Carbon Fiber Information

This our web page of dedicated to carbon fiber information.  Carbon Fiber is a woven cloth made from carbon filaments.  Carbon fiber has traditionally only been available in black but has recently been available in colors such as blue and red. This has resulted in the availability of colored carbon fiber hoods.  Carbon filaments are made of thin, long filaments of carbon.  Carbon filaments are often made from the oxidation and thermal pyrolysis of polyacrylonitrile.  Polyacrylonitrile is a acrylonitrile-based polymer used in the creation of some synthetic materials. Polyacrylonitrile molecules are made of long chains which are aligned by drawing continuous filaments.  When these chains are heated under the correct conditions they bond side to side forming ladder polymers.  Narrow graphene sheets are formed which merge together to make a single round filament.  This product is approximately 94-95% carbon.  Instead of polyacrylonitrile, pitch or rayon can also be used although this produces a lower-quality fiber.  If the carbon is heat treated in the range of 1500-3000 degrees celcius, the fiber can become a higher strength, higher molulus product.  The highest tensile strength (>800,000 psi) can be created by heating the fiber between 1500 and 2000 degrees.  The highest modulus of elasticity (77,000,000 psi) can be obtained by heating the fiber from 2500 degrees to 3000 degrees.  This balance between strength and elasticity is what allows a carbon fiber hood to be so strong but also so durable.

Carbon fiber density is about 1740 kg/m³.  The three kinds of carbon fiber are standard modulus, intermediate modulus and high modulus.  Tensile strength tends to vary between 2000 MPa and 7000 MPa.

Rayon used to be a more popular precursor for carbon fibers and is still used on some applications like rockets.  However, it is not much more common for PAN or even pitch to be used.  The fiber yarns can be processed in many ways.  Some examples of processing techniques are: filament winding, weaving, braiding, prepegging and pultrusion.

The filaments created in the manufacturing process are stranded into yarn.  This yarn is rated and classified by its linear density or by filaments per yarn count.  Linear density is determined by weight per unit length =1 g/1000 m = tex.  The number of filaments per yarn count are counted by thousands. For example 100 tex for 1,500 filaments of carbon fiber is 1.5 times as strong as 500 carbon fibers, but is also 1.5 times as heavy. The thread can be used to weave a CF filament cloth or fabric.  The pattern on the fabric is generally dependent on the density of the yarn and the weave chosen.

Where's the carbon?

If you have been looking for carbon fiber you have probably noticed that it is hard to find. Where did it go? Well, believe it or not, there has been a worldwide shortage of carbon fiber because it is being bought by three main users faster than it can be produced.

The first is the military.
Since carbon is up to 100 times lighter than some metals, it is ideal for aircraft. The F-22 Raptor has over 350 carbon/epoxy parts. Nearly 1/3 of the Joint Strike Fighter Plane will be made of carbon and fiberglass.

Besides these two aircraft, carbon is also used for Blackhawk helicopters, body armor, helmets, holsters, and countless other military applications. These applications are on top of the already huge use of carbon in stealth technology.

The second big buyer of carbon is the Airbus company.
The Airbus Superjumbo A 380 and A350 are built with a great deal of carbon fiber. The A 380 is due to be released this year, so they are still in the production stages. This plane is huge. Note the double row of windows along the whole length of the plane. It will hold 850 passengers and has a wingspan greater than the length of a football field!

The third buyer is Boeing. They are making the 787 Dreamliner. It is 50% carbon fiber and is so light that it will be able to fly from England to Austrailia without refueling. It is just now being built and is expected to fly in 2008.

Originally found at TAP Plastics where you can find carbon fiber in stock!