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Difference between Asbestos and Fiberglass
Both fiberglass and asbestos are fibrous minerals made up of very thin fibers, but fiberglass is generally considered to be a safer material due to its better performance in temperature conditions and greater tensile strength. It is generally considered secure when installed properly.
Commercial production of fiberglass began in the 1930s, and since then, it has grown to become one of the most versatile and widely used materials in modern society. Fiberglass is a man-made product, while asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral. However, several countries have banned the material due to concerns about the risks it poses to human health.
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos has been known about ever since recorded history began. Asbestos fibers were utilized in the manufacturing of pottery, according to finds from Finnish archaeological investigations. Asbestos has been used since 2500 BC, but it wasn't until about 1850 when paper and cloth were being mass-produced in Italy, that commercial manufacture of asbestos began. But asbestos was often employed in buildings up until the 1970s.
Expanded asbestos mining in Canada and South Africa coincided with the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, leading to a surge in the manufacturing of asbestos-containing items. Asbestos is a catch-all word for a class of naturally occurring fibrous minerals that consist of very thin threads.
More than ninety-five percent of the world's output of natural mineral fibers is generated from chrysotile, the most widely used form of asbestos. There are just six fibrous minerals found in nature, but chrysotile is one of them. Thousands of manufactured goods, including roofing and insulation materials for commercial and residential buildings, have been found to contain it.
What is Fiberglass?
Fiberglass, a type of fiber-reinforced plastic, has largely replaced asbestos, most noticeably in the field of heat insulation. To counteract the dangers of asbestos, fiberglass was initially created. Due to its greater resistance to high temperatures compared to cotton and other polyester fibers, fiberglass has been proposed as a viable alternative to asbestos.
For a long time now, lightweight materials such as carbon fiber have been used to supplement aluminum and steel in the construction of racing vehicles across all categories. Fiberglass was one of these components. The legendary sports automobile Corvette has, in fact, always been made of fiberglass. Brake band linings and other friction materials, as well as some specialized electrical insulation applications, are two places where fiberglass is not suitable for use.
Asbestos and fiberglass both consist of long, thin glass threads that may be woven together to form a layer. The best part is that you can make fiberglass into a huge variety of complicated designs. Fiberglass is widely used in the automotive, aerospace, marine, storage, plumbing, and roofing industries due to its quality.
Differences − Asbestos and Fiberglass
The following table highlights how Asbestos is different from Fiberglass −
| Characteristics | Asbestos | Fiberglass |
|---|---|---|
| Basics | Asbestos is a generic word for a group of fibrous minerals found in nature. | Fiberglass, a man-made alternative to asbestos, now dominates in applications once suited to asbestos. |
| Composition | It is a mineral that occurs naturally and consists of very tiny fibers. | It is a synthetic mineral consisting of very fine strands of glass. |
| Properties | Asbestos has a high tensile strength. | Fiberglass has one of the greatest tensile strengths of any material. |
| Operating Temperature | It's not as reliable as fiberglass in maintaining a constant working temperature. | It allows for a greater constant operating temperature than asbestos. |
| Resistance | In comparison to other materials, it is less likely to be damaged by abrasions and wounds. | The abrasion resistance offered by asbestos is not present. |
| Uses | Asbestos is widely used for a variety of purposes, including thermal system insulation, surface materials, reinforcement, fireproofing, and so on. | Fiberglass is used in a wide variety of applications, such as automobiles, aircraft, boats, storage tanks, bathtubs, pipes, septic tanks, cladding, and roofing. |
Conclusion
Asbestos is a general name for a group of naturally occurring fibrous minerals that consist of very thin fibers. Roofing and insulation materials for both commercial and residential buildings are among the hundreds of products thought to contain it. In many applications where asbestos was once common, such as heat insulation, fiberglass has become more popular.
To counteract the dangers of asbestos, fiberglass was initially created. We have observed that the longs are more successful at ingesting fiberglass than asbestos. Asbestos, on the other hand, has a lower tensile strength and a lower continuous operating temperature than fiberglass, which makes it a better choice for some applications. It's also an excellent alternative to asbestos because of its superior performance in heat environments.
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