High Strength-to-Weight Ratio: It provides maximum structural integrity with minimal mass, which directly increases flight…
Carbon Fiber: Basics
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Carbon Fiber: Basics
A series of articles exploring the science of carbon fiber, and why we use it to make so much cool stuff!
Chemistry
Periodic Table
As a Chemist I thought it might be interesting to discuss why we use Carbon Fiber to make light and strong parts. Carbon fiber is light because carbon atoms are small and light. On the periodic table, carbon has an atomic number of 6, which means it has 6 protons and neutrons in its nucleus. This makes it one of the lightest elements.
Bonds
In addition to being small, carbon atoms also have a strong tendency to form bonds with each other. These bonds are called covalent bonds, and they are very strong. When carbon atoms are arranged in a long chain, they form a carbon fiber.
Carbon fibers are very strong and stiff, but they are also very light. This is because the carbon atoms are so tightly packed together.
The strength and lightness of carbon fiber make it a very desirable material for a variety of applications. It is used in everything from sports equipment to aircraft parts. Carbon fiber is also used in some high-end consumer products, such as bicycles and cars.
Allotropes
An allotrope is a term used in chemistry to describe different physical forms in which an element can exist. These forms arise due to the different ways atoms of the same element can combine with each other.
The most common example of allotropes is carbon, which can exist in the form of diamond and graphite, among others.
So, which one is used in Carbon Fiber and why?
Carbon fibers are composed of carbon atoms linked in a longitudinal direction. The carbon atoms are bonded together in microscopic crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber. This crystal alignment gives the fiber its high strength-to-volume ratio. These carbon atoms are bonded in the form of an allotrope known as graphite. In graphite, each carbon atom is connected to three other carbon atoms in a plane composed of hexagonal structures. These planes can slide over each other easily, making graphite a good lubricant and giving it its distinctive sheen. However, when these layers are aligned and bound together in a certain way, they form a strong, lightweight fiber known as carbon fiber.
