CARBON FIBER APPLICATIONS - Carbon fiber has gone to the moon on spacecraft, but it is also used widely in aircraft components and structures, where its superior strength to weight ratio far exceeds that of any metal. 30 percent of all carbon fiber is used in the aerospace industry. From helicopters to gliders, fighter jets to microlights, carbon fiber is playing its part, increasing range and simplifying maintenance. Its application in sports goods ranges from the stiffening of running shoes to ice hockey sticks, tennis racquets, and golf clubs. ‘Shells’ (hulls for rowing) are built from it, and many lives have been saved on motor racing circuits by its strength and damage tolerance in body structures. It is used in crash helmets too, for rock climbers, horse riders, and motorcyclists – in fact in any sport where there is a danger of head injury. The applications in the military are very wide-ranging – from planes and missiles to protective helmets, providing strengthening and weight reduction across all military equipment. Perhaps the latest and most exotic military application is for small flapping wings on miniaturized flying drones, used for surveillance missions. The uses of carbon fiber in the home are as broad as your imagination, whether it is style or practical application. iPhone cases, pens, and even bow ties – the look of carbon fiber is unique and sexy. Carbon fiber offers several advantages over other materials in the medical field, including the fact that it is ‘radiolucent’ – transparent to X-rays and shows as black on X-ray images. It is used widely in imaging equipment structures to support limbs being X-rayed or treated with radiation.

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Carbon Fiber Applications

What Products Use Carbon Fiber Today?

Todd Johnson

Every day, a new application is found for carbon fiber.

What started out forty years ago as a highly exotic material is now a part of our everyday lives.

These thin filaments, a tenth of the thickness of a human hair, are now available in a wide range of useful forms.

The fibers are bundled, woven and shaped into tubes and sheets (up to 1/2-inch thick) for construction purposes, supplied as a cloth for molding, or just regular thread for filament winding.

Carbon Fiber In Flight

Carbon fiber has gone to the moon on spacecraft, but it is also used widely in aircraft components and structures, where its superior strength to weight ratio far exceeds that of any metal.

30 percent of all carbon fiber is used in the aerospace industry.

From helicopters to gliders, fighter jets to microlights, carbon fiber is playing its part, increasing range and simplifying maintenance.

Sporting Goods

Its application in sports goods ranges from the stiffening of running shoes to ice hockey sticks, tennis racquets, and golf clubs.

‘Shells’ (hulls for rowing) are built from it, and many lives have been saved on motor racing circuits by its strength and damage tolerance in body structures.

It is used in crash helmets too, for rock climbers, horse riders, and motorcyclists – in fact in any sport where there is a danger of head injury.

Military

The applications in the military are very wide-ranging – from planes and missiles to protective helmets, providing strengthening and weight reduction across all military equipment.

It takes energy to move weight – whether it is a soldier’s personal gear or a field hospital, and weight saved means more weight moved per gallon of gas.

A new military application is announced almost every day.

Perhaps the latest and most exotic military application is for small flapping wings on miniaturized flying drones, used for surveillance missions.

Of course, we don’t know about all military applications – some carbon fiber uses will always remain part of ‘black ops’ - in more ways than one.

Carbon Fiber at Home

The uses of carbon fiber in the home are as broad as your imagination, whether it is style or practical application.

For those who are style-conscious, it is often tagged as ‘the new black’.

If you want a shiny black bathtub built from carbon fiber or a coffee table then you can have just that, off the shelf.

iPhone cases, pens, and even bow ties – the look of carbon fiber is unique and sexy.

Medical Applications

Carbon fiber offers several advantages over other materials in the medical field, including the fact that it is ‘radiolucent’ – transparent to X-rays and shows as black on X-ray images.

It is used widely in imaging equipment structures to support limbs being X-rayed or treated with radiation.

The use of carbon fiber to strengthen damaged cruciate ligaments in the knee is being researched, but probably the most well-known medical use is that of prosthetics – artificial limbs.

South African athlete Oscar Pistorius brought carbon fiber limbs to prominence when the International Association of Athletics Federations failed to ban him from competing in the Beijing Olympics.

His controversial carbon fiber right leg was said to give him an unfair advantage, and there is still considerable debate about this.

Automobile Industry

As costs come down, carbon fiber is being more widely adopted in automobiles.

Supercar bodies are built now, but its wider use is likely to be on internal components such as instrument housings and seat frames.

Environmental Applications

As a chemical purifier, carbon is a powerful absorbent.

When it comes to the absorption of noxious or unpleasant chemicals, then surface area is important.

For a given weight of carbon, thin filaments have far more surface area than granules.

Although we see activated carbon granules used as pet litter and for water purification, the potential for wider environmental use is clear.

DIY

Despite its hi-tech image, easy to use kits are available enabling carbon fiber to be employed in a wide range of home and hobby projects where not only its strength but its visual appeal is a benefit.

Whether in cloth, solid sheet, tube or thread, the space-age material is now widely available for everyday projects.

Todd Johnson

Science Expert

Education

B.S., Business Management, University of Colorado Boulder

Introduction

Regional Sales Manager for Composites One, a distributor of composite materials.

B.S. in Business Management from University of Colorado Boulder's Leeds School of Business

Business Development Manager for Ebert Composites Corporation

Experience

Todd Johnson is a former writer for ThoughtCo, who wrote about plastics and composite materials for 2-1/2 years between 2010 and 2013. He is a Regional Sales Manager at Composites One, a composite materials distributor in San Diego, CA. Johnson provides support to the Greater San Diego manufacturers of fiber reinforced and polymer products. He regularly attends composite industry trade shows including JEC, ACMA, SME, and SAMPE. In 2008 he presented at the Global Pultrusion Conference in Baltimore, MD. Previously, Todd spent six years as the Business Development Manager for Ebert Composites Corporation. 

Education

B.S., Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services - the University of Colorado-Boulder's Leeds School of Business; attended Griffith University in Queensland, Australia.  

A Message from Todd Johnson​

ThoughtCo and Dotdash

ThoughtCo is a premier reference site focusing on expert-created education content. We are one of the top-10 information sites in the world as rated by comScore, a leading Internet measurement company. Every month, more than 13 million readers seek answers to their questions on ThoughtCo.

For more than 20 years, Dotdash brands have been helping people find answers, solve problems, and get inspired. We are one of the top-20 largest content publishers on the Internet according to comScore, and reach more than 30% of the U.S. population monthly. Our brands collectively have won more than 20 industry awards in the last year alone, and recently Dotdash was named Publisher of the Year by Digiday, a leading industry publication.

https://www.thoughtco.com/applications-of-carbon-fiber-820384

COMPOSITE MATERIAL - The most common example of a composite is concrete. Structural steel rebar provides the strength and stiffness to the concrete, while the cured cement holds the rebar stationary. Rebar alone would flex too much and cement alone would crack easily. However, when combined to form a composite, an extremely rigid material is created. The composite material most commonly associated with the term "composite" is Fiber Reinforced Plastics. This type of composite is used extensively throughout our daily lives. Modern composite materials have a number of advantages over other materials such as steel. Composites are much lighter in weight. They also resist corrosion, are flexible and dent-resistant.

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Composite Material

What is the Definition of a Composite Material?

by Todd Johnson 

Loosely defined, a composite is a combination of two or more different materials that results in a superior (often stronger) product.

Humans have been creating composites for thousands of years to build everything from simple shelters to elaborate electronic devices.

While the first composites were made from natural materials like mud and straw, today's composites are created in a lab from synthetic substances.

Regardless of their origin, composites are what have made life as we know it possible.

A Brief History

Archaeologists say humans have been using composites for at least 5,000 to 6,000 years.

In ancient Egypt, bricks made from mud and straw to encase and reinforce wooden structures such as forts and monuments.

In parts of Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas, indigenous cultures build structures from wattle (planks or strips of wood) and daub (a composite of mud or clay, straw, gravel, lime, hay, and other substances).

Another advanced civilization, the Mongols, were also pioneers in the use of composites.

Beginning around 1200 A.D., they began building reinforced bows out of wood, bone, and natural adhesive, wrapped with birch bark.

These were far more powerful and accurate than simple wooden bows, helping Genghis Khan's Mongolian Empire to spread across Asia.

The modern era of composites began in the 20th century with the invention of early plastics such as Bakelite and vinyl as well as engineered wood products like plywood.

Another crucial composite, Fiberglas, was invented in 1935. It was far stronger than earlier composites, could be molded and shaped, and was extremely lightweight and durable. 

World War II hastened the invention of still more petroleum-derived composite materials, many of which are still in use today, including polyester.

The 1960s saw the introduction of even more sophisticated composites, such as Kevlar and carbon fiber. 

Modern Composite Materials

Today, the use of composites has evolved to commonly incorporate a structural fiber and a plastic, this is known as Fiber Reinforced Plastics or FRP for short.

Like straw, the fiber provides the structure and strength of the composite, while a plastic polymer holds the fiber together.

Common types of fibers used in FRP composites include:

·             Fiberglass

·             Carbon fiber

·             Aramid fiber

·             Boron fiber

·             Basalt fiber

·             Natural fiber (wood, flax, hemp, etc.)

In the case of fiberglass, hundreds of thousands of tiny glass fibers are compiled together and held rigidly in place by a plastic polymer resin.

Common plastic resins used in composites include:

·             Epoxy

·             Vinyl Ester

·             Polyester

·             Polyurethane

·             Polypropylene

Common Uses and Benefits

The most common example of a composite is concrete.

In this use, structural steel rebar provides the strength and stiffness to the concrete, while the cured cement holds the rebar stationary.

Rebar alone would flex too much and cement alone would crack easily. However, when combined to form a composite, an extremely rigid material is created.

The composite material most commonly associated with the term "composite" is Fiber Reinforced Plastics.

This type of composite is used extensively throughout our daily lives. Common everyday uses of fiber reinforced plastic composites include:

·             Aircraft

·             Boats and marine

·             Sporting equipment (golf shafts, tennis rackets, surfboards, hockey sticks, etc.)

·             Automotive components

·             Wind turbine blades

·             Body armor

·             Building materials

·             Water pipes

·             Bridges

·             Tool handles

·             Ladder rails

Modern composite materials have a number of advantages over other materials such as steel.

Perhaps most importantly, composites are much lighter in weight. They also resist corrosion, are flexible and dent-resistant.

This, in turn, means they require less maintenance and have a longer lifespan than traditional materials.

Composite materials make cars lighter and therefore more fuel efficient, make body armor more resistant to bullets and make turbine blades that can withstand the stress of high wind speeds.

Todd Johnson

Introduction

Regional Sales Manager for Composites One, a distributor of composite materials.

B.S. in Business Management from University of Colorado Boulder's Leeds School of Business

Business Development Manager for Ebert Composites Corporation

Experience

Todd Johnson is a former writer for ThoughtCo, who wrote about plastics and composite materials for 2-1/2 years between 2010 and 2013. He is a Regional Sales Manager at Composites One, a composite materials distributor in San Diego, CA. Johnson provides support to the Greater San Diego manufacturers of fiber reinforced and polymer products. He regularly attends composite industry trade shows including JEC, ACMA, SME, and SAMPE. In 2008 he presented at the Global Pultrusion Conference in Baltimore, MD. Previously, Todd spent six years as the Business Development Manager for Ebert Composites Corporation. 

Education

B.S., Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services - the University of Colorado-Boulder's Leeds School of Business; attended Griffith University in Queensland, Australia.  

A Message from Todd Johnson​

ThoughtCo and DotdashThoughtCo is a premier reference site focusing on expert-created education content. We are one of the top-10 information sites in the world as rated by comScore, a leading Internet measurement company. Every month, more than 13 million readers seek answers to their questions on ThoughtCo.

For more than 20 years, Dotdash brands have been helping people find answers, solve problems, and get inspired. We are one of the top-20 largest content publishers on the Internet according to comScore, and reach more than 30% of the U.S. population monthly. Our brands collectively have won more than 20 industry awards in the last year alone, and recently Dotdash was named Publisher of the Year by Digiday, a leading industry publication.

https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-a-composite-820406

CARBON FIBER - Lightweight Composite Material - What is commonly referred to as carbon fiber is a material consisting of very thin filaments of carbon atoms. When bound together with plastic polymer resin by heat, pressure or in a vacuum a composite material is formed that is both strong and lightweight. Much like cloth, beaver dams, or a rattan chair, the strength of carbon fiber is in the weave. The more complex the weave, the more durable the composite will be. Carbon fiber composites are stronger, while fiberglass has more flexibility. And, both have various chemical compositions that make them better suited for different applications.

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Carbon Fiber

What Is Carbon Fiber?

A Beginner's Guide to the Lightweight Composite Material

by Todd Johnson 

Carbon fiber is, exactly what it sounds like — fiber made of carbon.

But, these fibers are only a base. What is commonly referred to as carbon fiber is a material consisting of very thin filaments of carbon atoms.

When bound together with plastic polymer resin by heat, pressure or in a vacuum a composite material is formed that is both strong and lightweight.

Much like cloth, beaver dams, or a rattan chair, the strength of carbon fiber is in the weave. The more complex the weave, the more durable the composite will be.

It is helpful to imagine a wire screen that is interwoven with another screen at an angle, and another at a slightly different angle, and so on, with each wire in each screen made of carbon fiber strands.

Now imagine this mesh of screens drenched in liquid plastic, and then pressed or heated until the material fuses together.

The angle of the weave, as well as the resin used with the fiber, will determine the strength of the overall composite.

The resin is most commonly epoxy, but can also be thermoplastic, polyurethane, vinyl ester, or polyester.

Alternatively, a mold may be cast and the carbon fibers applied over it. The carbon fiber composite is then allowed to cure, often by a vacuum process.

In this method, the mold is used to achieve the desired shape. This technique is preferred for uncomplicated forms that are needed on demand.

Carbon fiber material has a wide range of applications, as it can be formed at various densities in limitless shapes and sizes.

Carbon fiber is often shaped into tubing, fabric, and cloth, and can be custom-formed into any number of composite parts and pieces.

Common Uses of Carbon Fiber

·                     High-end automobile components

·                     Bicycle frames

·                     Fishing rods

·                     Shoe soles

·                     Baseball bats

·                     Protective cases for laptops and iPhones

More exotic uses can be found in the:

·                     Aeronautics and aerospace industries

·                     Oil and gas industry

·                     Unmanned aerial vehicles

·                     Satellites

·                     Formula-1 race cars

Some would argue, though, that the possibilities for carbon fiber are limited only by demand and the manufacturer’s imagination.

Now, it’s even common to find carbon fiber in:

·                     Musical instruments

·                     Furniture

·                     Art

·                     Structural elements of buildings

·                     Bridges

·                     Wind turbine blades

If carbon fiber could be said to have any detractions, it would be production cost.

Carbon fiber is not easily mass-produced and is therefore very expensive.

A carbon fiber bicycle will easily run in the thousands of dollars, and its use in automotive is still limited to exotic racing cars.

Carbon fiber is popular in these items and others are due to its weight-to-strength ratio and its resistance to flame, so much so that there is a market for synthetics that look like carbon fiber.

However, imitations are often only partially carbon fiber or simply plastic made to look like carbon fiber. This occurs often in after-market protective casings for computers and other small consumer electronics.

The upside is that carbon fiber parts and products, if not damaged, will almost literally last forever.

This makes them a good investment for consumers, and also keeps products in circulation.

For example, if a consumer is not willing to pay for a set of brand-new carbon fiber golf clubs, there is a chance those clubs will be pop up on the secondary used market.

Carbon fiber is often confused with fiberglass, and while there are similarities in manufacturing and some crossover in end products like furniture and automobile moldings, they are different.

Fiberglass is a polymer that is reinforced with woven strands of silica glass rather than carbon.

Carbon fiber composites are stronger, while fiberglass has more flexibility. And, both have various chemical compositions that make them better suited for different applications.

Recycling carbon fiber is very difficult.

The only available method for complete recycling is a process called thermal depolymerization, wherein the carbon fiber product is superheated in an oxygen-free chamber.

The freed carbon can then be secured and reused, and whatever bonding or reinforced material that was used (epoxy, vinyl, etc.) is burned away.

Carbon fiber can also be broken down manually at lower temperatures, but the resulting material will be weaker due to the shortened fibers, and thus likely not to be used in its most ideal application.

For example, a large piece of tubing that is no longer being used may be split up, and the remaining parts used for computer casings, briefcases or furniture.

Carbon fiber is an incredibly useful material used in composites, and it will continue to grow manufacturing market share.

As more methods of producing carbon fiber composites economically are developed, the price will continue to fall, and more industries will take advantage of this unique material.

Todd Johnson

Regional Sales Manager for Composites One, a distributor of composite materials.

B.S. in Business Management from University of Colorado Boulder's Leeds School of Business

Business Development Manager for Ebert Composites Corporation

Experience

Todd Johnson is a former writer for ThoughtCo, who wrote about plastics and composite materials for 2-1/2 years between 2010 and 2013. He is a Regional Sales Manager at Composites One, a composite materials distributor in San Diego, CA. Johnson provides support to the Greater San Diego manufacturers of fiber reinforced and polymer products. He regularly attends composite industry trade shows including JEC, ACMA, SME, and SAMPE. In 2008 he presented at the Global Pultrusion Conference in Baltimore, MD. Previously, Todd spent six years as the Business Development Manager for Ebert Composites Corporation. 

Education

B.S., Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services - the University of Colorado-Boulder's Leeds School of Business; attended Griffith University in Queensland, Australia. 

Todd Johnson

​ThoughtCo and Dotdash

ThoughtCo is a premier reference site focusing on expert-created education content. We are one of the top-10 information sites in the world as rated by comScore, a leading Internet measurement company. Every month, more than 13 million readers seek answers to their questions on ThoughtCo.

For more than 20 years, Dotdash brands have been helping people find answers, solve problems, and get inspired. We are one of the top-20 largest content publishers on the Internet according to comScore, and reach more than 30% of the U.S. population monthly. Our brands collectively have won more than 20 industry awards in the last year alone, and recently Dotdash was named Publisher of the Year by Digiday, a leadig industry publication.

https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-carbon-fiber-820397