Silica Fabric

Loomstate silica cloth is woven silica in its raw, unfinished form. Silica cloth can be made in two distinct ways. Either by acid leaching of woven glass cloth, or weaving from silica yarns. THS’ loomstate silica has a SiO2 content between 94-96%.

Loomstate silica is almost impossible to work with. THS do not recommend its use for anything other than further processing, either coating or dipping.

Silica generally comes in 3 standard weights, subject to minimums other weights and constructions could be produced:

Weight (g/m2)	Weave Pattern	Common Widths (mm)
300	Plain	900
600	Satin	900, 1250, 1800
1150	Satin	900, 1525

Please note that the standard width for silica is 900mm. This is due to the fact it started life as standard 1000mm wide glass fibre before being processed into silica by acid leaching – which causes the fabric to shrink.

When operated at high temperatures (900°c+) then woven silica will undergo further shrinkage, up to 12% in some cases. For this reason, the above grades are also available in a pre-shrunk state, this is achieved by literally ‘baking’ the rolls in a furnace over a 24hr period.

Woven Silica Fabric

Temperature Resistance – 1,000°c

Silica textiles are the high temperature cousins of glass fibre textiles, capable of withstanding temperatures up to 1000’c continuously, whilst retaining their strength and flexibility.

Typical applications for woven silica include welding blankets, fire curtains, furnace linings and insulation jacket inner side fabric for very hot applications.

Our standard grade silica fabrics are treated with an abrasion-resistant finish (AR), or a polyurethane (PUA) which helps stabilise the cloth during fabrication.

Although less common, woven silica cloth can have the full range of coatings and treatments also applied to glass fibre including:

• Dipped Treatments
• Laminated
• Heat Treated & Caramelised
• Polymer Coatings

This is particularly useful if specific enhancements are required, such as silicone coating to fully waterproof the fabric.

Pre-Shrunk Silica Cloth

Temperature Resistance – 1,000°C

Woven Pre-Shrunk Silica cloth is a processed version of loomstate silica, where most of the expected shrinkage at high temperatures (900°c+) has already occurred.

This makes the cloth more suitable for applications where shrinkage cannot be accounted for at the design stage, particularly where the cloth will be held under tension or held in a fixed position such as matts for heavy articles inside a kiln or furnace.

Pre-Shrunk silica comes in 3 standard weights:

Weight (g/m2)	Weave Pattern	Common widths (mm)
300	Plain	860
600	Satin	860
1150	Satin	860

Pre-Shrunk Silica offers the advantage of minimal outgassing or fuming when exposed to high temperatures, since all the weaving lubricants and size have been thermally degraded during the pre-shrinking process. This is particularly useful where any level of gassing or fuming is unacceptable. Please see our technical guide about weaving oils and lubricants.

Pre-Shrunk woven silica is often used as is, but can also be produced with the same coatings, dipped treatments and laminations as the loomstate silica products and more expansively the glass fibre products too.

How is Silica Fibre Produced?

Silica is produced by the acid leaching of glass fibre, this process removes impurities from the glass and leaves a high SiO2 content.

Silica has a number of properties that make it particularly suitable for a number of applications:

• Very high temperature resistance (1000°c)
• Low thermal conductivity
• Non combustible
• Inert to most chemicals

The pay-off for the increased temperature resistance and high SiO2 content is its strength. Compared to glass fibres, silica is less robust in terms of tensile and tear strength, as well as its resistance to abrasion. It’s important to take these aspects into account when choosing silica in certain environments, particularly those with vibration and movement.

FAQs

What is Silica Fabric?

Silica fabric is a high-temperature industrial textile with a silicon dioxide (SiO₂) content of 94 – 96%. It offers excellent thermal resistance while retaining strength and flexibility, making it suitable for demanding industrial heat protection applications.

What Temperature does Silica Fabric Withstand?

Woven silica fabric can withstand continuous operating temperatures of up to 1000°C, making it suitable for demanding thermal environments including furnace linings, high-temperature welding blankets and fire curtains.

Does Silica Fabric Shrink?

Yes. When exposed to temperatures above 900°C, woven silica fabric can shrink by up to 12%. In most applications this can be accounted for during design. Where dimensional stability is critical, pre-shrunk silica fabric is typically recommended.

What is Pre-Shrunk Silica Fabric?

Pre-shrunk silica fabric has been ‘baked’ in a furnace so the majority of its thermal shrinkage has already occurred before it reaches you. This makes it a more reliable choice for applications where dimensional stability is critical at high temperatures, such as kiln and furnace mats held under tension or fixed in place. It also produces minimal outgassing on first use, as the weaving lubricants and oils have been thermally degraded during the pre-shrinking process.

What is Silica Fabric Used For?

Silica fabric is specified wherever continuous operating temperatures exceed what glass fabric can handle. Common applications include welding blankets, fire curtains, furnace linings, high-temperature insulation jacket inner fabric and heat shields. It is also used for thermal barriers in petrochemical, power generation, aerospace, foundry and metal processing environments.

How is Silica Fabric Made?

Silica fabric can be produced in two ways, by acid leaching of woven glass cloth, which removes impurities and raises the SiO2 content to 94 – 96%, or by weaving directly from silica yarns. The acid leaching process also causes slight shrinkage, which is why standard silica widths are typically 900 mm rather than the 1000 mm more common in glass fabrics.