Refrasil High Temperature Silica Insulation Cloths are thin, woven textiles manufactured from high quality silica fibres (>96% silica content). This gives them the ability to withstand extremely high temperatures, making them perfect for use as use for a range of insulation applications.
All Refrasil Cloths have good resistance to oxidization, corrosive chemicals and present no known health hazards (unlike other forms of fibre insulation) which means you don’t need to wear protective clothing when using them.
Why would you need a heat resistant cloth?
Refrasil Cloths are used heavily throughout a range of different industries including shipbuilding and repair, power plants and utilities, metal fabrication workshops and foundry’s as well as for glass-making, heat treating and in almost any application that requires thermal insulation or heat containment.
Some of the main applications include:
- Welding blankets
- Heat-proof Curtains
- Pump Covers
- Expansion Joints
- Other Custom Insulation Components
Although all the cloths in the Refrasil range are manufactured from Silica Fibre, each grade is manufactured differently, giving them unique characteristics which help them to perform better in certain applications.
This also slightly alters their technical properties which is why below, we have explained each grade in more detail to help you decide which one is right for your application.
UC Series Refrasil Cloth – For Cost-effective Insulating Performance
UC series cloth is the standard grade of Refrasil in it’s most basic form. This grade of cloth has not been subject to any additional processes or treatments and therefore offers cost-effective insulation performance in environments up to 982ºC. UC Series cloth is manufactured in an off-white/tan colour however it can also be supplied with a range of coatings applied.
Available Coatings Include:
- Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Backing
- Silicone Rubber Coated
- Aluminium Foil Coated
- Vermiculite Coated
- Black Oxide Treated
AR Series Refrasil Cloth – For Superior Abrasion Resistance
AR Series Refrasil Cloth has been manufactured to resist mechanical damage from abrasion, hence this is the grade to use if you believe the cloth will be subject to some level of dragging, scraping, snagging or general wear and tear. A special coating is applied to this grade during manufacture which strengthens and protects the fibers meaning it is our grade of choice when fabricating custom insulation components due to the sewing and stitching involved.
Like the UC Series, AR Series Refrasil will perform in applications ranging up to 982ºC and maintains the same compatibility with most chemicals, high dielectric strength and low thermal conductivity that is synonymous with the range.
Irish Refrasil – For Extreme High Temperature Environments
Irish Refrasil takes it’s name from it’s trademark green appearance. This is actually the result of a special high-temperature treatment that extends the continuous operating temperature of this grade to 1260ºC. If you require a flexible insulation that will perform in extreme high-temperature environments then this is the cloth you are after.
Irish Refrasil is pre-shrunk during manufacture, meaning exposure to high temperatures will not cause the cloth to warp or shrink making it ideal for use in applications that require a dimensionaly stable, flexible insulation.
The versatility and performance of this grade has seen it utilized heavily in critical performance applications including aerospace and defence, automotive, power generation and mining.
Quickly Compare the Refrasil Grades of Silica Cloth
Witness the Superior Insulating Performance of Silica
If you are still not convinced about the power of Refrasil Cloth’s insulating performance, we invite you to watch this video whereby we take an LPG blow-torch to a chocolate frog whose only protection is a heat pad manufactured from Irish Series Refrasil Cloth and 25mm thick Refrasil Insulation Batt. Check out the amazing results for yourself.