Asbeste

Asbestos minerals are naturally occurring fibrous silicates. From the structural chemistry point of view they belong to two different classes: The group of serpentines, to which the primarily used chrysotil (white asbestos) belongs, consists of curled up layer silicates. On the other hand in the amphiboles (for example blue asbestos (crocidolite)), which belong to the band silicates, the fibrous form is pre‐formed in their silicon‐oxygen partial structure. The characteristic properties of asbestos (its fibrous form, thermal and chemical inertness, good electric and thermal insulation, spinability…) led to extensive application of the mineral fibers in nearly all fields of engineering and everyday life. Because of the health effects of asbestos dust – fibrogene and cancerogene diseases – the application of asbestos containing products will cease with the end of this century. The search for substitute materials (especially fibers) is currently an area of interest in material sciences.