Carbon fiber is a fiber material with a carbon content exceeding 90%, featuring exceptional mechanical properties, and represents the next generation of reinforcing fibers. Epoxy resin is the most commonly used thermosetting resin matrix material in CFRP.
Carbon fiber and epoxy resin have low densities, and advanced CFRP made from these two materials typically has a density of 1.45–1.7 g/cm³. Its tensile strength exceeds 1.5 GPa, which is more than three times that of aluminum alloy components and approaches the level of ultra-high-strength alloys. Currently, the T300J series manufactured by Toray Industries, Inc. of Japan achieves a tensile strength of 4.21 GPa. CFRP features low density, high strength, and high stiffness, with strength approaching four times that of aluminum alloys and stiffness nearly twice that of aluminum alloys. In addition to its high specific strength and specific stiffness, CFRP also offers numerous advantages, including a low thermal expansion coefficient, X-ray transmissibility, electromagnetic wave shielding capability, impact energy absorption capability, chemical corrosion resistance, fatigue resistance, and strong design flexibility. As a result, it is widely applied in aerospace, competitive sports, automobiles, civil engineering, industrial equipment, and consumer goods.
CFRP has brought significant changes to the automotive industry with its numerous advantages, including high specific strength, high fatigue strength, and strong design flexibility, making it a favorite for racing events and high-end brand vehicles. At its core, CFRP offers the automotive industry advantages that traditional metallic materials cannot match: lightweight, high reliability, high design flexibility, and excellent energy absorption. From the top-tier automotive event, Formula 1, to the harshest environment of the Dakar Rally, the use of CFRP is evident.
CFRP plays a crucial role in shipbuilding. By utilizing CFRP, the upper structure weight of a vessel can be significantly reduced, lowering the center of gravity and enhancing the ship’s stability and safety. Additionally, CFRP can be easily formed into complex shapes, effectively reducing the radar cross-section of the ship’s above-water section and improving the vessel’s thermal characteristics. Furthermore, using CFRP to manufacture masts and hull structures can enhance the overall strength and durability of the vessel. Notably, propellers made from CFRP not only reduce weight but also improve cavitation performance, reduce vibration, and lower fuel consumption. On ships, CFRP can also be widely applied in the manufacturing of critical components such as drive shafts, rudders, and piping systems, providing robust support for the vessel’s stable operation.
Carbon fiber possesses extremely high tensile strength, far exceeding that of common metals and most fiber materials. Due to its unique mechanical properties, CFRP is widely used in the reinforcement of bridges and tunnels. By utilizing carbon fiber reinforcement, the strength and durability of structures can be effectively enhanced, their service life extended, and higher safety standards achieved. In the repair and reinforcement of bridges and tunnels, CFRP can efficiently improve the structural load-bearing performance and reduce potential damage risks. Additionally, the lightweight and high-strength characteristics of CFRP give it significant advantages in structural reinforcement, enabling convenient and rapid construction with minimal impact on the structure, thereby greatly enhancing its load-bearing capacity. Carbon fiber is also commonly used in the manufacture of cables and ropes. In the field of power transmission, carbon fiber composite core conductors are widely used. Compared to traditional aluminum core conductors, they offer greater current-carrying capacity, lighter weight, and smaller sag, meeting the high demands of modern power transmission and bridge construction. Additionally, carbon fiber composite core conductors have excellent corrosion resistance, reducing maintenance and replacement costs for power lines while enhancing the reliability and safety of power transmission. As a flexible component, cables play a crucial role in cable-stayed bridge structures. However, traditional steel cables have shown increasing drawbacks over extended periods of use, with the most prominent issue being poor corrosion resistance. As steel cables corrode, their load-bearing capacity decreases, leading to cases where bridge structures have been damaged due to cable corrosion in both China and abroad. Cables made from CFRP have higher tensile strength than traditional steel cables while weighing only one-fifth as much. Additionally, CFRP exhibits strong corrosion resistance, maintaining stable performance even in long-term acidic, alkaline, or saline corrosive environments.
CFRP, with its unique performance characteristics, also shows broad application prospects in the sports and leisure sector. Sports products are one of the earliest areas where CFRP has entered the market for practical application, thanks to its outstanding performance and diverse application methods. CFRP products offer advantages such as lightweight, high bending strength, and strong design flexibility, effectively enhancing the quality and functionality of sports products. For example, in bicycles, the use of CFRP makes frames lighter and more durable while also meeting consumers’ demands for aesthetics and personalization. Additionally, carbon fiber composites can be applied to the production of sports equipment such as golf clubs and ski poles, as well as sports facility infrastructure, providing strong support for improving athletes’ performance levels and enhancing sports environments.