Applications of Carbon Fiber

Carbon fibers are used almost exclusively in composites. Two main types are offered one with high strength (1.9-3.9 N tex tenacity, 140 N tex modulus) and one with a high-modulus (2.2 N tex tenacity, 280 N tex modulus). Carbon fiber moduli are much higher than those of aramid and gel-spun polyethylene. 

An unusual application involves the use of carbon fiber to reinforce cement. This results in improved tensile and flexural strength, high impact strength, improved dimensional stability, etc. 

Carbon fiber reinforced ceramic composites also find some important applications. Carbon is an excellent high temperature material when used in an inert or nonoxidizing atmosphere. In carbon fiber reinforced ceramics, the matrix may be carbon or some other glass or ceramic. Unlike other nonoxide ceramics, carbon powder is nonsinterable. Thus, the carbon matrix is generally obtained from pitch or phenolic resins. Heat treatment decomposes the pitch or phenolic to carbon. Many pores are formed during this conversion from a hydrocarbon to carbon. Thus, a dense and strong pore-free carbon/carbon composite is not easy to fabricate. 

Mesophase-pitch-based carbon fibers can have up to three times the thermal conductivity of copper. This would make them an ideal material for thermal management applications, e.g. brake disks where heat dissipation is of prime consideration. The extremely high thermal conductivity is a direct result of the extremely high degree of crystallinity obtained during carbonization of the mesophase-pitch precursor fiber. 

Rayon-based carbon fibers, on the other hand, have low thermal conductivity and are, therefore, used for thermal insulation purposes. Examples include the nose cone and leading edges of the U S Space Shuttle Orbiter. Isotropic pitch-based carbon fibers are also used for insulating purposes because of their low thermal conductivity. 

Surface treatments of carbon fibers include oxidative treatments. This results in cleaning of the surface impurities and debris, formation of chemical surface groups (largely acidic) at the carbon fiber surface and a rougher surface morphology, all of which result in enhanced mechanical interlocking with the polymeric matrix. 

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K. Okuda, Applications of carbon fibers to construction materials in Japan, Tanso 755, 426-9, 1992. 

Schultz, J. Lavielle, L. Simon, H. Proc. Intern. Svmp. on Science and New Applications of Carbon Fibers. Toyohashi Univ., Japan, 1984,5,125. 

There are various ways of constructing ultramicroelectrodes. See Ref. 14. A typical construction is shown in Figure 15.6. The microdisk is the electrode. Electrodes are typically made from carbon fiber, and they can be used for electrooxidation measurements at positive potentials in various microenvironments. An example is the detection of neurotransmitter release in the extracellular space of the brain. [See T. Edmonds, AnaL Chim. Acta, 175 (1985) 1, for a review of various electroanalytical applications of carbon fiber electrodes.] These electrodes generate currents that are only a few nanoamperes, and sensitive potentiostats are required for measurements. 

When the pier has an irregular shape such as I-shaped cross section, carbon fiber sheets cannot be adhered continuously around the pier. Thus, the edges of these fiber sheets have to be fixed with some effective methods such as use of steel angles and anchor bolts, or application of carbon fiber anchor as shown in Fig. 5. 

The applications of carbon fibers along with those of ceramic oxide and silicon carbide fibers are discussed in Chapter 12. 

As the world political situation changed, the requirement for carbon fibers in military applications has decreased, entailing major defense cuts. The emphasis has shifted to commercial applications, which have grown extensively. Therefore, it is not surprising that carbon fibers are involved in a whole gamut of applications. Developments do occur very rapidly in the composites field and some of these applications may now have been discontinued or replaced, but serve to illustrate the diverse applications of carbon fiber. 

Other textile components fabricated from carbon fiber include heald (heddle) frames (these position the warp to allow a shuttle with weft to pass through), lay bars, flyer arms, needles, sinkers, guide bars and faller bars. Due to the controlled expansion, the components do not change overnight when the shed temperature drops. Lucas [108] describes the application of carbon fibers to modem high speed loom sley developments. 

J. Schultz, L. Lavielle and H. Simon, Proc. Intern. Symp. "Science and New Application of Carbon Fibers", University of Toyohashi (Japan), November 19-21, p. 125 (1984). 

The expansion of the areas of application for carbon fibers is stimulated by their attractive properties, not found in other materials, such as strength, electrical conductivity, stability on exposure to reactive media, low density, low-to-negative coefficient of thermal expansion, and resistance to shock heating. The most representative applications of carbon fibers and element carbon fibers are as sorption materials, electrostatic discharge materials, catalysts, and reinforcement materials in composites. 

The use of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials in the reinforcement of concrete structures has shown important results. These interventions are based on the application of carbon fiber, glass, or aramid impregnated with thermosetting polymers. The effectiveness of these interventions is demonstrated both by extensive research in the laboratory and by applications to existing structures. 

ABSTRACT Carbon fiber is structural and corrosion-resistant material which is necessary for development and progress of the world. The conceptions, categories, characteristics of carbon fiber are introduced in this paper and the application of carbon fiber in oil gas field is also summarized, which is of great significance. 

Carbon fiber not only is very important material for the promotion of human progress and social civilization (He, 2004), but also is a necessary structural and corrosion-resistant material for the development of space technology and strategic weapons. At present, most Chinese oilfields are in mid-later development period, and the application of carbon fiber is gradually widening in oil gas fields. 

Li Xiaoping, Zhang Xiaoping, Wang Hongwei. The Development and Application of Carbon Fiber. Hi-tech Fiber Application 2005 5 24—30. 

Lian Dong. Research and Application of Carbon Fiber Coiled Rod. West-china Exploration Engineering 2006 S 351-353. 

Yuwen Shuangfeng, Wang Kentang. The Performance and Field Application of Carbon Fiber Composite Coiled Rod. Drillings. Production Technology 2003 4 69-71. 

Zhao Xiutai, Li Peng, Qiu guangmin. The Research and Application of Carbon Fiber Used in Coated Sand for Sand Control in Injection Well. Drilling S Production Technology 2005 6 93-95. 

OgawaH (2000), Architectural application of carbon fibers. Development of new carbon fiber reinforced glulam . Carbon, 38, 211-226. 

It is likely thatthese two trends, improvement of the properties and cost reduction, will continue for some time etnd that production and the number of applications of carbon fibers will keep on expanding. 

The number of applications of carbon-fiber polymer composites is growing rapidly in aerospace, sporting goods, and industrial areas. Table 9.6 lists some of these typical applications which are in production or still... 

Table 9.6. Typical Applications of Carbon-Fiber Polymer Composites...

Potential applications of carbon-fiber metal-matrix composites are found where high thermal conductivity and increased stiffness are required. Typical applications now under consideration are listed below.t lt ... 

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