UNDERSTANDING CFRP COMPOSITES - Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites (CFRP) are lightweight, strong materials used in the manufacturing of numerous products used in our daily life. It is a term used to describe a fiber-reinforced composite material that uses carbon fiber as the primary structural component. The "P" in CFRP can also stand for "plastic" instead of "polymer." CFRP composites use thermosetting resins such as epoxy, polyester, or vinyl ester. Although thermoplastic resins are used in CFRP Composites, "Carbon Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites" often go by their own acronym, CFRTP composites. Composite materials, reinforced with carbon fiber, are different than other FRP composites using traditional materials such as fiberglass or aramid fiber. A traditional fiberglass reinforced composite using continuous glass fiber with a fiber of 70% glass (weight of glass / total weight), will commonly have a density of .065 pounds per cubic inch. Meanwhile, a CFRP composite, with the same 70% fiber weight, might typically have a density of .055 pounds per cubic inch. Not only are carbon fiber composites lighter weight, but CFRP composites are much stronger and stiffer per unit of weight. This is true when comparing carbon fiber composites to glass fiber, but even more so when compared to metals.

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Understanding CFRP Composites

The Amazing Capabilities of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers

By Todd Johnson

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites (CFRP) are lightweight, strong materials used in the manufacturing of numerous products used in our daily life.

It is a term used to describe a fiber-reinforced composite material that uses carbon fiber as the primary structural component.

It should be noted that the "P" in CFRP can also stand for "plastic" instead of "polymer."

In general, CFRP composites use thermosetting resins such as epoxy, polyester, or vinyl ester.

Although thermoplastic resins are used in CFRP Composites, "Carbon Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites" often go by their own acronym, CFRTP composites.

When working with composites or within the composites industry, it is important to understand the terms and acronyms.

More importantly, it is necessary to understand the properties of FRP composites and capabilities of the various reinforcements such as carbon fiber.

Properties of CFRP Composites

Composite materials, reinforced with carbon fiber, are different than other FRP composites using traditional materials such as fiberglass or aramid fiber.

The properties of CFRP composites that are advantageous include:

Light Weight: A traditional fiberglass reinforced composite using continuous glass fiber with a fiber of 70% glass (weight of glass / total weight), will commonly have a density of .065 pounds per cubic inch.

   Meanwhile, a CFRP composite, with the same 70% fiber weight, might typically have a density of .055 pounds per cubic inch.

Increased Strength: Not only are carbon fiber composites lighter weight, but CFRP composites are much stronger and stiffer per unit of weight. This is true when comparing carbon fiber composites to glass fiber, but even more so when compared to metals.

   For example, a decent rule of thumb when comparing steel to CFRP composites is that a carbon fiber structure of equal strength ​will often weigh 1/5th that of steel.

   You can imagine why automotive companies are investigating using carbon fiber instead of steel.

   When comparing CFRP composites to aluminum, one of the lightest metals used, a standard assumption is that an aluminum structure of equal strength would likely weigh 1.5 times that of the carbon fiber structure.

   Of course, there are many variables that could change this comparison.

   The grade and quality of materials can be different, and with composites, the manufacturing process, fiber architecture, and the quality need to be taken into account.

Disadvantages of CFRP Composites

Cost: Although amazing material, there is a reason why carbon fiber is not used in every single application.

   At the moment, CFRP composites are cost-prohibitive in many instances.

   Depending on the current market conditions (supply and demand), the type of carbon fiber (aerospace vs. commercial grade), and the fiber tow size, the price of carbon fiber can vary dramatically.

   Raw carbon fiber on a price-per-pound basis can be anywhere between 5-times to 25-times more expensive than fiberglass.

   This disparity is even greater when comparing steel to CFRP composites.

Conductivity: This can be both an advantage to carbon fiber composites, or a disadvantage depending on the application.

   Carbon fiber is extremely conductive, while glass fiber is insulative. Many applications use glass fiber, and cannot use carbon fiber or metal, strictly because of the conductivity.

   For example, in the utility industry, many products are required to use glass fibers. It is also one of the reasons why ladders use glass fiber as the ladder rails.

   If a fiberglass ladder were to come in contact with a power line, the chances of electrocution are much lower. This would not be the case with a CFRP ladder.

   Although the cost of CFRP composites still remains high, new technological advancements in manufacturing are continuing to allow for more cost-effective products.

   Hopefully, in our lifetime, we will be able to see cost-effective carbon fiber used in a wide range of consumer, industrial, and automotive applications.

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/understanding-cfrp-composites-820393

COMPOSITE MATERIALS IN AIRPLANES - Weight reduction is the single greatest advantage of composite material usage. A lower-weight plane is more fuel-efficient because it requires less fuel to propel itself forward - Composite materials — especially those made from glass fibers, carbon fibers, and Kevlar — are widely used in the aircraft industry. They are stronger and lighter than aluminum, the metal that's most commonly used in aircraft bodies. Composite materials are so named because they consist of two or more materials. The composites used in planes consist of fibers suspended in a matrix of epoxy resin. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was the first commercial airplane to be constructed from 50% composite materials, mostly carbon fiber composites. The remainder of the plane consists mostly of aluminum, titanium, and steel. Composite materials have revolutionized aviation, but their use does present some engineering and maintenance challenges. Composites are also incredibly strong and as a result have a higher strength-to-weight ratio, also known as specific strength, than the metals used in making aircraft. Composite materials aren't prone to corrosion due to harsh chemicals, and they're resistant to many highly reactive chemicals.

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Composite Materials in Airplanes

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Composite Materials in Airplanes

Weight reduction is the single greatest advantage of composite material usage - a lower-weight plane is more fuel-efficient because it requires less fuel to propel itself forward

BY SARINA HOUSTON

Composite materials — especially those made from glass fibers, carbon fibers, and Kevlar — are widely used in the aircraft industry.

They are stronger and lighter than aluminum, the metal that's most commonly used in aircraft bodies.

Composite materials are so named because they consist of two or more materials.

The composites used in planes consist of fibers suspended in a matrix of epoxy resin.

Fiberglass is a composite material made of glass fibers and epoxy resin. It was first used in aircraft, by Boeing, in the 1950s.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was the first commercial airplane to be constructed from 50% composite materials, mostly carbon fiber composites; All Nippon Airways put the first 787 into service in October 2011.

The remainder of the plane consists mostly of aluminum, titanium, and steel.

Composite materials have revolutionized aviation, but their use does present some engineering and maintenance challenges.

Here is a roundup of the advantages and disadvantages of using composites in aircraft.

Advantages

Weight reduction is the single greatest advantage of composite material usage. A lower-weight plane is more fuel-efficient because it requires less fuel to propel itself forward.

Composites are also incredibly strong and as a result have a higher strength-to-weight ratio, also known as specific strength, than the metals used in making aircraft.

In addition, they resist compression and don't easily break under tension.

Composite materials aren't prone to corrosion due to harsh chemicals, and they're resistant to many highly reactive chemicals. They can also handle wide variations in temperature and exposure to severe weather.

Another big advantage of composites is their design flexibility: They can be made into just about shape.

And a single, oddly shaped piece of composite can replace many pieces made of other materials. That helpful characteristic cuts down on maintenance and so can reduce costs over the lifetime of a plane.

Once a composite piece has been formed, it maintains its shape and size.

That's important in the aircraft industry because it means the essential parts of a plane made out of composite materials won't grow, shrink, or change form as environmental conditions vary.

Disadvantages

Perhaps the biggest disadvantage of composite materials for aircraft and component manufacturers is their higher initial cost compared with metals.

The greater cost is largely due to the price of the fibers and the complicated process required to make the finished materials.

It can be difficult to tell when the interior structure of a composite aircraft piece has been damaged. That makes inspections difficult and more costly.

One issue that comes up during inspections is delamination — when layers of composites separate.

The biggest cause of delamination is an impact to the composite piece. Water can infiltrate a piece that has experienced delamination, and the problem will get worse as the water freezes and thaws.

Standard aircraft composite materials do not conduct electricity and so, unlike aluminum, cannot prevent lightning from being directed to a plane's fuel tanks.

That problem was corrected for the 787 by incorporating wire mesh into the composite.

Finally, the resin used in composite materials weakens at temperatures as low as 150 degrees Fahrenheit, and a temperature above 300 degrees might result in aircraft failure.

When composite materials burn, they give off toxic fumes and micro-particles into the air, causing health risks.

For all of those reasons, fire prevention is crucial on planes built with composites.

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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