Quartz fiber

Quartz fiber is a fiber created from high-purity quartz crystals.^[1][2] It is made by first softening quartz rods (in an oxyhydrogen flame)^[3] and then creating filaments from the rods.^[4] Since the creation of hign-purity quartz crystals is an energy intensive process, quartz fiber is more expensive than alternatives (glass fiber and high-silica fiber) and has limited applications.^[3]

Manufacture

Quartz fiber is made from heating quartz rods with an oxyhydrogen flame. Then, filaments are drawn out of the quartz rod, creating quartz fibers.^[5] For optical fibers, germanium and phosphorus can be added to increase the refractive index.^[6][7]

Properties

A single quartz fiber can have a tensile strength of 800 kilopounds per square inch (5,500 MPa). Quartz fibers are chemically stable as they are not affected by halogens (for the most part). Quartz fibers also have a higher thermal resistance than S-glass or E-glass.^[8]

Applications

 

A quartz fiber dosimeter, a device using a quartz fiber.

Since quartz fiber is expensive, it has limited applications.^[2] It is used mainly for producing composite materials (due to having higher stability compared to glass fiber) and in electrical applications where thermal resistance and dielectric properties are important.^[9] It can be used in filtration applications where alternatives such as glass fiber filters cannot be used.^[3][10] Quartz fiber can also be used for physical devices (such as in quartz fiber dosimeters and quartz fiber electrometers).^[11]

Quartz fibers can be used in fiber optics. This is due to a quartz fiber having the ability to transport data at a speed of 1 terabit per second,^[12][13] and having a transmission loss of 1 decibel per kilometer.^[14]

See also

• Fused quartz
• Quartz fiber dosimeter

References

1. Carley, James F. (October 8, 1993). Whittington's Dictionary of Plastics, Third Edition. CRC Press. ISBN 9781566760904.
2. Wang, Ru-Min; Zheng, Shui-Rong; Zheng, Yujun George (July 14, 2011). Polymer Matrix Composites and Technology. Elsevier. ISBN 9780857092229.
3. Rosato, Donald V.; Rosato, Dominick V. (2004). Reinforced Plastics Handbook. Elsevier. ISBN 9781856174503.
4. Rosato, Donald V.; Rosato, Marlene G.; Rosato, D. V. (August 31, 2000). Concise Encyclopedia of Plastics. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 9780792384960.
5. Peters, S. T. (November 27, 2013). Handbook of Composites. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 9781461563891.
6. Xinju, Lan (February 18, 2010). Laser Technology, Second Edition. CRC Press. ISBN 9781420091717.
7. Staff, IGIC, Inc (1994). Radiation Effects on Fiber Optics and Opto Electronics. Information Gatekeepers Inc. ISBN 9781568510750.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
8. Defense, Us Dept Of (June 18, 1999). Composite Materials Handbook-MIL 17: Materials Usage, Design, and Analysis. CRC Press. ISBN 9781566768283.
9. Materials, Metal Properties Council Task Group on Commercial Opportunities for Composite; Watts, Admiral A. (1980). Commercial Opportunities for Advanced Composites. ASTM International. ISBN 9780803103023.
10. Brisson, Michael J.; Ekechukwu, Amy A. (2009). Beryllium: Environmental Analysis and Monitoring. Royal Society of Chemistry. ISBN 9781847559036.
11. Wiberg, Egon; Wiberg, Nils (2001). Inorganic Chemistry. Academic Press. ISBN 9780123526519.
12. "Fiber optics". ping-test.net. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
13. McWhan, Denis (February 23, 2012). Sand and Silicon: Science that Changed the World. OUP Oxford. ISBN 9780191627477.
14. Takajima, Toshi; Kajiwara, K.; McIntyre, J. E. (1994). Advanced Fiber Spinning Technology. Woodhead Publishing. ISBN 9781855731820.