The Versatility of Ceramic Fiber
Ceramic fiber products and camping don’t seem to have much in common. Camping is one of the all-time great pastimes. Ceramic fiber is a material used in heat resistance applications. But the two share a common trait, versatility.
Whether camping with family, friends, pets, or alone, this pastime brings one closer to nature and further away from the chaos of a busy life. But camping can be stressful if one is not prepared. The prepared camper packs with efficiency, meaning they pack as little as possible but has everything they need.
Swiss Army Knife 
Rope Tied to a Dock
In order for a camper to pack efficiently they must pack items that are versatile, items that can be used in more than one way. Two such items are shown above. A pocket knife is versatile because it contains several different tools. Rope is versatile for a different reason. It doesn’t possess a plethora of gadgets like the pocket knife but it can be manipulated in many different ways. Ceramic fiber seems to possess characteristics of versatility demonstrated by both of these essential camping items. Ceramic fiber can be constructed into many different forms and it can be manipulated in many different ways. Let’s take a look at the different types of ceramic fiber products.
Ceramic Fiber Blanket
One commonly used form of ceramic fiber is the ceramic fiber blanket. As with a standard blanket like the one seen above, a ceramic fiber blanket is mainly used to contain heat. Standard blankets keep us warm at night by trapping or containing our body heat. Ceramic fiber blankets do the same for ovens, furnaces, boilers, and kilns. Insulation is the main application for ceramic fiber blankets but they can also be used as high temperature gaskets. Some direct flame applications have also used ceramic fiber blankets.
Ceramic Fiber Cloth
Another type of ceramic fiber material is ceramic fiber cloth. Unlike the cloth seen in the picture above, ceramic fiber cloth is not used to make clothing. It shares similar applications to ceramic fiber blankets, such as insulation and high temperature gaskets. One major difference between the two materials is their thickness. Since the cloth is thinner than the blanket it can be more spatially versatile, such as filling small voids difficult to fill with blanket material or insulating pipes with relatively small diameters. Ceramic fiber cloth can be used for fire safety applications too, like protective welding blankets.
Ceramic Fiber Paper
The wilted piece of printer paper hints to the next type of ceramic fiber product, ceramic fiber paper. Similar to both the blanket and cloth materials, ceramic fiber paper is used for many different types of high temperature insulation and gaskets. It also has high temperature applications in both electrical insulation and filtration, and can be used for fire protection and for various types of linings. Ceramic fiber paper has a geometry unique to the other ceramic fiber products. It is thinner than the blanket material and typically has more thickness variations than the cloth.
Cassette Tape 
Clear Tape in a Dispenser 
Caution Tape 
Measuring Tape
Ceramic Fiber Tape
If someone asks for tape they will need to be more specific. There are many different types of tape in existence. The tapes pictured above each have a unique application but they are all called tape for the same reason. Each type of tape shown above is either completely or partially constructed of a long strip of material. As one would expect, ceramic fiber can be added to this list. Ceramic fiber tape is used for insulation, especially on cylindrical objects like cables, pipes, and wires. Expansion joints, strip curtains, door seals, and gaskets are other applications for ceramic fiber tape.
Ceramic Fiber Rope
One of the items mentioned at the beginning of the article that was associated with versatility is rope. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the versatility of ceramic fiber. As it turns out, ceramic fiber is also made into rope and braided material. In the rope category there are three main variations, twisted ceramic fiber rope, round-braided ceramic fiber rope, and square-braided ceramic fiber rope. All three versions are used for gaskets, seals, and packing, although each one has a unique density. Twisted ceramic fiber rope is the softest of the three. Round-braided ceramic fiber rope has a medium density, while square-braided rope is the most dense of the three. Both the round and square braided ceramic fiber rope can be inserted with a wire reinforcement.
In Summary
Ceramic fiber products are versatile heat resistant products for a couple of reasons. First, they come in a number of different forms, such as blanket, cloth, paper, tape and rope. Second, each of the various forms can be used multiple ways. For some applications, like expansion joints, multiple types of ceramic fiber products are used, in order to fill spaces that are non-symmetrical.
Camping and ceramic fiber don’t really have much in common, but if you enjoy camping you know the importance of having versatile equipment at your disposal. And if you work in an industry where heat management is needed for insulation, sealing, and protection, then ceramic fiber is equally as important.