.08 W/(m·K) at 20 °C, so it is a board for lower temperatures.
  compare_rows:
    - label: Continuous use temperature
      benchmark: max_service_temp
    - label: Thermal conductivity
      benchmark: thermal_conductivity
    - label: Density
      benchmark: density
  handling:
    - Use operating procedures that limit dust production. Filter processes to minimise fibre emissions to air, as Morgan's safety data sheet advises.
    - When cutting, observe inhalable dust limits and use dust extraction, as the Promatect-L datasheet recommends for calcium silicate board.
    - For skin irritation, rinse with water and wash gently; do not rub or scratch exposed skin.
  good_for:
    - Lightweight furnace, kiln and boiler linings up to about 1180 °C in continuous use, per the Cerablanket datasheet.
    - Hot-structure insulation development for reusable spaceplanes, per the ESA Hermes article. That article is a development paper, not a flight result.
  watch_out:
    - RCF is a category 1B carcinogen by inhalation under Morgan's safety data sheet. Control dust at cutting and installation.
    - Cristobalite forms after heating above about 1300 °C in a 46 % Al2O3 fibre, and it embrittles the fibre (US 5260011).
    - The 1260 °C classification is not the continuous limit. Design to 1180 °C for continuous use.
  verdict: A proven furnace blanket with datasheet values for conductivity and temperature. The fibre's carcinogen classification sets the handling rules, and this profile has no flight result for alumina-silica blanket.
  risk_groups:
    - title: For people
      level: 2
      verdict: Category 1B carcinogen by inhalation
      lead: Morgan's safety data sheet classifies RCF as a category 1B carcinogen by inhalation (H350i). IARC places it in Group 2B.
      points:
        - label: Classification
          line: Morgan's data sheet lists H350i, May cause cancer by inhalation, with signal word Danger, under the EU CLP regulation and GHS Rev. 7.
        - label: IARC
          line: 'IARC Volume 81 (2002) rates RCF as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B): inadequate evidence in humans, sufficient evidence in experimental animals.'
        - label: Irritation
          line: Mild mechanical irritation of skin, eyes and upper airways can occur. The effects are usually temporary.
        - label: Exposure limits
          line: Morgan's safety data sheet quotes the NIOSH REL of 0.5 f/ml (TWA), and national values of 0.3 (Japan), 0.2 (Korea), 1 f/cc (UAE) and 0.5 (Australia), as printed.
        - label: Superwool contrast
          line: Morgan says its Superwool low biopersistent fibres are not classified as carcinogenic by IARC or national rules. That is the manufacturer's statement.
    - title: If it fails
      lead: Heating above about 1300 °C is the main sourced failure route, through cristobalite formation.
      points:
        - label: Embrittlement
          line: A 46 % Al2O3 fibre recrystallises to mullite up to about 1300 °C and to cristobalite above it. The patent says cristobalite recrystallisation is accompanied by embrittlement.
        - label: Shrinkage
          line: Superwool Plus Pyro-Log shrinks by less than 1.5 % after 24 hours at 1000 °C, as printed.
  recipe:
    line: Refractory ceramic fibre is an amorphous alumina-silica wool, not a crystalline compound. Morgan's Cerablanket is made from high purity oxides of alumina and silica. The datasheets do not describe the fibre-forming step, so the process is not stated.
    parts:
      - name: Silica
        symbol: SiO2
        share: 52 to 58 % by weight (Cerablanket)
        role: Main oxide of the amorphous fibre.
      - name: Alumina
        symbol: Al2O3
        share: 42 to 48 % by weight (Cerablanket)
        role: Raises the working temperature. The ESA article says durability increases with alumina content.
    source: morgan-cerablanket-2025
  uses:
    - where: Furnace and kiln linings
      line: Morgan lists Cerablanket for furnace, boiler and heater linings, and for back-up linings in kilns and furnaces.
    - where: Reusable spaceplane insulation (Hermes, ESA)
      line: An ESA article on Hermes-driven insulation development says durability rises with alumina content, and that silica products are the best compromise up to about 700 °C under moderate loads.
    - where: Dryers and industrial furnaces (calcium silicate)
      line: Promatect-L calcium silicate board is listed for heat protection in dryers and industrial furnaces, with a 500 °C classification.
risks:
  hazards:
    - text: Morgan's safety data sheet classifies RCF as a category 1B carcinogen by inhalation, H350i (May cause cancer by inhalation), signal word Danger.
      ghs:
        - H350i
      source: morgan-rcf-sds
      where: Section 2, Labelling elements table and Hazard Statements
    - text: IARC Volume 81 (2002) classes refractory ceramic fibres as Group 2B, possibly carcinogenic to humans.
      ghs: []
      source: iarc-vol81
      where: Overall evaluation, Refractory ceramic fibres entry
    - text: Mild mechanical irritation of skin, eyes and upper airways may result from exposure. The effects are usually temporary.
      ghs: []
      source: morgan-rcf-sds
      where: Section 2.3, Other hazards which do not result in classification
    - text: Morgan states that its Superwool low biopersistent fibres are not classified as carcinogenic by IARC or under national regulations. This is a manufacturer statement.
      ghs: []
      source: morgan-superwool-pyrolog-2025
      where: Environment and Health Safety paragraph
  failure_risks:
    - mode: Embrittlement from cristobalite
      trigger: Heating above about 1300 °C for a 46 % Al2O3 alumina-silica fibre
      consequence: Cristobalite recrystallisation is accompanied by embrittlement, per the patent. No time is given.
      severity: moderate
      source: ganz-kronert-us5260011
      where: Background section, Ganz and Kronert discussion
    - mode: Joint shrinkage in service
      trigger: 24 hours at 1000 °C (Superwool Plus Pyro-Log)
      consequence: Linear shrinkage is printed as less than 1.5 %, which can open gaps at joints in a lined furnace.
      severity: low
      source: morgan-superwool-pyrolog-2025
      where: Properties table, Linear Shrinkage row
  side_effects: []
  handling:
    - text: Use operating procedures that limit dust production and exposure of workers, and observe the exposure limits in the country of use.
      source: morgan-rcf-sds
      where: Section 8.2, Exposure controls
    - text: When cutting, observe inhalable dust limits and use dust extraction, as the Promatect-L datasheet recommends for calcium silicate board.
      source: promat-promatect-l
      where: Working and processing, cutting paragraph
    - text: For skin irritation, rinse with water and wash gently. Do not rub or scratch exposed skin.
      source: morgan-rcf-sds
      where: Section 4, First-aid measures
  mitigations:
    - text: Filter processes to minimise fibre emissions to air, and store waste in closed containers.
      source: morgan-rcf-sds
      where: Section 8.2.3, Environmental exposure controls
corrosion:
  - environment: Heating above about 1300 °C for long periods
    headline: Cristobalite forms above about 1300 °C and embrittles a 46 % Al2O3 fibre.
    effect: The patent says mullite recrystallises up to about 1300 °C, that cristobalite forms above it, and that cristobalite recrystallisation is accompanied by embrittlement. It gives no time for this change.
    rating: moderate
    conditions:
      material: Alumina-silica fibre, about 46 % Al2O3 and 53 % SiO2
      temperature: above about 1300 °C
    source: ganz-kronert-us5260011
    where: Background section, Ganz and Kronert discussion; Detailed Description
  - environment: Continuous use at 1180 °C
    headline: Datasheet claims good resistance to devitrification and prints no shrinkage figure for Cerablanket.
    effect: Morgan says the fibres have good resistance to devitrification and excellent thermal stability. The datasheet prints no shrinkage value for Cerablanket.
    rating: low
    conditions:
      temperature: 1180 °C continuous use
      product: Cerablanket blanket
    source: morgan-cerablanket-2025
    where: Features table, Excellent thermal stability and devitrification entries
  - environment: Heating for 24 hours at 1000 °C (Superwool Plus Pyro-Log)
    headline: Linear shrinkage is printed as less than 1.5 %.
    effect: Linear shrinkage after 24 hours at 1000 °C is printed as less than 1.5 % for Superwool Plus Pyro-Log, and less than 2.2 % at 1300 °C for Superwool Prime Pyro-Log.
    rating: low
    conditions:
      temperature: 1000 °C for 24 hours (Plus); 1300 °C (Prime)
      standard: EN 1094-1 (2008), as printed
    source: morgan-superwool-pyrolog-2025
    where: Properties table, Linear Shrinkage row
  - environment: Chemical attack
    headline: Morgan says Cerablanket resists most types of chemical attack. No test data are printed.
    effect: The datasheet states that Cerablanket and Cerachem are resistant to most types of chemical attack. It prints no test conditions or exposure data.
    rating: low
    conditions:
      product: Cerablanket and Cerachem blankets
    source: morgan-cerablanket-2025
    where: Product description paragraph
supply:
  - subject: Primary aluminium metal, smelter production (USGS). This entry does not cover the silica or alumina feedstock chains of the fibre.
    abundance: USGS gives global bauxite resources of 55 billion to 75 billion tons, sufficient for world aluminium demand well into the future.
    producers:
      - country: China
        share_percent: 60.8
        year: 2025
        basis: 'computed: 45,000 thousand t of 74,000 thousand t world smelter production (2025e, USGS table)'
      - country: India
        share_percent: 5.7
        year: 2025
        basis: 'computed: 4,200 thousand t of 74,000 thousand t'
      - country: Russia
        share_percent: 5.3
        year: 2025
        basis: 'computed: 3,900 thousand t of 74,000 thousand t'
      - country: Canada
        share_percent: 4.5
        year: 2025
        basis: 'computed: 3,300 thousand t of 74,000 thousand t'
    supply_note: Shares are computed by the assistant from the printed tonnage and the printed world total (USGS rounds its world total). Units are thousand metric tons of aluminium metal.
    critical_lists: []
    source: usgs-aluminum-2026
    where: World Smelter Production and Capacity table, 2025e column; Bauxite World Resources sentence
review:
  status: draft
  method: assistant
  checked_values: 25
  unreachable: 2
  caveats: 4
  note: Written on 2026-10-26 from the datasheets and documents listed in sources. The 3M Nextel datasheets (403 and HTML error page) and the NASA FTA-442A scan could not be read. Values taken from the Morgan and Promat datasheets are as printed.