Asbestos and asbestos materials are widely used in the industrial technologies of our country. Asbestos is classified as a thin-fiber material of the class of silicates, and in Greek, the word asbestos means “indestructible”, “unquenchable”. The most important characteristic of asbestos and asbestos products is their fire resistance, which allows them to be used in cases where it is necessary to find a combination of flexibility of materials and fire resistance. Very often, asbestos is used as a raw material in the manufacture of fire-retardant fabrics, cardboard.
used in the engineering industry, as well as flame retardant material in the insulation of storage tanks of flammable liquids. It is a unique heat-insulating material made of asbestos. The main advantage of asbestos board is its resistance to high temperature. It consists of fibrous chrysotile asbestos mixed with a binder. Asbestos board contains up to 99% of asbestos.
The main advantages of asbestos cardboard are:
- explosion safety and temperature resistance, mechanical properties are stored at temperatures up to 500 º;
- a sufficiently high strength, and in case of deformation due to mechanical stress, the insulating properties are preserved;
- lack of need for frequent replacement due to durability;
- ease of use.
Asbestos cardboard is supplied in sheets of size 800 X 1000 mm, thickness from 2 to 10 mm.
Asbestos fabric , asbestos cords, stuffing boxes are also widely used in industry - all these materials are made from asbestos. Asbestos is also used in the manufacture of various friction materials used in the manufacture of brake pads for automobiles.
It should be remembered that asbestos is divided into several types, fibers of certain types can cause harm to human health. Dangerous types of fibers include anthophyllite, amosite, tremolite, united by the common name - amphiboles. The asbestos fibers belonging to these species have high rigidity and have the appearance of sharp needles. At the same time, chrysotile asbestos, which has soft fibers and elastic needles, is a material safe enough for humans. The danger of amphibole asbestos materials is also caused by their acid resistance, i.e., when they enter the human lungs, they are practically not excreted from the body. Conversely, chrysotile asbestos fibers are easily decomposed by the action of weak acids and excreted from the body.
In nature, asbestos lies at shallow depths, so it is mined by the open pit method. A person is trying to find a substitute for asbestos because of its danger in use, but so far this is the only material with a set of characteristic, inherent asbestos inherent operational properties.
Requirements are made for asbestos in accordance with GOST 12871-93, according to which asbestos is divided into 8 groups according to particle size. The labeling of asbestos in accordance with GOST must indicate the name of the manufacturer, the brand, mass and lot number of asbestos, the date of manufacture and warning labels and danger signs of the product.
Chrysotile asbestos is packed in paper or synthetic bags, which should guarantee the safety of asbestos throughout the warranty period of storage.