What are the Advantages of Carbon Fiber

 

Inorganic polymer fibers with a carbon content of more than 90%. Among them, those with a carbon content of more than 99% are called graphite fibers. Carbon fibers have high axial strength and modulus, no creep, good fatigue resistance, specific heat and conductivity between non-metals and metals, small thermal expansion coefficient, good corrosion resistance, low fiber density, and good X-ray transmittance.

 

However, its impact resistance is poor, it is easy to be damaged, it oxidizes under the action of strong acid, and metal carbonization, carburization and electrochemical corrosion occur when it is compounded with metal. Therefore, carbon fiber must be surface treated before use

 

Carbon fiber can be made from polyacrylonitrile fiber, asphalt fiber, viscose fiber or phenolic fiber by carbonization; it can be divided into filament, short fiber and chopped fiber according to the state; it can be divided into general type and high performance type according to mechanical properties. The strength of general carbon fiber is 1000 MPa and the modulus is about 100 GPa.

 

High-performance carbon fiber is divided into high-strength type (strength 2000 MPa, modulus 250 GPa) and high model (modulus above 300 GPa). The strength greater than 4000MPa is also called ultra-high strength type; the modulus greater than 450GPa is called ultra-high model. With the development of aerospace and aviation industries, high-strength and high-elongation carbon fibers have also appeared, with an elongation greater than 2%. The largest amount is polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers.

 

Carbon fibers can be processed into fabrics, felts, mats, belts, paper and other materials. In addition to being used as thermal insulation materials, carbon fibers are generally not used alone. They are mostly added as reinforcing materials to resins, metals, ceramics, concrete and other materials to form composite materials. Carbon fiber reinforced composite materials can be used as aircraft structural materials, electromagnetic shielding and de-static materials, artificial ligaments and other body substitute materials, as well as for the manufacture of rocket shells, motor boats, industrial robots, automobile leaf springs and drive shafts.