CFRP composites are often used in thermoset resins

2022-08-18 19:25:37

CFRP composite is a lightweight, strong material that is widely used in the manufacture of many of the products we use in our daily lives. Carbon fiber reinforced composite material, referred to as carbon fiber composite material, refers to a fiber reinforced composite material using carbon fiber as the main structural component. It should be noted that "P" in CFRP composites can not only represent "polymer", but also "plastic".

When we work with composite materials, it is important to understand the terms and abbreviations specific to a material. More importantly, however, the properties of FRP composites and their various reinforcements, such as carbon fibers, must be understood.

Properties of carbon fiber composites:

Carbon fiber reinforced composites, unlike other FRP composites that use traditional fibers such as glass fibers or aramid fibers, the excellent properties of CFRP composites include:

Lightweight - Traditional glass fiber reinforced composites utilize continuous glass fibers at 70% (weight glass/total weight) and typically have a density of 0.065 pounds per cubic inch.

High strength - Although CFRP composites are light in weight, CFRP composites have higher strength and greater stiffness per unit weight than glass fiber composites. When compared with metal materials, this advantage is even more prominent. For example, experience tells us that CFRP material is only 1/5 of the weight of steel under equal strength conditions compared to steel. It is conceivable why all car manufacturers are researching the use of carbon fiber instead of steel to improve the performance of their products.

When CFRP composites are compared to aluminum, one of the lightest metals, the basic assumption is that aluminum of equal strength weighs about 1.5 times as much as a carbon fiber body.

Of course, there are many other variables in the experiment that may affect the comparison results. For example, the grade and quality of the materials are different, and the compounding process, production process, fiber structure and quality also need to be considered.