KaiYuan Mat
Support Mat
Need more information? Contact us
What is a support mat?
What does a support mat do?
Can I select a mat by myself?
What are support mats made of?
Support mats for automotive exhaust after-treatment systems are critical emission control components. With reliability and consistency requirements far exceeding conventional refractory fiber products, these are high-performance engineered fiber materials.
By composition, mats are classified as intumescent or non-intumescent. Note: these terms refer not to whether the mat expands when heated, but to the presence of additional expandable materials (vermiculite, graphite, etc.) that provide supplemental holding force beyond the fiber itself.
The mat fills the gap between the honeycomb ceramic substrate and metal shell, forming a resilient buffer and retention layer. Ceramic substrates—brittle and impact-sensitive—require stable axial holding force throughout the vehicle lifecycle (typically 150,000+ km), across all operating conditions from cold start to exhaust temperatures exceeding 900°C. This prevents displacement, cracking, or damage from vibration, thermal shock, or mechanical stress.
Holding force depends not only on the mat (formulation, manufacturing, quality control), but also on application conditions (exhaust temperature, vibration), canning process (tolerance control, handling damage), and system design (shell geometry, gap specification). Proper mat selection requires professional engineering validation through simulation, aging tests, and vibration durability testing to ensure lifecycle reliability and emissions compliance.
Typical components: inorganic fibers, organic binders, and optionally expandable materials.
Common fiber types:
RCF (refractory ceramic fiber, aluminosilicate): cost-effective
PCW (polycrystalline wool, including mullite): superior performance
AES (alkaline earth silicate, bio-soluble): most environmentally friendly
Note: EU REACH regulations strictly restrict RCF use. Ceramic fiber mats require proper registration for EU market access.
|