Carbon fiber is prepared with very thin strands of carbon and it is also known as Graphite fiber or carbon graphite. It comes with properties like tensile strength and stiffness. Also, it is very light in weight. The diameter of each carbon thread is 5 to 10 microns. Do you know how small a micron is? If not then let me tell you this one micron is 0.001 millimeters. Also, one strand of spider web silk is between 3 to 8 microns.
Properties of carbon fiber!!!
Carbon fibers are twice as stiff as steel and five times stronger as compared to steel. Another important characteristic of carbon fiber is that it is chemically resistant and also has a high-temperature tolerance capacity with thermal expansion. It is an important engineering material when it comes to building or manufacturing high-performance vehicles, sporting equipment, aerospace, airplanes, musical instruments and so much more.
The PAN process: How carbon fiber is manufactured?
Carbon fiber is made up of organic polymers. These polymers consist of long strings of molecules that have been held together by carbon atoms. More than 90% of carbon fibers are prepared using the PAN process. The rest of the 10% of carbon fibers are prepared using either the petroleum pitch process or the rayon process. To add different properties and qualities to the carbon fiber glasses, liquids, and other materials are used during the manufacturing process of carbon fiber. The carbon fiber is prepared according to the demanding application as per the requirement of properties. Different manufacturers of carbon fiber use different combinations to prepare carbon fiber composites for different applications. They generally use their specific formulations to create carbon fibers.
Properties of carbon fiber!!!
The properties of the carbon fiber rely on the process that has been used for manufacturing. It also depends on the composite materials used in it. Carbon fibers are highly popular because they are light in weight, strong and durable. The properties can vary depending on the type of carbon production.
Carbon fiber panels are thin, strong, versatile, and flexible that can be molded into any shape.
It has high stiffness, and tensile strength, is lightweight, has high chemical and corrosion resistance, high temperature tolerance, and so on.
Depending on the carbon fiber manufacturing process, the properties of the carbon fiber can be altered. The final product is prepared according to the requirement of the application.
What is the manufacturing process of carbon fibers?
The raw material named precursors are mainly used in the manufacturing process of carbon fiber. The precursors are drawn into the long strengths of fibers. Then these fibers are woven into a fabric. Then this is combined with other materials to mold the final product into the desired shape. If you are interested in knowing more about the manufacturing process of carbon fiber then check out the below points:
Spinning: First of all polyacrylonitrile Or PAN is mixed with other materials and woven into fibers. Then these fibers are washed well and stressed according to the requirement.
Stabilizing: After that the chemical alteration is given to the product to stabilize the newly created bonding. This is accomplished by heating the fibers in air at around 200-300 degrees Celsius. The time taken around by this heating process is 30 to 120 minutes. Commercially, the process of stabilization uses a variety of equipment and techniques.
Carbonizing: In this step, the stabilized fibers are heated at a very high temperature to form tightly bonds between the carbon crystals to enhance the strength of the material. This is one of the most important processes in the entire process of making carbon fibers. The gas pressure inside the furnace is kept higher as compared to the outside air pressure and the points where the fibers enter or exit the furnace are sealed well to keep oxygen from entering. In some processes, two furnaces with different temperatures are used to get better control over heating during the carbonization process.
Surface treatment: In this step, the fiber surface is oxidized well to enhance the bonding properties of the final carbon fiber. Oxidation can easily be achieved by immersing fivers in different gasses like carbon dioxide, air, or ozone or in several liquids like sodium hypochlorite. It improves the strength of the carbon fiber while giving it other properties. The surface treatment process should be carefully controlled to avoid forming tiny defects at the surface like pits that result in the fiber failure.