Aluminized Fabrics

What Is Aluminized Fabric?

Aluminized fabric is a material solution for environments with exposure to extreme radiant heat. It is composed of a textile substrate that has been supplemented with an aluminum exterior that delivers enhanced thermal properties. Aluminum features a low emissivity coefficient that makes it a great reflector of thermal energy.

Since it is also a low-density material, when combined with fabric it creates a flexible and lightweight reflective barrier that is not only functional but comfortable as well. As a leading provider of protective fabrics, Tex Tech creates custom aluminized clothing as well as a range of other aluminized fabric products, all tailored to your specifications and industry regulations.

Industry Applications for Aluminized Fabric

Tex Tech serves a wide range of industries with rolled aluminized fabrics and materials. Some of the largest demand for our products comes from the aerospace, foundry, automotive, and firefighting sectors.

Aerospace Industry

Space vehicles face very diverse and harsh environments while conducting their missions. Utilizing a properly designed material can help protect the vehicle from thermal and radiant heat during launch to the erosion from atomic oxygen and UV exposure during flight. Aluminized fabrics are used in the aerospace industry to combat high levels of radiant heat. Because of their excellent insulating properties and radiant heat protective performance, aluminized fabrics deliver superior burn protection, heat protection, and flexibility. Aluminized fabrics and fire-blocking materials from Tex Tech protect space vehicles and personnel from the extreme temperatures experienced during entry and re-entry.

Foundry Industry

Workers in metallurgy environments, such as steel mills or smelters, are exposed to high levels of radiant heat as well as potentially lethal molten metal splashes. For example, the temperature of molten iron is close to 2912 °F or 1600 °C, which is hotter than lava. Working in these challenging environmental conditions requires added protection measures.

PPE constructed from aluminized fabric helps reflect this extreme heat while being lightweight and flexible enough for comfort and ease of movement. As the leading provider of protective fabrics, Tex Tech creates finished garments with specialized protection against molten metal.

Firefighting Industry

Since aluminized fabrics are reflective, they can efficiently shield firefighters from the dangerous amounts of radiant heat that fires generate. Protective apparel for the firefighting industry consists of several layers of different materials. The first layer is a heat-reflective outer shell. This is where aluminized fabrics are used. Underneath comes several insulation layers designed to delay heat penetration and a moisture barrier to block out steam. The final layer is an inner lining that must be comfortable since it will be in contact with the skin.

At Tex Tech, we offer a range of aluminized fabric solutions for the firefighting industry designed to protect against extreme heat levels while being lightweight, comfortable to wear, and economical.

Automotive Industry

The automotive industry relies on aluminized fabrics for radiant heat protection. Specifically, aluminized fabrics formulated with a high silica content are frequently used to create heat shielding wraps, mats, and curtains used in automotive applications exposed to extreme temperatures. At Tex Tech, our aluminized fabric solutions are flame-retardant and offer superior protection against high heat, making them useful for various automotive applications on trucks, cars, trains, buses, planes, and more.

Common Products Made With Aluminized Fabrics

Aluminized fabrics are used to create reliable, protective products for many industries. One of the most common applications is industrial safety workwear and proximity suits. For jobs that involve hazardous molten metal or emergency response tasks, aluminized fabrics protect the wearer from dangerously high radiant heat exposure.

Another common product is thermal protection systems for the aerospace industry and industrial applications. Aluminized fabrics encapsulate critical components to ensure optimal operating temperatures are maintained, even when the surrounding environment is exposed to an extreme temperature. Emergency space blankets and safety insulation for containers and buildings are a couple of other common aluminized fabric products.