Silica fabric is a woven high-temperature textile used where conventional fiberglass fabrics may not provide sufficient thermal performance. Depending on the silica content, weave, weight, thickness and surface treatment, silica cloth can be used for welding protection, furnace insulation, exhaust heat containment, removable insulation covers, fire curtains, expansion joints and other industrial thermal protection systems.
BSTFLEX supplies a broad range of woven silica fabric and specially treated silica textiles, including 70% silica fabric, 96% high silica fabric, silicone rubber coated silica cloth, aluminum coated silica fabric, vermiculite coated silica cloth and adhesive backed silica fabric.
Different constructions solve different thermal problems. A plain high purity silica fabric may be selected for direct high-temperature insulation, while an aluminum surface is more appropriate where radiant heat is the main concern. Silicone coating provides a different combination of surface protection and fabrication characteristics, while adhesive backing is useful when the material must be installed directly onto a component or thermal barrier.
For engineers, fabricators and industrial buyers, the correct material should therefore be selected according to the actual heat source rather than by temperature rating alone.
Silica fabric is produced from silica-based fibers that are formed into yarn and woven into a flexible textile. It may also be described in industry as silica cloth, silica textile, silica fibre cloth, silica fiber cloth, woven silica fabric, silica glass fiber cloth or silica fiberglass fabric.
High silica grades contain a substantially higher proportion of SiO2 than conventional E-glass fabrics and are intended for more demanding thermal environments.
BSTFLEX's 96% High Temp Silica Fabric, for example, is manufactured from at least 96% silica fiber and is designed for continuous thermal exposure around 1000°C.
The woven construction gives the material an important advantage over rigid insulation: it can be cut, wrapped, sewn and fabricated into finished thermal protection components.
Typical forms include:
Rolls and sheets
Welding blankets
Fire curtains
Furnace curtains
Exhaust insulation layers
Removable insulation jackets
Heat shields
Expansion joints
Equipment protection covers
Custom fabricated thermal barriers
High silica fabric is a silica-rich woven textile developed for applications involving sustained high temperatures, flame exposure and thermal insulation.
Terms such as high silica fabric, high silica cloth, high silica fabric cloth, high silica glass fabric, high silica glass fiber fabric, high silica fiberglass cloth and high silica fiberglass fabric are often used by industrial buyers when searching for this type of material.
One of the most important specifications is silica content.
BSTFLEX supplies both 70% and 96% grades because they are intended for different operating conditions and cost requirements.
The 96% High Temp Silica Fabric is the preferred starting point for applications involving prolonged severe heat exposure. The current specification uses at least 96% silica fiber and is designed for continuous use around 1000°C.
The 70% Woven Silica Fabric uses a 70% ±5% silica construction and is specified for service temperatures up to approximately 800°C. It is commonly used for welding blankets, curtains, screens and equipment protection.
These two materials should not be treated as interchangeable simply because both are called silica cloth.
The required silica grade depends primarily on operating temperature, exposure duration, mechanical conditions and the construction of the finished insulation system.
| Silica Fabric Type | Key Characteristic | Typical Selection Reason | Typical Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70% Woven Silica Fabric | Approx. 70% silica content | Cost-effective thermal protection at moderate-to-high temperatures | Welding curtains, blankets, equipment covers |
| 96% High Silica Fabric | At least 96% silica content | Higher temperature capability and thermal stability | Furnaces, exhaust systems, fire protection, severe heat insulation |
| Silicone Coated Silica Cloth | Silica base with silicone coating | Flexible coated surface and improved handling characteristics | Covers, curtains, flexible connectors |
| Aluminum Coated Silica Fabric | High silica fabric with aluminum surface | Radiant heat reflection | Heat shields, barriers, equipment protection |
| Vermiculite Coated Silica Cloth | Silica fabric with vermiculite treatment | Improved surface durability and abrasion resistance | Welding protection, expansion joints, insulation jackets |
| Adhesive Backed Silica Fabric | Silica fabric with pressure-sensitive adhesive | Easier positioning and installation | Thermal barriers and fabricated insulation assemblies |
The table provides a general material-selection framework. Final specification should also take into account direct flame exposure, radiant heat intensity, contact temperature, movement, abrasion, chemical exposure and installation method.
For applications where thermal resistance takes priority, high purity silica fabric is normally the first material to evaluate.
BSTFLEX 96% High Temp Silica Fabric combines a woven textile structure with a silica content of at least 96%. The material remains flexible enough to cut and fabricate while providing considerably greater heat capability than ordinary fiberglass cloth.
This type of material may also be searched for as:
high temperature silica fabric
high temperature silica cloth
high temp silica cloth
amorphous silica fabric
woven silica fabric
high purity silica fabric
high silica glass fabric
silica fiberglass fabric
Typical uses include exhaust insulation, furnace barriers, welding protection, high-temperature curtains and industrial fire protection systems.
View 96% High Temp Silica Fabric
Not every installation requires a 96% silica material.
For applications operating at lower temperatures or projects where material cost must be balanced against thermal performance, 70% Woven Silica Fabric provides another option.
Current BSTFLEX specifications include 600, 880 and 1100 g/m² constructions with nominal thicknesses of 0.75, 1.00 and 1.30 mm. The material is specified for temperatures from approximately -40°C to +800°C.
This woven silica fabric is particularly relevant for:
Welding blankets
Welding curtains
Protective screens
Equipment covers
Furnace curtains
General industrial heat barriers
Selecting 70% rather than 96% material can make sense when the operating environment does not require the additional thermal capability of a high-purity silica textile.
Plain silica fabric is not always the ideal finished surface.
A silicone coating changes the handling and surface characteristics of the textile and makes it better suited to certain fabricated thermal protection products.
BSTFLEX Silicone Rubber Coated High Silica Cloth can be supplied with silicone rubber coating on one or both sides. Current constructions include one-side and two-side coated versions based on silica fabric.
Typical applications include:
Welding protection
Fire curtains
Equipment covers
Removable insulation covers
Flexible expansion joints
Protective thermal fabrics
High-temperature fabricated components
Silicone coated silica fabric should not be selected purely according to the temperature capability of the silica substrate. The service temperature of the coating must also be considered separately from that of the base fabric.
View Silicone Rubber Coated High Silica Cloth
Direct temperature and radiant heat are different engineering problems.
When the principal heat load comes from a hot surface, furnace opening, exhaust component or other strong radiant source, a reflective surface can be more useful than simply increasing fabric thickness.
BSTFLEX Aluminum Coated High Silica Fabric combines a high silica woven substrate with an aluminum-coated surface designed to provide radiant heat reflection while retaining the flexibility of a textile barrier.
Typical applications include:
Radiant heat shields
Furnace-area protection
Exhaust heat barriers
Industrial equipment protection
Thermal curtains
Protective covers
High-temperature enclosures
This construction is especially useful when the objective is to reduce radiant heat transfer toward adjacent components rather than simply placing an insulation layer against a hot surface.
View Aluminum Coated High Silica Fabric
In some applications the weakness of a plain textile is not temperature resistance but repeated handling, friction and surface wear.
Vermiculite Coated Silica Cloth combines high silica fabric with a vermiculite treatment that increases surface durability and abrasion resistance. BSTFLEX currently uses 96% silica fabric as the base construction for this product.
Applications include:
Welding curtains
Welding blankets
Flexible expansion joints
Gaskets
Removable insulation jackets
Equipment protection
Fire-control systems
For fabrication involving repeated movement or mechanical contact, this construction can provide advantages over untreated silica cloth.
View Vermiculite Coated Silica Cloth
Installing loose fabric around irregular surfaces is not practical in every application.
An adhesive backing allows silica textile to be positioned directly during fabrication or installation, reducing movement while the thermal barrier is being assembled.
BSTFLEX High Temperature Silica Fabric with Adhesive Backing uses a pressure-sensitive adhesive on one side of the silica textile. The current product can be based on 96% silica fabric, with 70% material also available on request.
Typical uses include:
Fabricated thermal barriers
Equipment insulation
Heat shield assemblies
Irregular cut shapes
Field-installed thermal protection
Applications requiring temporary positioning during assembly
As with coated fabrics, the adhesive and silica substrate have different temperature limitations. The maximum temperature of the silica fiber itself should therefore not be used as the allowable temperature of the adhesive layer.
View Adhesive Backed Silica Fabric
There is no single temperature rating that applies to every silica fabric.
Temperature capability depends on:
Silica content
Fabric construction
Weave
Thickness
Surface treatment
Duration of exposure
Direct flame versus indirect heat
Mechanical loading
Installation method
BSTFLEX's current 96% woven silica fabric is designed for continuous thermal exposure around 1000°C, while the current 70% woven grade is specified for working temperatures up to approximately 800°C.
Coatings, adhesives and laminations must be evaluated separately. A coated silica textile may use a high-temperature base fabric while the surface treatment has a lower continuous service limit.
For this reason, specifying a silica fabric only by asking "What is the maximum temperature?" is usually insufficient.
A more useful specification includes:
continuous operating temperature + peak temperature + exposure time + type of heat + mechanical conditions.
Welding is one of the most established applications for silica textiles.
Depending on construction, silica fabric may be converted into:
Welding blankets
Welding curtains
Welding screens
Spark barriers
Equipment covers
Hot-work protection systems
For general thermal protection, 70% woven silica fabric may be sufficient. Higher-temperature or more severe applications may require 96% material.
Where greater surface durability is important, vermiculite coated silica cloth can be considered. Where a coated flexible surface is required, silicone coated silica fabric provides another construction option.
The fabric should always be selected according to the actual welding process, exposure distance, spark and slag conditions, and whether the textile will be used vertically or horizontally.
Furnaces and kilns expose insulation materials to sustained high temperatures and, in many cases, considerable radiant heat.
High silica fabric can be used as:
Furnace curtains
Insulation facing
Thermal separation layers
Flexible heat barriers
Equipment covers
Removable insulation components
A high purity 96% woven silica fabric is generally more appropriate when prolonged severe thermal exposure is involved.
Where radiant heat is the dominant load, an aluminum coated silica fabric may be evaluated instead.
Industrial and vehicle exhaust systems create concentrated heat around pipes, manifolds, silencers, turbines and nearby equipment.
High temperature silica fabric can be incorporated into:
Exhaust insulation blankets
Heat shields
Removable covers
Thermal wraps
Multi-layer insulation systems
The flexibility of woven silica cloth allows it to conform around shapes that would be difficult to insulate using rigid materials.
Material selection should consider both the exhaust surface temperature and the required temperature reduction on the protected side.
Silica fabric is also used as a component in fabricated removable insulation jackets.
Depending on the design, it may function as:
Hot-face fabric
Outer protective layer
Internal thermal layer
Fire-resistant textile reinforcement
Flexible barrier around insulation media
Valves, flanges, pumps, turbines, exhaust components and industrial processing equipment often require removable insulation because routine inspection or maintenance must remain possible.
Silicone coated, vermiculite coated and plain high silica constructions can each serve different functions within these assemblies.
A useful selection process starts with the heat source rather than the fabric name.
The application involves sustained severe temperatures and the primary requirement is high thermal stability.
The operating temperature is lower and the project requires a balance between thermal performance and material cost.
A coated, flexible surface is needed for fabricated covers, curtains or flexible thermal components.
Silicone Rubber Coated High Silica Cloth
Radiant heat reflection is the primary objective.
Aluminum Coated High Silica Fabric
The application requires a silica textile with improved surface durability and abrasion resistance.
Vermiculite Coated Silica Cloth
The material must be positioned directly onto a component or held in place during fabrication.
High Temperature Silica Fabric with Adhesive Backing
Silica fabric and conventional fiberglass cloth are related high-temperature textiles, but they should not automatically be treated as equivalent materials.
Standard fiberglass is commonly selected for general thermal insulation and moderate-temperature applications.
High silica fabric is intended for more demanding heat exposure where increased silica content and higher thermal stability are required.
The choice depends on:
Continuous temperature
Peak temperature
Heat source
Required flexibility
Fabric weight
Mechanical exposure
Coating requirements
Finished component design
Project cost
Using the highest-temperature material is not always necessary. The better approach is to match the fabric construction to the actual service environment.
No.
The terms can appear together in high-temperature textile searches, but they should not be treated as synonyms.
High silica fabric refers to silica-rich glass fiber textiles.
Alumina-silica cloth, often associated with ceramic fiber textiles, belongs to a different material family based on aluminosilicate fibers.
This distinction is important when comparing temperature capability, mechanical properties, handling characteristics and suitable applications.
Buyers searching for alumina silica cloth should therefore evaluate ceramic fiber cloth separately rather than assuming it is another name for woven high silica fabric.
Surface treatment can change how silica fabric performs in the finished application.
Plain fabric is usually chosen when the thermal performance and flexibility of the silica textile itself are the priority.
Silicone coating can provide a more protected and flexible coated surface.
Vermiculite treatment improves abrasion resistance and surface durability.
An aluminum surface is intended primarily for radiant heat management.
Pressure-sensitive adhesive simplifies positioning and installation.
The correct treatment depends on the failure mode the designer is trying to prevent.
That distinction is more important than simply selecting the fabric with the highest nominal temperature rating.
Industrial thermal protection projects rarely use one universal specification.
BSTFLEX supplies silica textiles for OEM manufacturers, industrial insulation fabricators, welding protection suppliers, heat shield manufacturers and other businesses requiring high-temperature textile materials.
Depending on the product and application, requirements may include different:
Silica contents
Fabric weights
Thicknesses
Widths
Roll lengths
Weave constructions
Surface coatings
Aluminum treatments
Vermiculite treatments
Adhesive backing
Fabricated dimensions
Packaging requirements
For a new project, supplying application data before quotation helps identify a more appropriate construction.
Useful information includes:
Continuous operating temperature
Maximum short-term temperature
Direct flame exposure
Radiant heat conditions
Contact temperature
Required thickness
Required width and roll length
Application environment
Mechanical abrasion
Required surface treatment
Estimated annual quantity
Drawing or finished-part dimensions
Silica fabric is used for industrial heat insulation, welding blankets, fire curtains, furnace protection, exhaust insulation, removable insulation covers, expansion joints and other applications involving elevated temperatures.
In industrial purchasing terminology, silica cloth and silica fabric are commonly used to describe the same general woven silica textile category. Individual products can nevertheless differ significantly in silica content, weave, weight, thickness and surface treatment.
Woven silica fabric is produced by weaving silica-based yarns into a flexible textile. The woven construction allows the material to be cut, sewn, wrapped or fabricated into thermal protection components.
Amorphous silica fabric is a term used for silica-rich fibrous textiles in which the silica structure is non-crystalline. In industrial searches, the term is often associated with high-purity woven silica materials used for severe thermal protection.
High purity silica fabric normally refers to woven textiles with a high SiO2 concentration. BSTFLEX's 96% grade contains at least 96% silica and is designed for continuous exposure around 1000°C.
No. They differ in silica content and thermal capability. BSTFLEX's current 70% fabric is specified for service up to approximately 800°C, while its 96% woven silica fabric is intended for continuous exposure around 1000°C.
Yes. Depending on the required performance, silica fabric can be supplied with silicone rubber, aluminum, vermiculite or pressure-sensitive adhesive treatments.
Where radiant heat reflection is the primary requirement, aluminum coated high silica fabric is generally more suitable than an untreated textile because its metallic surface is specifically intended to reflect radiant energy.
Both 70% and 96% silica fabrics can be used in welding protection depending on the severity of the thermal exposure. Vermiculite treated material can also be considered where additional surface durability is required.
Yes. Woven silica textile can be cut and fabricated into blankets, curtains, covers and insulation components. Appropriate high-temperature sewing thread and fabrication methods should be selected for the intended service conditions.
BSTFLEX currently supplies the following principal silica textile constructions:
Silicone Rubber Coated High Silica Cloth
Aluminum Coated High Silica Fabric
Vermiculite Coated Silica Cloth
High Temperature Silica Fabric with Adhesive Backing
The most suitable silica fabric depends on much more than a single temperature figure.
For an accurate material recommendation and quotation, provide the required operating temperature, heat source, fabric thickness or weight, width, surface treatment, application and estimated quantity.
BSTFLEX can support standard silica fabrics as well as coated, laminated, adhesive-backed and application-specific high-temperature textile requirements for industrial and OEM projects.
Send your specifications, drawing or sample requirements to BSTFLEX for material evaluation and quotation.
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