New study examines Hawaii's potential to support a basalt fiber manufacturing facility
Hawaii’s basalt meets the specific chemical profile needed to manufacture CBF, a material similar to fiberglass and carbon fiber.
A market feasibility study commissioned by the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES, Hilo, HI, US) examining Hawaii Island’s potential to support a Continuous Basalt Fiber (CBF) manufacturing operation was completed in December by defense and aerospace consulting firm SMA (Irvine, CA, US).
PISCES has been working with Hawaiian basalt as a feedstock for ISRU (in-situ resource utilization) to create novel materials for sustainable products on Earth and in space. According to PISCES, Hawaii’s basalt meets the specific chemical profile needed to manufacture CBF, a material similar to fiberglass and carbon fiber. CBF products possess favorable characteristics including resistance to corrosion and heat, and high tensile strength.
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