Effect of Manganese-Containing Additives and Melt Thermal History on Continuous Basalt Fiber Formation and Tensile Strength

This study investigates the effect of manganese-containing additives and melt thermal history on the fiber-forming behavior and tensile strength of continuous fibers produced from Berestovets basalt.

Manganese ore and high-purity MnO₂ were introduced at concentrations of 1–7 wt.%, and nine experimental compositions were evaluated under laboratory conditions. The experimental program included melt homogenization, determination of fiber-forming temperature ranges, evaluation of process stability and wettability, continuous-fiber production, and tensile-strength testing.

Moderate manganese-containing additions shifted the fiber-forming range toward lower temperatures. For the MnO₂-modified series, the highest tensile strength was obtained at approximately 3 wt.% MnO₂. Higher additions did not provide further improvement and could reduce process stability. A two-stage melting route also influenced fiber-forming behavior and mechanical performance.

The identified optimum is specific to Berestovets basalt and should not be directly transferred to other basalt deposits or raw-material compositions without independent experimental verification.