Carbon fiber properties

Carbon fiber

Carbon fiber is defined as a material that consists of fibers with a diameter of about 510 micrometers, and it consists of carbon atoms connected to each other to form a long chain, so that the atoms are linked to each other in the form of crystals that are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fibers, and this gives it a high percentage of strength and size, and in The article will discuss the most important features and characteristics of carbon fibres.[1]

Carbon fiber properties

Usually several thousand carbon fibers are assembled together to form a bundle that is used singly or in the form of a fabric, so carbon fiber is considered a strong and light material, and has the following characteristics:[1][2]

1.      High Hardness: Carbon fibers are tougher than steel, but lighter than steel, which makes them ideal for use in a wide variety of equipment.

2.     High tensile strength: Tensile strength is referred to as the maximum strength that a solid material can withstand before it fails or breaks, and it depends on the length and thickness of the metal piece. This is an ideal material for manufacturing parts and equipment.

3.     High resistance to chemicals: Carbon fiber is characterized by its high resistance to chemicals when exposed to it, in addition to its resistance to interaction with other materials, for example, iron is subject to oxidation that causes it to rust, while carbon fibers are resistant to such interactions.

4.     High temperature tolerance: Carbon fiber can withstand high temperatures, due to its high melting temperature compared to many other metals such as iron and steel, which also makes it one of the materials that engineers prefer to use in various applications.

5.     Low thermal expansion coefficient: The thermal expansion coefficient is the amount of increase in the length and volume of the material when exposed to heat, and one of the properties related to carbon fiber is that it has a low thermal expansion coefficient, when a particular piece made of carbon fiber is exposed to heat, the distance it expands will be very short .

6.     Electrical conductivity: Carbon fiber can conduct electricity, and its conduction of electricity is improved by adding some other materials, and it is able to generate electricity under the influence of magnetic fields, but compared to other metals such as copper, silver and aluminum, the electrical conductivity of carbon fibers is significantly low for its efficient use. in practical applications.

7.      Resistant to combustion: Carbon fiber is classified as a non-flammable material, so if it is exposed to a flame, it can eventually oxidize, but when the source of the flame is removed from it, it will not ignite, and because it is used in the manufacture of components such as epoxy and plastic, its tolerance to high heat And its resistance to combustion is one of its most prominent characteristics.

8.     Physical properties of carbon fibers: Carbon fibers also have many physical properties, including the following:[2]

·       The carbon fiber has a black colour.

·       It has a melting point of 3697 degrees Celsius.

·       It has a boiling point of 4200 degrees Celsius.

·       Its density is 2.267 g/cm³.

·       It has a thermal conductivity of 1.65 W/cm.°C.

Carbon fiber uses

There are many uses and practical applications of carbon fiber, and the most important of these uses are the following: [3]

1.      Bicycle industry: Bicycles made using carbon fiber are characterized by their high durability, resistance to stress, and light weight, so they are considered one of the favorite bikes for many people.

2.     The exterior car body industry: What distinguishes the exterior car bodies made of carbon fiber is its high durability, and it also has the advantage of reducing the weight of the car body, and this is the thing that is popular with car manufacturers.

3.     Aircraft interior components: When talking about the aircraft industry, one of the most important things is durability and light weight. These characteristics are precisely provided by carbon fiber, so it is used in the manufacture of aircraft interior components such as walls and door linings.

4.     The external structure of the radar devices: Carbon fiber gives strength, durability and lightness when used in the manufacture of the external structure of military radar devices, which are usually huge in size, as this helps to reduce the weight of these devices to facilitate transportation, in addition to the durability of their external structure.

5.     Scientific instrumentation and equipment: Carbon fiber has become a popular material in the manufacture of measuring instruments and scientific equipment due to its stability and low coefficient of thermal expansion.

Reference

1.      "WHAT IS CARBON FIBER?", innovative composite engineering, Retrieved 5/1/2022. Edited.

2.     "Carbon Fiber", american elements, Retrieved 5/1/2022. Edited.

3.     "Carbon fiber applications", dragon plate, Retrieved 5/1/2022. Edited.