Mounting mats and pollution control devices using same

1. A mounting mat comprising:

(a) biosoluble fibers;

(b) durable heat treated silica fibers having a silica content of greater than about 67 percent by weight (pbw) based on a total weight of the fibers and having been exposed to a heat treatment comprising exposing the fibers to a heat treatment temperature of at least about 400° C. for a heat treatment period of at least about 5 minutes; and

(c) intumescent material.

2. The mat of claim 1 , wherein the mat comprises:

(a) from about 16 to about 80 wt % of biosoluble fibers;

(b) from about 4 to about 80 wt % % of heat treated silica fibers; and

(c) from about 10 to about 80 wt % of intumescent material, based on a total dry weight of the mat.

3. The mat according to claim 1 , wherein the biosoluble fibers comprise Na 2 O, K 2 O, CaO, MgO, P 2 O 5 , Li 2 O, BaO, or a combination thereof.

4. The mat according claim 1 , wherein the heat treated silica fibers have been exposed to a heat treatment comprising exposing the fibers to a heat treatment temperature ranging from about 600° C. to about 1100° C. for a heat treatment period of about 5 to about 60 minutes.

5. The mat according to claim 1 , wherein the heat treated silica fibers have been exposed to a heat treatment comprising exposing the fibers to a heat treatment temperature of at least about 850° C. for a heat treatment period of at least about 60 minutes.

6. The mat according to claim 1 , wherein the heat treated silica fibers have a silica content ranging from about 67 pbw to about 99.9 pbw based on a total weight of the fibers.

7. The mat according to claim 1 , wherein the heat treated silica fibers comprise from about 92.0 pbw to about 95.0 pbw silica and from about 8.0 pbw to about 5.0 pbw alumina based on a total weight of the fibers.

8. The mat according to claim 1 , wherein the heat treated silica fibers comprise from about 96 pbw to about 99 pbw silica.

9. The mat according to claim 1 , wherein the intumescent material comprises unexpanded vermiculite, expandable graphite, or a combination thereof.

10. The mat according to claim 1 , wherein the intumescent material comprises unexpanded vermiculite.

11. The mat according to claim 1 , wherein the mat contains less than about 5 wt % of micaceous binder material, based on a total dry weight of the mat.

12. The mat according to claim 4 , wherein the mat contains less than 1 wt % of micaceous binder material, based on a total dry weight of the mat.

13. The mat according to claim 1 , wherein the mat does not contain any micaceous binder material.

14. The mat according to claim 1 , further comprising an organic binder.

15. The mat according to claim 14 , wherein the organic binder comprises an acrylic latex binder.

16. The mat according to claim 1 , wherein the heat treated silica fibers are non-respirable fibers.

17. The mat according to claim 1 in the form of a sheet material or a paste.

18. A pollution control device comprising the mat according to claim 1 .

19. The pollution control device according to claim 18 , wherein the mat is positioned between a housing and a pollution control element positioned within the housing.

20. The pollution control device according to claim 18 , wherein the pollution control element comprises a catalytic converter.

21. The pollution control device according to claim 18 , wherein the pollution control element comprises a filter element.

22. The pollution control device according to claim 18 further comprising:

a first layer positioned between the pollution control element and the mat, or a second layer positioned between the mat and the housing, or both,

wherein the first layer comprises ceramic fibers and the second layer comprises ceramic fibers, glass fibers or both ceramic and glass fibers.