High-temperature fabrics play an important role in our everyday lives. They are used in some of the many common products, such as oven door gaskets and car parts. They’re also essential for some of the most demanding and technical industrial processes and equipment.
While the term ‘high-temperature fabrics’ seems like it describes a pretty homogeneous group of products, there are actually a lot of different types. The easiest approach to parsing high-temperature fabrics and their applications is by climbing the temperature scale.
High-Temperature Fabrics: From Low Heat to Scorching Hot
Aramid (service temperatures up to 400°F/210°C)
Lightweight, flexible, and chemical-resistant, fabrics made with aramid fibers offer mid-level temperature performance in applications requiring abrasion resistance and strength. Aramid fibers are naturally durable and flame resistant. A woven blend of these fibers, core spun around a fiberglass yarn, form the foundation of McAllister Mills’ high-performance aramid fabrics.
Our aramid fabrics provide protection up to 400°F/210°C. They are ideal for use in protective gloves, mittens, curtains and heat resistant blankets. Aramid fabrics can also be used in gasket and door seals and as reinforcement of rubber sheeting and belting.
Fiberglass (service temperatures up to 1000°F/550°C)
Our full line of fiberglass fabrics is available in several weights and constructions to offer protection in almost any high-temperature application. Resistant to service temperatures up to 1000°F/550°C, these fabrics are mechanically resistant, chemically stable, electrically and thermally insulating, as well as being water- and oilproof. Made from E-Glass fibers (silica and aluminum oxides), our standard fiberglass fabrics are manufactured for great flexibility and resistance to vibration and abrasion.
Our fiberglass fabrics also include PTFE-impregnated fabrics (service temperatures up to 500°F/260°C) that are chemically resistant to most acids, alkalis and solvents, and vermiculite coated (service temperatures up to 1200°F/650°C), which offers a higher degree of protection from heat.
You’ll often find fiberglass fabrics used in welding protection, oven curtains, expansion joints, high-temperature gaskets, industrial heat protection and personal protective equipment.
Fiberglass Plus+ (service temperatures up to 1350°F/740°C)
Many applications require a low-cost solution for service above 1000°F/550°C. McAllister Mills developed a line of superior fiberglass fabrics with this exact need in mind. When traditional E-Glass fabrics don’t provide enough temperature resistance, and silica fiber fabrics are too expensive, Fiberglass Plus+ fabrics will get the job done.
Fiberglass Plus+ fabrics are made from a high-performance, high-temperature fiber exclusive to McAllister Mills. Easily fabricated to numerous shapes and applications, Fiberglass Plus+ fabrics are perfect for automotive OEM and aftermarket parts, turbine insulation covers, high-temperature gaskets, fire curtains and other uses requiring service temperatures between 900°F and 1350°F.
McAllister Mills also offers Fiberglass Plus+ fabrics with co-mingled wire for extra durability and dimensional stability.
Silica (service temperature up to 2000°F/1100°C)
For service temperatures reaching up to 2000°F/1100°C, silica fabrics offer the required heat protection. Leached silica fabrics are perfect for light-duty, high-temperature industrial uses, and are often used in welding curtains, high-temperature gaskets, expansion joints and furnace curtains. Our leached silica fabrics are also available in vermiculite-coated (service temperatures up to 1800°F/980°C) and reflective composite (service temperatures up to 1800°F/980°C) options.
For more demanding, heavy-duty, high-temperature processes, like petrochemical drilling and refining or pulp and paper production, extra durability is extremely important. Manufactured from continuous filament amorphous silica yarns and air-bulked and heat-treated with a special, abrasion-resistant finish, Maxsil®Tex silica fabrics are some of the most durable, high-temperature fabrics on the market today. Maxsil®Tex fibers have virtually no shrinkage and maintain dimensional stability and flexibility at maximum service temperature.
Maxsil®Tex fabrics are also available with a vermiculite coating (service temperatures up to 2000°F/1100°C) as well as a proprietary TCV treatment (service temperatures up to 2100°F/1148°C), which enhances abrasion and chemical resistance and the fabric’s ability to reflect thermal energy.
Alumina (service temperatures up to 2300°F/1260°C)
For the most demanding applications at the most extreme temperatures, alumina fabrics are the best bet. Possessing high tensile strength, superior electrical and thermal insulation and corrosion-resistant properties, alumina fabrics handle service temperatures up to 2300°F/1260°C. That’s the type of performance you need when you’re insulating aircraft and rocket engines, heat treating metals or other materials, or working with difficult glass-making processes. They are also excellent for thermal insulation of diesel particulate filter (DPF) systems, petrochemical drilling and refining, as well as filters for molten aluminum or other metals.
McAllister Mills High-Temperature Fabrics
At McAllister Mills, we excel at providing high-quality, customized, high-temperature products, tailored for specific and unique uses. Combining in-house weaving technology with a full range of high-temperature fibers gives us the ability to meet almost any high-temperature application. From standard weave patterns for general industrial applications to fabrics woven with our exclusive stop-tear patterns, we can deliver the perfect high-temperature fabric for your needs.