Carbon Fiber in Textiles, Apparel - Carbon Fibre, Fabrics, Uses

Carbon fabrics are by far the most widely used fiber in high-performance applications. Known for their light weight, high strength, and high stiffness, carbon fabric properties are especially useful in applications that require thermal management, such as instrumentation housings with dense electronics. Though stronger than glass or aramid fibers, carbon fibers are less impact resistant and also can experience galvanic corrosion when in contact with metal.

Carbon fibres are the stiffest and strongest reinforcing fibres for polymer composites, the most used after glass fibres. Made of pure carbon in form of graphite, they have low density and a negative coefficient of longitudinal thermal expansion.

Carbon fibres are very expensive and can give galvanic corrosion in contact with metals. They are generally used together with epoxy, where high strength and stiffness are required, i.e. race cars, automotive and space applications, sport equipment.

Carbon fibres are fabricated by pyrolysis of organic precursor fibres or by growth from gaseous hydrocarbons. The use of the term graphite fibres instead of carbon fibres as often observed in the literature is incorrect and should be avoided. The term graphite fibres is justified only if three-dimensional crystalline order is confirmed, e.g. by X-ray diffraction measurements. Fibres (filaments, tows, yarns, rovings) consisting of at least 92% (mass fraction) carbon, usually in the non-graphitic state.

This page provides inputs and web resources for carbon fiber and carbon-fiber based textiles.

Tenline

Wikipedia Article on Carbon Fiber

Fiber Glast – provides a list of carbon fiber products and the companies. Products include carbon fiber veil (Carbon veils can also be used for grounding a composite structure, minimizing the build-up of static electricity that could prove dangerous when in contact with explosive liquids and gasses), plain weave carbon fiber fabric (plain weave carbon fiber is the most commonly used type for lightweight aerodynamic parts. It wets out quickly and handles easily), carbon fiber tapes (graphite tapes are ideal for selective reinforcement of graphite fabrications, sleeve winding, lap joining, and repairs of cracks on graphite surfaces)

Japan Carbon Fiber Manufacturers’ Association (JCMA) – provides inputs on the following: What are Carbon Fibers, Types of Carbon Fibers, Carbon Fibers' Special Features and Properties, Manufacturing Processes of Carbon Fiber, Grades of Carbon Fibers and Usage, Safety Precautions in Handling of Carbon Fibers

Carbon Fiber Fabrics Listings @ US Composites – Listing of carbon fiber fabrics & manufacturers / suppliers. Products include: Twill Carbon Fiber Fabric, Hybrid Fabrics (Fabrics combining both carbon fiber and kevlar into one woven fabric.), Carbon Fiber Tapes, Bi-directional Carbon Tape, Unidirectional Carbon Fabrics

Carbon Fiber – info provided about carbon fiber

Jim trade show: Info about the use of carbon fibers in the high performance sector. Not specific to textiles, but provides useful info on carbon fibers, manufacturing processes, and applications in the high performance sectors such as planes and jets.

Carbon fiber database: give the list about carbon fiber & fabric Manufacturers, Exporters & Suppliers.

Teonline: Carbon fiber Textile Manufacturers, Exporters & Suppliers,

Glopal spec: About Carbon Fiber and Carbon Fiber Cloth.

Wourle & I: provides the background and info about carbon fibers as well as about other synthetic fibers, fire-resistant fibers, non-woven materials, composites & construction materials

Carbon fiber: Provides detailed information on the following aspects of carbon fibers: Worldwide shipment of carbon fibers for composites, classification and types, ultra-high-modulus, type UHM (modulus >450Gpa), High-modulus, type HM (modulus between 350-450Gpa), Intermediate-modulus, type IM (modulus between 200-350Gpa), Low modulus and high-tensile, type HT (modulus < 100Gpa, tensile strength > 3.0Gpa), Super high-tensile, type SHT (tensile strength > 4.5Gpa), PAN-based carbon fibers, Pitch-based carbon fibers, Mesophase pitch-based carbon fibers, Isotropic pitch-based carbon fibers, Rayon-based carbon fibers, Gas-phase-grown carbon fibers, heat treatment temperature based carbon fibers, manufacture, Carbon fibers from POLYACRYLONITRILE (PAN), Carbon fibers from rayon, the conversion of rayon fibers into carbon fibers, carbon fibers in meltblown nonwovens, Carbon fibers from isotropic pitch, Carbon fibers from anisotropic mesophase pitch, structure, properties, applications, Characteristics and Applications of Carbon Fibers.

Performance of Plasma Modified Carbon Fiber Absorbents - Textile Research Journal, Sep 2004 by Su, Ching-Iuan, Yeh, Ru-Shyang, Wang, Ching-Luh - Abstract - This research produces a carbon fiber absorbent, using rayon knitted fabric as the precursor and putting it through oxidization, carbonization, and activation processes in a semi-open high temperature furnace, then discussing its absorption characteristics. During the experiment, plasma modification is implemented, and its absorbing effectiveness before and after plasma modification is evaluated through absorption testing by a special toxic gas and SEM surface observations. The results show that a CO2 gas plasma induced reaction of monomer (chromium ion) with the substrate has a better effect on plasma modification. After plasma modification, the absorption of carbon monoxide by the carbon absorbent is about eight times better than that prior to the modification. Read more from this Find Articles page

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