When we think of high-temperature protection, most imagine heavy metal plates or bulky asbestos. But today, a new Chinese material, thin as cloth yet capable of resisting 1700°C, is quietly revolutionizing safety standards across multiple industries.
This is high-silica fabric — an inorganic fiber material with a silicon dioxide (SiO₂) content exceeding 96%. It looks unassuming, feels as flexible as ordinary industrial cloth, yet boasts astounding performance metrics: long-term resistance to 1000°C, short-term endurance in extreme environments up to 1200°C, with a softening point nearing 1700°C.
How is this "Flexible Glass Armor" Forged?
At its core, high-silica fabric is a special type of glass fiber. Through advanced manufacturing processes, scientists have elevated silica purity to over 96%, forming a stable glass network structure. This prevents combustion at high temperatures, allowing only gradual softening while enabling the material to largely retain its form upon cooling.
More remarkably, it maintains strong mechanical strength under extreme heat. Tests show that after 100 hours of continuous exposure at 1000°C, high-silica fabric retains over 80% of its strength, overcoming the traditional flaw of fireproof materials becoming brittle when heated.
The "Invisible Guardian" of New Energy Vehicles
In the booming new energy vehicle (NEV) sector, battery safety remains a top priority. Thanks to its exceptional thermal insulation and flame-retardant properties, high-silica fabric has become the material of choice for high-end EV battery pack fire blankets.
"When a battery undergoes thermal runaway, internal temperatures can instantly spike above 800°C," revealed a NEV safety engineer. "Fire blankets made from high-silica fabric can effectively delay fire spread, buying passengers crucial escape time."
It is reported that several major Chinese EV manufacturers have already adopted this material in new models, with battery pack fire isolation times improving from about 3 minutes to over 15 minutes in some cases.
From Spacecraft to Everyday Safety: The Journey of Application
The uses of high-silica fabric extend far beyond new energy vehicles:
In aerospace, it serves as thermal protection for re-entry capsules and engine insulation.
In nuclear power plants, it safeguards critical cables during extreme accident scenarios.
In metallurgical workshops, fire-resistant curtains made from it protect workers from molten metal splashes.
In petrochemical plants, it wraps high-temperature pipelines to prevent heat loss.
Notably, this "aerospace-grade" material is gradually entering civilian applications. Recently developed lightweight versions are now used for fire isolation in high-rise building escape routes and for upgrading firefighters' protective gear.
Chinese Innovation Behind the Technological Breakthrough
The maturation of high-silica fabric technology marks China's entry into the world's advanced ranks in specialty fiber materials. In earlier years, similar materials were primarily imported, costly, and supply-limited.
"By optimizing spinning processes and surface treatment technology, we've not only achieved performance breakthroughs but also reduced costs by approximately 40%," stated a technical director at a domestic new materials company. Currently, Chinese-produced high-silica fabric is exported to over 20 countries and regions, finding use in several major international projects.
Balancing Safety and Cost: A Challenge
Despite its superior performance, widespread adoption faces hurdles. Compared to traditional fireproof materials, its price remains several times higher, limiting large-scale use in ordinary construction and general industrial settings.
Experts suggest mandatory adoption of such high-performance materials in high-risk locations like power plants and chemical facilities, while a graded usage strategy could be applied for general settings. With production scale-up and further technological optimization, costs are projected to potentially fall to around 60% of current levels within the next 3-5 years.
The Future is Here: A New Era of Intelligent Fire Protection
Researchers are now developing an "intelligent upgrade" for high-silica fabric — by doping it with sensitive materials, enabling it to change color or emit warning signals under high heat. Other teams are exploring its integration with sensors to create "smart fire protection systems" capable of real-time temperature monitoring.
From cutting-edge protection on spacecraft to safeguarding electric vehicles, from enhancing safety in heavy industry to providing fire prevention in daily life, this seemingly ordinary "fabric" is redefining high-temperature protection standards. Driven by both technological progress and safety demands, China's new materials are building an invisible line of