Manufacturing and finishing of basalt fibers, in particular alkali-resistant chopped fibers for concrete reinforcement.
DBF Deutsche Basalt Faser GmbH
Sangerhausen (DE)New on Amplifa
About DBF Deutsche Basalt Faser GmbH
DBF Deutsche Basalt Faser GmbH has been manufacturing basalt fibers in Sangerhausen since 2008 and operates the first basalt fiber plant in the European Union. From basalt stones with a grain size of approx. 40 mm, the melt is spun into continuous filament fiber at 1400 °C in a patented melt spinning process. The company's core competence lies in the manufacturing and assembly of the basalt fiber, including a two-stage sizing application and finishing into chopped fibers. With Turbobuild Integral, DBF has developed a process for producing alkali-resistant integral fibers, which are supplied in lengths of 4 mm to 60 mm and used as reinforcement in concrete. Durability was demonstrated over 360 days in an alkaline environment in cooperation with the Institute of Building Materials at TU Dresden. Fields of application include industrial floors, tunnels, shotcrete, precast garages and fiber-plastic composites.
- Site
- Sangerhausen
- Processes
- Manufacturing of continuous basalt fiber (melt spinning process, patented technology), Manufacturing of alkali-resistant chopped fibers (integral fibers) - coating and cutting of, Assembly of the basalt fiber (e.g. into rovings), Alkali resistance testing according to EN14649, SEM analysis, 3-point bending test (3PB), Manufacturing of basalt fibers, Assembly/coating (sizing) of basalt fibers, Development of alkali-resistant chopped fibers (Turbobuild Integral)
- Materials
- Basalt (stones, grain size approx. 40 mm), Basalt fiber (continuous/integral/chopped/dispersible), Concrete, Basalt (raw stone, grain size approx. 40 mm), Basalt filament fiber (continuous), Basalt integral fiber (Turbobuild Integral), Basalt chopped fiber (chopped/dispersible), Sizing/coating systems (e.g. BZFC)
- Certificates
- Alkali resistance testing according to EN 14649, SEM analysis (durability verification TU Dresden), 3-point bending test (3PB) on concrete specimens
- Founded
- 2008
- Industries
- Construction industry, Concrete reinforcement, Fiber-plastic composites
- 01
Basalt stones (grain size approx. 40 mm)
- 02
Melting at 1400 °C (patented process)
- 03
Spinning the melt into filament fiber
- 04
Two-stage sizing application and drying
- 05
Assembly into rovings
- 06
Coating and cutting into chopped fibers
- 07
Testing (alkali resistance, SEM, 3-point bending test)
Materials and Processes
Basalt (raw stone, grain size approx. 40 mm)
Raw material for the melt spinning process at 1400 °C into continuous basalt fiber.
Basalt filament fiber (continuous)
Assembled into rovings and used as starting material for further products.
Basalt integral fiber (Turbobuild Integral)
Alkali-resistant chopped fiber with coating for the reinforcement of concrete, dosage 5–10 kg/m³.
Basalt chopped fiber (chopped/dispersible)
Cut fibers for admixture in concrete and fiber-plastic composites.
Sizing/coating systems (e.g. BZFC)
Two-stage coating to protect the fiber against alkalinity and to increase bond adhesion in concrete.
Concrete (application matrix)
Target matrix for alkali-resistant integral fibers as a substitute for or supplement to steel fibers.
Sites
Sangerhausen
DEProduction site (first basalt fiber plant in the EU)
- Materials
- Basalt, basalt fiber
- Melting furnace (melting process at 1400 °C, patented process)
- Spinning plant (spinning of the melt into filament fiber)
- Heating chamber (drying of spinning cakes)
- Infrared drying (drying of the filament at 160 °C)
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing of continuous basalt fiber (melt spinning process, patented technology)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Basalt |
| Surface | – | – | – | – | Basalt |
| Manufacturing of alkali-resistant chopped fibers (integral fibers) - coating and cutting ofPlastics | – | 60 mm | 4 mm | – | Basalt |
| Assembly of the basalt fiber (e.g. into rovings)Assembly | – | – | – | – | Basalt |
| Alkali resistance testing according to EN14649, SEM analysis, 3-point bending test (3PB)Testing | – | – | – | – | Basalt |
4 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melting furnace (melting process at 1400°C) | – | – | – | – | Sangerhausen |
| Spinning plant (spinning of the melt into filament fiber) | – | – | – | – | Sangerhausen |
| Heating chamber (drying of spinning cakes) | – | – | – | – | – |
| Infrared drying (drying of the filament at 160°C) | – | – | – | – | – |
Additional services
Quality and Testing
Alkali resistance is tested in accordance with EN 14649; durability was demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and 3-point bending tests on fiber-reinforced concrete by the Institute of Building Materials at TU Dresden.
| Evidence | Sangerhausen |
|---|---|
| Alkali resistance testing according to EN 14649 | |
| SEM analysis (durability verification TU Dresden) | |
| 3-point bending test (3PB) on concrete specimens |
History
- 2008
Start of basalt fiber production in Sangerhausen; first basalt fiber plant in the European Union.
- 2014
Cooperation with TU Dresden on bond behavior and durability testing of basalt fibers in alkaline matrices.
- 2017
DBF GmbH was a finalist at the IQ Awards.