Research progress and prospects of basalt fiber reinforced composites in the aerospace field

Basalt fiber (BF) is an inorganic reinforcement produced by melting natural basalt and continuously drawing the melt into filaments. Owing to its moderate tensile strength, relatively high temperature resistance, electrical insulation, chemical durability, and comparatively low raw-material cost, BF has attracted increasing interest for secondary aerospace structures and multifunctional protective components. This review critically evaluates basalt-fiber-reinforced polymer (BFRP) and basalt-fiber hybrid composites for aerospace applications by linking fiber composition and drawing processes to density-normalized mechanical properties, thermal service limits, dielectric/electromagnetic behavior, interface engineering, and durability in extreme environments. The available evidence indicates that BF is neither a universal lightweight substitute for carbon fiber nor a lowest-loss alternative to quartz or UHMWPE fibers. Its most realistic advantages lie in cost-sensitive, medium-performance applications, including flame-retardant aircraft interiors, equipment-bay thermal insulation, medium-temperature shields below approximately 700°C, selected wave-transparent or electronic-protection structures, and lunar in-situ resource utilization. Principal limitations include relatively high density, matrix-controlled heat-deflection and long-term service temperatures, dielectric losses that may be too high for demanding radome applications, uncertain durability under vacuum outgassing, atomic oxygen, ultraviolet radiation, and thermal cycling, and unresolved process control for drawing fibers from lunar regolith. Future work should focus on raw-material homogenization, fiber/matrix interface engineering, matching with low-loss and low-moisture-uptake resins, quantitative service-life databases, and scalable extraterrestrial in-situ manufacturing. The review also applies a transparent literature-search strategy, distinguishes fiber-, textile-, laminate-, and component-level data, and evaluates proposed aerospace applications against qualification requirements, evidence strength, and indicative technology readiness.