Q: What about the long-term stability of AR-glass fibers vs. earlier types of glass fibers?

The long-term chemical stability of AR-glass fibers has been proven in research and technical data.

In research, accelerated aging tests have shown that, even at a calculated age of 28 years, AR-glass fibers are chemically stable, and the reinforcement properties within the hardened concrete are comparable to those results seen at early ages of the mix.

In the 70s and early 80s, the first generation of glass fibers were identified as E-glass fibers, and they were not chemically stable in conventional cement concrete. Specifically, the alkalis in the cement attacked the E-glass and within a very short period of time the fibers broke down.

The need for stability spawned the current generation of AR-glass fibers where the zirconia is integrated into the fiber: Up to 19% of the weight of the current AR-glass fiber is zirconia.

Information on AR-glass chemical stability is available upon request from Nycon.

Back to questions page