Carbon fibres are fibres having a carbon content of 90% or above. They are made by thermally converting organic fibres with reduced carbon content, such as polyacrylonitrile (PAN), into thousands of filaments with diameters ranging from 5 to 10 µm. Carbon fibres have a high tensile strength, stiffness, low density, and chemical resistance when compared to other fibres. All of these benefits can be paired with an appropriate matrix material (polymer resin) to provide outstanding mechanical qualities for composite items made from both. When compared to metal or fibre-reinforced composite parts, these composite components are lightweight and have very good mechanical qualities. This supports the usage of carbon fibres over other fibrous materials including glass, biological fibres, and metal. Aerospace and defence, automotive, wind turbines, sport and leisure, and civil engineering are the primary applications for carbon fibre-reinforced plastics. The automotive industry, in particular, is rapidly expanding in terms of lightweight designs that reduce energy usage. This chapter provides a brief history of its development, chemical structure, manufacturing process, finishing, processing difficulties, application areas, market overview, and future trends. Carbon fibre composites are lightweight and dense. The density of carbon fibre composites is 1.55 g/cm3.

Carbon fibre composites are commonly utilised in the health care business because they are a radiolucent material that does not block X-rays and ensures low scan duration and exact scanning results. As a result, it is employed in the production of X-ray systems (scanner table tops). Please read on to learn more about carbon fibre and X-rays. Most carbon fibre composites are resistant to temperatures ranging from 70 to 120 degrees Celsius. Some specifically formulated resins are required to offer long-term resistance to temperatures up to 150-250oC, and carbon fibre composite has to cure at high temperatures for many hours. This is a drawback of carbon fibre composites when compared to metals with strong thermal resistance.

 

Advantages:

Ø  Carbon fibre is a low-density material with a very high strength-to-weight ratio.

Ø  High tensile strength - one of the strongest commercial reinforcing fibres in terms of tension, carbon fibre is extremely difficult to stretch or bend.

Ø  Low thermal expansion - Carbon fibre expands and contracts far less in hot and cold temperatures than steel and aluminium.

Ø  Carbon fibre has superior fatigue qualities compared to metal, meaning that carbon fibre components will not wear out as quickly under regular use.

Ø  Corrosion resistance - when manufactured with the proper resins, carbon fibre is one of the most corrosion-resistant materials available.

Ø  Electrical conductivity - Carbon fibre composites are excellent electrical conductors.

Ø  Ultraviolet resistance - Carbon fibre can be UV resistant with the right resins.

Disadvantages:

Ø  Impact resistance of carbon composite is mediocre to moderate.

Ø  Carbon fibre carries electric current, but not as well as metals.

Ø  Other drawbacks concern the repair of carbon fibre composites.

Ø  Recycling Difficulties: Recycling CFRCs can be problematic due to the material's complexity and the difficulties in isolating the carbon fibres from the matrix material. As a result, end-of-life recycling alternatives for CFRC components may be limited.

 

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