Glass fiber and ceramic fiber are commonly used thermal insulation materials in the current market. They have lightweight, low thermal conductivity, high temperature resistance, good corrosion resistance, etc. Although they have many same properties, they still have some differences. Sometime customers don’t know which product to choose. It is important to know the characteristics and differences of the two kinds of products, so customers can select the suitable one to use.

The thermal conductivity of the ceramic fiber is lower than the glass fiber. The lower the thermal conductivity is, the better the thermal insulation effect will be, so ceramic fiber has higher temperature resistance than the glass fiber. Ceramic fiber can withstand high temperature from 1000-1400℃, so it is a high temperature refractory material. It is particularly used as refractory lining material for furnace and kilns which require very high temperature. Glass fiber can resist high temperature of 550℃ and it is suitable to be used in the situations where the temperature requirement does not exceed 550℃.

The tensile strength of the glass fiber is higher than that of the ceramic fiber. Glass fibers are long and can be woven into fiberglass cloth, tapes and ropes without adding any organic fibers and reinforcement of any other materials. Ceramic fiber is a type of short fiber and it is not as strong as glass fiber. It also can be woven into ceramic fiber cloth, tapes and ropes, but it needs to add some organic fibers and to be reinforced with glass fiber or stainless steel wire. The waterproof property of the glass fiber is better than that of the ceramic fiber. Ceramic fiber blanket is not afraid of fire, but it is afraid of water. If the ceramic fiber blanket is wetted by water, it will lose its thermal insulation property. So before we buy it, we should examine it carefully. When we store it, we should place it in a dry place. When we use it, we should keep it away from rain water.

Due to some differences in characteristics, glass fiber and ceramic fiber have some differences in the fields of applications. Glass fiber is widely used in construction, ships, automobile, electronic and other fields. Glass fiber can be combined with chemical resins to produce glass fiber reinforced plastic which is widely used in various areas. Ceramic fiber is extensively used in very high temperature environments, power plant, chemical industry and other fields. For example, ceramic fiber blanket and modules can be used as lightweight refractory insulation linings for high temperature furnaces, kilns and many high temperature equipments. 

Both products have their own unique properties and advantages. The choice between them will depend on the specific requirements of the applications. In some industries, it is better to use glass fiber. In other industries, it is better to use ceramic fiber. Customers can refer to the above differences when purchasing the product and choosing the suitable product to buy. Customers also can simply explain their application to the salesman to give them a recommendation and choose the suitable product for use.