Carbon Fiber: What exactly is it??
09-14-2007 | 01:26 AM
#1
Carbon Fiber: What exactly is it??
Who out there has heard of carbon fiber? Do you even know what it is? It has become apparent to me over the past few months that almost everyone in the sport compact scene is aware of carbon fiber as it explodes in popularity. It is being used to manufacture everything from the popular hoods to even fenders and interior pieces now. But another thing that became apparent is that although many enthusiasts are aware of it, very few actually know what it is. Well in this month’s column we will discuss where carbon fiber came from, the properties of the material, and how it is used.
Carbon fiber has been around for over fifty years with its earliest history in the aerospace and military industries. It was normally reserved to these industries as the costs of manufacturing carbon fiber were sky high, and cost consideration is low in these two industries. Only in recent years has production of carbon fiber climbed, therefore lowering the price and making its use more wide.
Carbon fiber can be produced in one of two ways. These are “wet” lay-up and pre-impregnated lay-up processes. The “wet” process has been used since the beginning of composites. It creates molded shapes from glass or carbon fiber and resin. Do-it-yourselfers use this practice extensively as it is the least labor intensive and expensive money wise. When manufactured in the “wet” lay-up, dry fibers are laid into a mold and resin is poured onto them. The resin is then brushed over the fibers in a relatively uncontrolled manner. Resin is added in layers and layers until the desired thickness is achieved. If this process is not performed correctly the fibers can become saturated with resin which causes added weight, and reduced strength and stiffness. This method can also create inconsistent products as certain areas are saturated and others are not thick enough.
Pre-impregnated lay-up has been refined over the past 20 years to create better products with more predictable results. In this method the fibers are pre-impregnated with resin at the factory. It is then rolled onto spools and then frozen to prevent the material from curing too quickly. Materials made by this method are typically 20-30% stronger than “wet” laminate of the same thickness. Pre-impregnated lay-up materials can be cured in one of two ways: vacuum bag compaction and also vacuum bag compaction plus an auto clave. The composite is placed under vacuum bag compaction and is placed into an oven. The resin will then solidify or “glass.” When the autoclave is used it essentially pressure cooks the fibers. The maximum allowable temperature of the cured laminate is used and the continuous temperature is lower. It is normally is between 250 and 350 degrees.
Automakers first began experimenting with carbon fiber in the 1970s. Ford even built an entire car out of carbon fiber composites in 1977. In the 1990s GM manufactured a concept car out of carbon fiber that got 100mpg. The motivation for automakers is to produce vehicles with lower emissions, lighter weight, lower cost and better fuel economy. The problem carbon fiber has presented though in the past is its astronomical price compared to other materials. At one point, it cost $100 per pound versus .40 cents for steel. Nowadays though, the prices are hovering somewhere in the $5-$10 price range and it is making many other industries experiment with the material. Many enthusiasts purchase carbon fiber products solely for the looks, but they offer other benefits as well. Carbon fiber reinforced materials perform at higher rates for strength versus steel and aluminum.
So the next time you think about purchasing a carbon fiber hood or other products, you will know how to investigate the manufacturing of the product to make sure you are getting what you are paying for. Carbon fiber is just getting started with a bright future ahead.
Carbon fiber has been around for over fifty years with its earliest history in the aerospace and military industries. It was normally reserved to these industries as the costs of manufacturing carbon fiber were sky high, and cost consideration is low in these two industries. Only in recent years has production of carbon fiber climbed, therefore lowering the price and making its use more wide.
Carbon fiber can be produced in one of two ways. These are “wet” lay-up and pre-impregnated lay-up processes. The “wet” process has been used since the beginning of composites. It creates molded shapes from glass or carbon fiber and resin. Do-it-yourselfers use this practice extensively as it is the least labor intensive and expensive money wise. When manufactured in the “wet” lay-up, dry fibers are laid into a mold and resin is poured onto them. The resin is then brushed over the fibers in a relatively uncontrolled manner. Resin is added in layers and layers until the desired thickness is achieved. If this process is not performed correctly the fibers can become saturated with resin which causes added weight, and reduced strength and stiffness. This method can also create inconsistent products as certain areas are saturated and others are not thick enough.
Pre-impregnated lay-up has been refined over the past 20 years to create better products with more predictable results. In this method the fibers are pre-impregnated with resin at the factory. It is then rolled onto spools and then frozen to prevent the material from curing too quickly. Materials made by this method are typically 20-30% stronger than “wet” laminate of the same thickness. Pre-impregnated lay-up materials can be cured in one of two ways: vacuum bag compaction and also vacuum bag compaction plus an auto clave. The composite is placed under vacuum bag compaction and is placed into an oven. The resin will then solidify or “glass.” When the autoclave is used it essentially pressure cooks the fibers. The maximum allowable temperature of the cured laminate is used and the continuous temperature is lower. It is normally is between 250 and 350 degrees.
Automakers first began experimenting with carbon fiber in the 1970s. Ford even built an entire car out of carbon fiber composites in 1977. In the 1990s GM manufactured a concept car out of carbon fiber that got 100mpg. The motivation for automakers is to produce vehicles with lower emissions, lighter weight, lower cost and better fuel economy. The problem carbon fiber has presented though in the past is its astronomical price compared to other materials. At one point, it cost $100 per pound versus .40 cents for steel. Nowadays though, the prices are hovering somewhere in the $5-$10 price range and it is making many other industries experiment with the material. Many enthusiasts purchase carbon fiber products solely for the looks, but they offer other benefits as well. Carbon fiber reinforced materials perform at higher rates for strength versus steel and aluminum.
So the next time you think about purchasing a carbon fiber hood or other products, you will know how to investigate the manufacturing of the product to make sure you are getting what you are paying for. Carbon fiber is just getting started with a bright future ahead.
Each carbon filament thread is a bundle of many thousand carbon filaments. A single such filament is a thin tube with a diameter of 5–8 micrometers and consists almost exclusively of carbon.
The atomic structure of carbon fiber is similar to that of graphite, consisting of sheets of carbon atoms arranged in a regular hexagonal pattern. The difference lies in the way these sheets interlock. Graphite is a crystalline material in which the sheets are stacked parallel to one another in regular fashion. The chemical bonds between the sheets are relatively weak, giving graphite its soft and brittle characteristics. Carbon fibre is an amorphous material: the sheets of carbon atoms are haphazardly folded, or crumpled, together. This interlocks the sheets, preventing slippage and greatly increasing the strength of the material.
The density of carbon fiber is 1750 kg/m3. It has high electrical and low thermal conductivity. When heated, a carbon filament becomes thicker and shorter. Carbon fiber is naturally a glossy black but recently colored carbon fiber has become available.
Carbon fiber thread or yarn is rated by the linear density (mass per unit length, with the unit 1 tex = 1 g/1000 m) or by number of filaments per yarn count, in thousands.
Synthesis
A common method of making carbon filaments is the oxidation and thermal pyrolysis of polyacrylonitrile (PAN), a polymer based on acrylonitrile used in the creation of synthetic materials. Like all polymers, polyacrylonitrile molecules are long chains, which are aligned in the process of drawing continuous filaments. When heated in the correct conditions, the non-carbon constituents evaporate away, the chains bond side-to-side (ladder polymers) and form narrow graphene sheets which eventually merge to form a single, jelly roll-shaped or round filament. The result is usually 93–95% carbon. Lower-quality fibre can be manufactured using pitch or rayon as the precursor instead of PAN.
The carbon fiber can become further enhanced by heat treatment processes. Carbon heated in the range of 1500-2000 °C (carbonization) exhibits the highest tensile strength (820,000 psi or 5,650 MPa or 5,650 N/mm˛), while carbon fibre heated from 2500 to 3000 °C (graphitizing) exhibits a higher modulus of elasticity (77,000,000 psi or 531 GPa or 531 kN/mm˛). For further literature see Rose, Ziegmann and Hillermeier.
Uses
Carbon fiber is most notably used to reinforce composite materials, particularly the class of materials known as carbon fiber reinforced plastics. This class of materials is used in aircraft parts, high-performance vehicles, sporting equipment such as racing bikes, radio controlled vehicles, wind generator blades and gears and other demanding mechanical applications; a more thorough discussion of these uses, including composite lay-up techniques, can be found in the carbon fiber reinforced plastic article.
Carbon fiber is one of the leading materials used in Formula One car production since the introduction of the fiber into common commercial use in the early 1980s.
Non-polymer materials can also be used as the matrix for carbon fibers. Due to the formation of metal carbides (i.e., water-soluble AlC), bad wetting by some metals, and corrosion considerations, carbon has seen limited success in metal matrix composite applications; however, this can be improved by proper surface treatment, e.g., for carbon-aluminium MMCs a vapor deposition of titanium boride on the fibers is often employed. Reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) consists of carbon fiber-reinforced graphite, and is used structurally in high-temperature applications, such as the nose cone and leading edges of the space shuttle.
The fiber also finds use in filtration of high-temperature gases, as an electrode with high surface area and impeccable corrosion resistance, and as an anti-static component in high-performance clothing.
Generally, within the realm of design and marketing there is a trend toward use of carbon fiber to imply a technical construction (for the given item) or associate it with traditional uses (i.e. military, or high performance) to attract a certain demographic. This is best noted in the increasing prevalence of carbon fiber in jewelery (e.g. Montblanc), pens (e.g. Caran d'Ache), and watches (e.g. TAG Heuer).
Vehicles
Many high-end frames for road bikes and mountain bikes are made of carbon fiber reinforced composite. Some velomobiles use a monocoque body constructed with carbon fiber.
It is also widely used to enhance the look of automobiles and reduce weight. Many of the "tuner" style cars have carbon fiber hoods or other components to reduce weight. Another use is in the increasingly popular hobby of RC cars, many high-end kits come with many carbon fiber parts due to their light weight and attractive appearance.
In motorsports, carbon fiber is often used to construct bodywork or a monocoque chassis. This trend started in Formula 1 and has gradually been adopted in other forms of motor racing.
Newer designs of aircraft are beginning to make increased use of carbon fiber composities. For example, the Airbus A380 uses many CFRP components. The even newer Boeing 787 Dreamliner will be the first passenger jet with a main wing and fuselage (body) made entirely out of carbon fiber. This is one of the main causes of the current worldwide shortage as Boeing have bought up most of the worlds output for the new 787.
Carbon fiber is also used by skateboard companies to make strong lightweight skateboards for all types of skating, mainly downhill speedboarding. It is also used in many composite longboards to stiffen an otherwise very flexible board.
In surfing, carbon fiber is emerging as a very high-end (and very expensive) board construction material, exhibiting even higher strength and lighter weight than epoxy boards
11-14-2008 | 02:49 AM
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01-30-2009 | 09:59 PM
#6
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Great post. I love the carbon fibre look but I've heard that it UV degrades? 
Also some exhaust systems use carbon fibre on the exhaust resonator and muffler. I was told that after a couple years the heat would degrade the strength of the carbon fibre.
Just myth? or is there some truth to it?
Also some exhaust systems use carbon fibre on the exhaust resonator and muffler. I was told that after a couple years the heat would degrade the strength of the carbon fibre.
Just myth? or is there some truth to it?
01-31-2009 | 12:16 AM
#7
I always keep the hood as clean as I can and I always have a nice wax finish , my hood looks as good as the day I bought it years ago with the exception of maybe a couple stone chips that I filled in right away with some clear nail polish. The hood has gone through 4 summers and I haven't noticed any UV degrading
06-17-2009 | 02:15 AM
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I wouldn`t drill a hole. carbon fiber acts in a similar way to fiberglass. if you drill the hole, the exposed ends of carbon fibers will fray and then it will slowly continue to unravel along each strand.
07-18-2009 | 06:44 PM
#9
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Rep Power: 0 Structure and properties
Each carbon filament thread is a bundle of many thousand carbon filaments. A single such filament is a thin tube with a diameter of 5–8 micrometers and consists almost exclusively of carbon.
The atomic structure of carbon fiber is similar to that of graphite, consisting of sheets of carbon atoms arranged in a regular hexagonal pattern. The difference lies in the way these sheets interlock. Graphite is a crystalline material in which the sheets are stacked parallel to one another in regular fashion. The chemical bonds between the sheets are relatively weak, giving graphite its soft and brittle characteristics. Carbon fibre is an amorphous material: the sheets of carbon atoms are haphazardly folded, or crumpled, together. This interlocks the sheets, preventing slippage and greatly increasing the strength of the material.
The density of carbon fiber is 1750 kg/m3. It has high electrical and low thermal conductivity. When heated, a carbon filament becomes thicker and shorter. Carbon fiber is naturally a glossy black but recently colored carbon fiber has become available.
Carbon fiber thread or yarn is rated by the linear density (mass per unit length, with the unit 1 tex = 1 g/1000 m) or by number of filaments per yarn count, in thousands.
Synthesis
A common method of making carbon filaments is the oxidation and thermal pyrolysis of polyacrylonitrile (PAN), a polymer based on acrylonitrile used in the creation of synthetic materials. Like all polymers, polyacrylonitrile molecules are long chains, which are aligned in the process of drawing continuous filaments. When heated in the correct conditions, the non-carbon constituents evaporate away, the chains bond side-to-side (ladder polymers) and form narrow graphene sheets which eventually merge to form a single, jelly roll-shaped or round filament. The result is usually 93–95% carbon. Lower-quality fibre can be manufactured using pitch or rayon as the precursor instead of PAN.
The carbon fiber can become further enhanced by heat treatment processes. Carbon heated in the range of 1500-2000 °C (carbonization) exhibits the highest tensile strength (820,000 psi or 5,650 MPa or 5,650 N/mm˛), while carbon fibre heated from 2500 to 3000 °C (graphitizing) exhibits a higher modulus of elasticity (77,000,000 psi or 531 GPa or 531 kN/mm˛). For further literature see Rose, Ziegmann and Hillermeier.
Uses
Carbon fiber is most notably used to reinforce composite materials, particularly the class of materials known as carbon fiber reinforced plastics. This class of materials is used in aircraft parts, high-performance vehicles, sporting equipment such as racing bikes, radio controlled vehicles, wind generator blades and gears and other demanding mechanical applications; a more thorough discussion of these uses, including composite lay-up techniques, can be found in the carbon fiber reinforced plastic article.
Carbon fiber is one of the leading materials used in Formula One car production since the introduction of the fiber into common commercial use in the early 1980s.
Non-polymer materials can also be used as the matrix for carbon fibers. Due to the formation of metal carbides (i.e., water-soluble AlC), bad wetting by some metals, and corrosion considerations, carbon has seen limited success in metal matrix composite applications; however, this can be improved by proper surface treatment, e.g., for carbon-aluminium MMCs a vapor deposition of titanium boride on the fibers is often employed. Reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) consists of carbon fiber-reinforced graphite, and is used structurally in high-temperature applications, such as the nose cone and leading edges of the space shuttle.
The fiber also finds use in filtration of high-temperature gases, as an electrode with high surface area and impeccable corrosion resistance, and as an anti-static component in high-performance clothing.
Generally, within the realm of design and marketing there is a trend toward use of carbon fiber to imply a technical construction (for the given item) or associate it with traditional uses (i.e. military, or high performance) to attract a certain demographic. This is best noted in the increasing prevalence of carbon fiber in jewelery (e.g. Montblanc), pens (e.g. Caran d'Ache), and watches (e.g. TAG Heuer).
Vehicles
Many high-end frames for road bikes and mountain bikes are made of carbon fiber reinforced composite. Some velomobiles use a monocoque body constructed with carbon fiber.
It is also widely used to enhance the look of automobiles and reduce weight. Many of the "tuner" style cars have carbon fiber hoods or other components to reduce weight. Another use is in the increasingly popular hobby of RC cars, many high-end kits come with many carbon fiber parts due to their light weight and attractive appearance.
In motorsports, carbon fiber is often used to construct bodywork or a monocoque chassis. This trend started in Formula 1 and has gradually been adopted in other forms of motor racing.
Newer designs of aircraft are beginning to make increased use of carbon fiber composities. For example, the Airbus A380 uses many CFRP components. The even newer Boeing 787 Dreamliner will be the first passenger jet with a main wing and fuselage (body) made entirely out of carbon fiber. This is one of the main causes of the current worldwide shortage as Boeing have bought up most of the worlds output for the new 787.
Carbon fiber is also used by skateboard companies to make strong lightweight skateboards for all types of skating, mainly downhill speedboarding. It is also used in many composite longboards to stiffen an otherwise very flexible board.
In surfing, carbon fiber is emerging as a very high-end (and very expensive) board construction material, exhibiting even higher strength and lighter weight than epoxy boards
Each carbon filament thread is a bundle of many thousand carbon filaments. A single such filament is a thin tube with a diameter of 5–8 micrometers and consists almost exclusively of carbon.
The atomic structure of carbon fiber is similar to that of graphite, consisting of sheets of carbon atoms arranged in a regular hexagonal pattern. The difference lies in the way these sheets interlock. Graphite is a crystalline material in which the sheets are stacked parallel to one another in regular fashion. The chemical bonds between the sheets are relatively weak, giving graphite its soft and brittle characteristics. Carbon fibre is an amorphous material: the sheets of carbon atoms are haphazardly folded, or crumpled, together. This interlocks the sheets, preventing slippage and greatly increasing the strength of the material.
The density of carbon fiber is 1750 kg/m3. It has high electrical and low thermal conductivity. When heated, a carbon filament becomes thicker and shorter. Carbon fiber is naturally a glossy black but recently colored carbon fiber has become available.
Carbon fiber thread or yarn is rated by the linear density (mass per unit length, with the unit 1 tex = 1 g/1000 m) or by number of filaments per yarn count, in thousands.
Synthesis
A common method of making carbon filaments is the oxidation and thermal pyrolysis of polyacrylonitrile (PAN), a polymer based on acrylonitrile used in the creation of synthetic materials. Like all polymers, polyacrylonitrile molecules are long chains, which are aligned in the process of drawing continuous filaments. When heated in the correct conditions, the non-carbon constituents evaporate away, the chains bond side-to-side (ladder polymers) and form narrow graphene sheets which eventually merge to form a single, jelly roll-shaped or round filament. The result is usually 93–95% carbon. Lower-quality fibre can be manufactured using pitch or rayon as the precursor instead of PAN.
The carbon fiber can become further enhanced by heat treatment processes. Carbon heated in the range of 1500-2000 °C (carbonization) exhibits the highest tensile strength (820,000 psi or 5,650 MPa or 5,650 N/mm˛), while carbon fibre heated from 2500 to 3000 °C (graphitizing) exhibits a higher modulus of elasticity (77,000,000 psi or 531 GPa or 531 kN/mm˛). For further literature see Rose, Ziegmann and Hillermeier.
Uses
Carbon fiber is most notably used to reinforce composite materials, particularly the class of materials known as carbon fiber reinforced plastics. This class of materials is used in aircraft parts, high-performance vehicles, sporting equipment such as racing bikes, radio controlled vehicles, wind generator blades and gears and other demanding mechanical applications; a more thorough discussion of these uses, including composite lay-up techniques, can be found in the carbon fiber reinforced plastic article.
Carbon fiber is one of the leading materials used in Formula One car production since the introduction of the fiber into common commercial use in the early 1980s.
Non-polymer materials can also be used as the matrix for carbon fibers. Due to the formation of metal carbides (i.e., water-soluble AlC), bad wetting by some metals, and corrosion considerations, carbon has seen limited success in metal matrix composite applications; however, this can be improved by proper surface treatment, e.g., for carbon-aluminium MMCs a vapor deposition of titanium boride on the fibers is often employed. Reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) consists of carbon fiber-reinforced graphite, and is used structurally in high-temperature applications, such as the nose cone and leading edges of the space shuttle.
The fiber also finds use in filtration of high-temperature gases, as an electrode with high surface area and impeccable corrosion resistance, and as an anti-static component in high-performance clothing.
Generally, within the realm of design and marketing there is a trend toward use of carbon fiber to imply a technical construction (for the given item) or associate it with traditional uses (i.e. military, or high performance) to attract a certain demographic. This is best noted in the increasing prevalence of carbon fiber in jewelery (e.g. Montblanc), pens (e.g. Caran d'Ache), and watches (e.g. TAG Heuer).
Vehicles
Many high-end frames for road bikes and mountain bikes are made of carbon fiber reinforced composite. Some velomobiles use a monocoque body constructed with carbon fiber.
It is also widely used to enhance the look of automobiles and reduce weight. Many of the "tuner" style cars have carbon fiber hoods or other components to reduce weight. Another use is in the increasingly popular hobby of RC cars, many high-end kits come with many carbon fiber parts due to their light weight and attractive appearance.
In motorsports, carbon fiber is often used to construct bodywork or a monocoque chassis. This trend started in Formula 1 and has gradually been adopted in other forms of motor racing.
Newer designs of aircraft are beginning to make increased use of carbon fiber composities. For example, the Airbus A380 uses many CFRP components. The even newer Boeing 787 Dreamliner will be the first passenger jet with a main wing and fuselage (body) made entirely out of carbon fiber. This is one of the main causes of the current worldwide shortage as Boeing have bought up most of the worlds output for the new 787.
Carbon fiber is also used by skateboard companies to make strong lightweight skateboards for all types of skating, mainly downhill speedboarding. It is also used in many composite longboards to stiffen an otherwise very flexible board.
In surfing, carbon fiber is emerging as a very high-end (and very expensive) board construction material, exhibiting even higher strength and lighter weight than epoxy boards
05-22-2012 | 05:51 AM
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Re: Carbon Fiber: What exactly is it??
A carbon fiber is a long, thin strand of material which is composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in microscopic crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber.
04-06-2013 | 12:58 AM
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Re: Carbon Fiber: What exactly is it??
well i do really have a carbon fiber bonnet that has no gaps for my appliance airplanes. can I securely just routine out the holes . . .
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Last edited by PeterPatreYAws; 04-08-2013 at 03:25 AM.
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