Fire Service industry - 1 min read - 29 September 2021

PBI fibers - Exceptional thermal and chemical stability

The power and usage of pbi fibers

Polybenzimidazole (PBI) fiber is defined as the synthetic textile fiber which possess high chemical resistance and is inflammable in air. PBI fiber does not exhibit any melting point and therefore does not drip when exposed to flame and even at temperatures of 560˚C. In the textile industry PBI fiber is witnessing strong demand as they retain their strength without infringement even when exposed to extreme higher temperatures. In any case, under outrageous conditions, the fiber emanates little smoke.

Additionally, the better thermal stability of polybenzimidazole enhances its demand in high-performance protective apparel such as protective gloves, firefighter’s gear, welders’ apparel, astronaut space suits, and aircraft wall fabrics. PBI is also used as a plastic reinforcements, for heat and chemical resistant filters, and for various other civil engineering applications. The fiber is often blended with other high performance fibers like Kevlar®.

PBI fibers

Are PBI fibers the right choice for your protective clothing?

By reading this blog, we hope you became aware of the benefits of PBI fibers. In order to decide if they are a good fit for your protective clothing or not, you need to fully understand the specific needs of your work environment. For some applications, like firefighters, it is by far the best choice. For other applications, there are alternatives available and you have a choice depending on your own wishes concerning protection, weight and price.

Ask our protective clothing expert for advice and get the answers you need. Schedule here an appointment with one of our advisors to get objective and customized advice in order to optimize your protective clothing.