Ever since its invention in 1958, carbon fiber has been one of the most advanced materials to exist. The unique process of carbon fiber manufacturing includes multiple chemical and mechanical processes that can be used to produce various carbon fiber parts such as carbon fiber sheets and carbon fiber composites. Even though carbon fibers have been in production and widespread use since 1963, research suggests that their potential with regards to their thermomechanical properties is far from being exhausted. If compared with other materials of the same type, a component made from carbon fiber of the same dimensions will be 42% lighter than an aluminum one and more than five times lighter than a steel one.
The diversity of application of carbon fiber products is due to the ease with which carbon fibers can be manipulated and weaved together to form different carbon structures with different properties. Much like cloth, beaver dams, or a rattan chair, the strength of carbon fiber is in the weave. Carbon fiber sheets can be aligned at angles of 0, 45, or 90 degrees to form a quasi-isotropic layout similar to that found in metals which will provide it with strength. This property of carbon fiber gives it a unique property i.e. a very high strength to stiffness ratio. The strength to stiffness ratio of carbon fiber is 8.9, while that of aluminum, which is considered to be the lightest, robust, and the most stable option is merely 7.24. A component made from carbon fiber of the same thickness as an aluminum one will offer 31% more rigidity than the aluminum one and at the same, time weight 42% less and have 60% more strength.
The reason why there is so much investment in carbon fiber fabrication is that at the moment, there is no material in the world that provides such an immense amount of material strength while being so lightweight and small. Each strand of carbon fiber is five to ten microns in diameter while being twice as stiff and five times as strong as steel (per unit of weight). Such strength packed in such a small size makes carbon fiber unique. Moreover, different processes of carbon manufacturing can help shape and modify carbon fibers into more desired structures such as carbon fiber sheets and carbon fiber composites. These carbon fiber products have vast industrial uses in various areas. Some industrial-uses of carbon fibers include airplane bodies, bicycle frames, wind turbine blades, automotive car bodies, and sporting goods. Apart from these industrial uses, carbon fiber products also have multiple applications in the military, medical research, and environmental protection.
An industry that is perhaps the most reliant on carbon fiber products than any other would be the motorsports industry. No material beats carbon fiber sheets when it comes to designing sports cars. The first time carbon fiber was used in the manufacturing F1 cars in 1981. Ever since then, carbon fiber has been the go-to material for engineers and designers of sports cars. The three most important reasons why carbon fiber is suitable in the manufacturing of these cars is its safety, energy management, and weight to stiffness ratio. The carbon fiber material allows low impact and a lower chance of shattering upon impact when it comes to accidents. Thus, a crash isn’t going to be as fatal to a driver if the body of the car made using carbon fiber sheets. Cars made of this material are so safe that over 25 years, there has been no fatal accident in F1 racing. Moreover, the low weight of carbon fiber provides better traction, performance, acceleration, and shorter braking distance, which makes carbon fiber cars, the most efficient ones, increasing the odds of winning for a racer.
Industrial applications of carbon fiber products stem from the fact that it is very light, strong, and has a very high strength to stiffness ratio. Thus, in scenarios where both lightweight and high tensile strength, along with long term durability are required, carbon fiber is the go-to material. The carbon fiber was used to build the spacecraft that landed on the moon, which serves to signify the harshness of conditions that carbon fiber can withstand: temperature extremes and high friction factors when leaving and entering Earth’s atmosphere. Apart from that, it is also used widely in aircraft components and structures, where its superior strength to weight ratio far exceeds that of any metal.
The Boeing-787 Dreamliner is 80% carbon fiber composite by volume and 50% carbon fiber composite by weight. Carbon fiber was mainly used in making a plane’s fuselage, wings, tail, doors, and interior. In every Dreamliner, approximately 32,000kg of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) which itself is made up of approximately 23 tons of carbon fiber. Thirty 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. Every pound of weight savings can make an enormous difference in fuel consumption, which is why Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner has been the best-selling passenger plane in history. There is no other material that can compete with carbon fibers in the flight industry, making it the backbone of one of the most advanced and vital travel industries on the planet.
In sports, applications of carbon fiber products range from stiffening running shoes to being the key material in many goods such as baseball bats, tennis rackets, hockey sticks, and golf clubs. In competitive sports, higher speeds can be achieved using lighter equipment, without compromising strength and durability provides an immense advantage to athletes over their competitors. For example, in tennis, with a lighter and stronger racket, a player can move faster while being able to hit the ball swiftly, thus achieving high ball speed without compromising mobility. Competitive athletes are always pushing for lighter and stronger sporting goods. Helmets for dangerous sports which may include close physical contact such as rugby, American footballs are manufactured using carbon fiber sheets. These helmets and other protective gear have been monumental in saving player’s lives in horrifying accidents and collisions. In the modern sports industry, carbon fiber is the most advanced, safest, robust, and lightest material when it comes to designing protective headgear.
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