Effects of ZrO 2 Doping on the Structure and Mechanical Properties of Y 2 O 3 ‐Modified Basalt Fibers

ABSTRACT To address the difficulty in simultaneously optimizing glass‐network densification and fiber‐forming processability in continuous basalt fibers, this study combines melt preparation, fiber drawing, structural characterization, and computational simulations to investigate the effects of ZrO 2 content on the microstructural evolution and macroscopic mechanical properties of Y 2 O 3 ‐modified basalt fibers. The results show that, at a ZrO 2 content of 1 wt%, ZrO 2 forms Si/Al‐O‐Zr linkages, enabling Zr‐O polyhedra to participate in the construction of the glass network. Meanwhile, the proportion of bridging oxygen increases, whereas the relative contents of non‐bridging oxygen and highly coordinated Al decrease, thereby promoting densification of the glass‐network structure. Consequently, the elastic modulus and hardness reach 72.25 and 7.11 GPa, respectively, while the tensile strength of the individual fibers reaches 2.12 GPa. This study reveals the intrinsic mechanism by which ZrO 2 regulates the structure of Y 2 O 3 ‐modified basalt glass and the properties of the resulting fibers, providing a new strategy for designing continuous basalt fibers that simultaneously achieve favorable fiber‐forming processability and enhanced mechanical properties.