Performance features of potassium titanate whiskers

Category Raw Materials Published 2026-03-31 Source www.boerfibre.com

Abstract

A whisker is a single-crystal fibre of defined length and cross-section that provides micro-scale reinforcement and filling for composites. Potassium titanate whiskers belong to the K₂O·nTiO₂ family; hexapotassium titanate (K₂O·6TiO₂ / K₂Ti₆O₁₃) whiskers are described as having good mechanical and physical properties, stable chemical activity, and corrosion, heat, wear and lubrication resistance plus electrical insulation, high infrared reflectance, low thermal conductivity at high temperature and low hardness, at a cost reported as about 1/10–1/20 that of SiC.

The article cites a Japanese maker using potassium titanate whiskers to replace asbestos in automotive friction pads, reporting no friction fade up to 350 ℃, friction force about 50% higher than asbestos products and wear reduced by about 30%. It describes the whisker as a key raw material as the industry moves to next-generation ceramic friction materials, and notes that a Chinese producer built a 500 t/yr line of hexapotassium titanate whiskers.

Key facts

  • Whisker definition: single-crystal fibre; provides micro reinforcement plus filling
  • Chemistry: K₂O·4TiO₂ series; hexapotassium titanate K₂O·6TiO₂ (K₂Ti₆O₁₃)
  • Reported properties (producer table): specific gravity 3.20±0.05; bulk 0.4–0.7; moisture ≤0.3%; purity ≥95%; pH 7–8; Mohs hardness 4; melting point 1350–1370 ℃; softening point 1200 ℃; tensile strength ≥7 GPa; tensile modulus ≥280 GPa; CTE 6.8×10⁻⁶/K
  • Cost: about 1/10–1/20 of SiC (per original article)
  • Japanese friction-pad case: no fade to 350 ℃, friction force +50%, wear −30% vs asbestos (per original article)
  • Chinese supply: Shanghai Whisker Composite Materials; designed capacity 500 t/yr
  • Manufacture methods cited: calcination, melting, hydrothermal, solvent and melt methods

The original article is in Chinese; see the Chinese version for the full text. This page provides the English title, abstract and key facts only — translated and compiled from the original, without full verbatim translation.