Effects of raw material homogenization on the structure of basalt melt and performance of fibers

In this study, basalt from a base in Hebei, China, was selected as the raw material. Water-quenched basalt glasses and basalt fibers were prepared at different homogenization times and temperatures. The water-quenched glass structure was characterized by XRD and a Raman spectrometer followed by fitting of their Raman spectra by Gaussian curves to obtain information about melt structure. The fiber performance was characterized by fiber strength meter and fiber fineness meter. The results demonstrate that homogenization time and temperature had significant effects on the structure of basalt melt. The degree of polymerization of the melt increased with increasing homogenization time and decreased with increasing homogenization temperature. The fiber strength increased with increasing the degree of polymerization. As the homogenization time and temperature increased, coefficients of variation of fiber strength and fiber diameter decreased, indicating enhanced fiber stability.