ZYW ceramic textiles are ideal for temperatures up to 2200°C and are suitable for applications such as high energy battery separators, thermal insulation in crystal growing furnaces, and hot gas filtration. The fine capillary and pore structure of ZYW, in combination with the hydrophilic nature of zirconia, impart excellent wetting, solution retention, and wicking characteristics, to these materials. The cloths require neither binders nor supporting wires to maintain their construction and will comply somewhat to both tensile and compressive forces due to the mechanical interlocking of the fibers. Elongation of 4 to 8% before breaking allows ZYW to conform to irregular surfaces. ZYW can be compressed up to two-thirds of its normal thickness and still recover a major fraction of its original dimension with little fiber damage.