Carbon fiber: properties, photo, obtaining, use

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Advanced industries and construction have recently mastered many fundamentally new technologies, most of which are associated with innovative materials. An ordinary user could notice the manifestation of this process on the example of building materials with the inclusion of composites. Also in the automotive industry, carbon elements are being introduced that increase the performance of sports cars. And this is not all the areas in which carbon fiber is used. The basis for this component is carbon fibers, a photo of which is presented below. Actually, the uniqueness and active distribution of new generation composites lies in the unsurpassed technical and physical qualities.

Production technology

For the production of material, raw materials are used in the form of natural or chemical fibers of organic origin. Further, as a result of special processing, only carbon atoms remain from the original workpiece. The main influencing force is temperature. The technological process involves the implementation of several stages of heat treatment. At the first stage, the primary structure is oxidized under temperature conditions up to 250 °C. On the nextAt the stage, the production of carbon fibers passes into the carbonization procedure, as a result of which the material is heated in a nitrogen environment at high temperatures up to 1500 °C. Thus, a graphite-like structure is formed. The entire manufacturing process is completed by a final treatment in the form of graphitization at 3000 °C. At this stage, the content of pure carbon in the fibers reaches 99%.

Where is carbon fiber used?

If in the first years of popularization the material was used exclusively in highly specialized areas, today there is an expansion of production in which this chemical fiber is used. The material is quite plastic and heterogeneous in terms of the possibilities of exploitation. With a high probability, the scope of such fibers will expand, but today the basic types of material presentation on the market have taken shape. In particular, we can note the construction industry, medicine, the manufacture of electrical engineering, household appliances, etc. As for specialized areas, the use of carbon fibers is still relevant for manufacturers of aircraft equipment, medical electrodes and radar absorbing materials.

Forms of production

First of all, these are heat-resistant textile products, among which we can distinguish fabrics, threads, knitwear, felt, etc. A more technological direction is the manufacture of composites. Perhaps this is the widest segment in which carbon fiber is represented as the basis for products for serial production.production. In particular, these are bearings, heat-resistant units, parts and various elements that operate in aggressive environments. Mostly composites are focused on the automotive market, however, the construction industry is also quite willing to consider new proposals from manufacturers of this chemical fiber.

Material properties

The specifics of the technology for obtaining the material left its mark on the performance of the fibers. As a result, high thermal stability has become the main distinguishing feature of the structure of such products. In addition to thermal effects, the material is also resistant to chemical aggressive environments. True, if oxygen is present during the oxidation process when heated, this has a detrimental effect on the fibers. But the mechanical strength of carbon fiber can compete with many traditional materials that are considered hard and resistant to damage. This quality is especially pronounced in carbon products. Another property that is in demand among technologists of various products is the ability of absorption. Due to the active surface, this fiber can be considered as an efficient catalytic system.

Producers

The leaders in the segment are American, Japanese and German companies. Russian technologies in this area have practically not developed in recent years and are still based on the developments of the Soviet era. To date, halfThe fibers produced in the world are accounted for by the Japanese companies Mitsubishi, Kureha, Teijin, and others. The other part is divided between the Germans and the Americans. For example, the US side is Cytec, and in Germany carbon fiber is produced by SGL. Not so long ago, the Taiwanese company Formosa Plastics entered the list of leaders in this area. As for domestic production, only two companies are engaged in the development of composites - Argon and Khimvolokno. At the same time, Belarusian and Ukrainian entrepreneurs have made significant achievements in recent years, mastering new niches for the commercial use of carbon fiber.

The future of carbon fibers

Since some types of CFRP will soon allow the production of products that can maintain their original structure for millions of years, many experts predict an overproduction of such products. Despite this, interested companies continue to race technological upgrades. And this is largely justified, since the properties of carbon fibers are an order of magnitude superior to those of traditional materials. It is enough to remember the strength and heat resistance. Based on these advantages, developers are exploring new areas of development. The introduction of the material, most likely, will cover not only specialized areas, but also areas close to the mass consumer. For example, ordinary plastic, aluminum and wood elements can be replaced with carbon fiber, which will surpass conventional materials in a number of performance qualities.

Conclusion

Many factors prevent widespread adoption of innovative man-made fiber. One of the most significant is the high cost. Since carbon fiber requires the use of high-tech equipment for manufacturing, not every company can afford to obtain it. But this is not the most important thing. The fact is that not all manufacturers are interested in such radical changes in product quality. So, while increasing the durability of one element of the infrastructure, the manufacturer cannot always perform a similar upgrade on adjacent components. The result is an imbalance that nullifies all the achievements of new technologies.