What material is carbon fiber?

I. How is carbon fiber made

Prepare raw materials or precursors (brief history and background)

Carbon fiber is a high-performance fiber material, mainly composed of PAN (polyacrylonitrile)-based carbon fiber, asphalt-based carbon fiber, viscose-based carbon fiber and other new raw materials.

Since the end of the 19th century, scientists have carbonized cellulose fibers (cotton threads) to produce the earliest “carbon filaments”.

By the 1960s and 1970s, Pan-based carbon fibers were born, and scientists applied this material to the aerospace field.

By the 1980s-1990s, it was successfully popularized in the civilian market, with improved performance and reduced costs.

Since the 21st century, carbon fiber has made new breakthroughs in fields such as new energy vehicles and energy storage devices.

A look at how the development and use of raw materials for carbon fiber, like the basic precursors, have changed over time.

Table Explanation

• The timeline shows how technology has developed step by step, pointing out the important moments from initial lab research to when it became widely used by everyday people.
• Evolution of Application Fields: Reflects the extension of carbon fiber from “aerospace high-end” to “civil science and technology”, such as the expansion into scenarios like sports goods and new energy vehicles.
• Supplementary Technical Characteristics: Emphasizes the core driving forces in different stages (e.g., cost reduction, performance improvement) to help understand the industry development logic.

II. Stabilizing and carbonizing fibers

When making carbon fiber, two really important steps are called stabilization and carbonization.

“Stability” is to prevent the filament from melting and lay a structural foundation for carbonization, thereby enhancing the thermal stability of the fiber and making it more resistant to high temperatures.

“Carbonization” is when you get rid of non-carbon stuff to create a structure mostly made of carbon. This process really boosts the amount of carbon in the material.

III. Treat the surface of the fibers

The surface treatment of carbon fibers is aimed at increasing surface active sites, improving surface roughness, and regulating surface energy.

Through oxidation treatment, coating treatment, electrochemical treatment, and low-temperature plasma treatment, the interfacial bonding strength between fibers and matrix can be enhanced, thereby improving the overall performance of composite materials.

IV. Common Uses of Carbon Fiber

Aircraft structural components

High-end automotive parts

Bicycle frame

Drone

Golf club

V. Characteristics of Carbon Fiber

High strength

High tensile strength

Low weight

High chemical resistance

High temperature resistance

Low thermal expansion

With the decline in the cost of carbon fiber and technological innovation, its “light, strong and stable” characteristics have made it a disruptive material across fields.

Quoted：

Introduction to carbon fiber, a high-performance fiber material

Carbonization of cellulose fibers (cotton thread)