Carbon fiber’s been used in countless materials and products since the late 1800s. With such longevity comes incredible durability and strength.
But how strong is carbon fiber actually? And what makes it so strong?
That’s what we’re here to look at today. Read on to find out more about carbon fibers and how strong they actually are.
What Makes Carbon Fiber Strong
How strong is carbon fiber?
When carbon fiber is synthesized correctly, it can be as strong as nearly 10 times the amount of steel. The chainlike bonds of its molecules are what make carbon fiber such a tough material.
Chemical reactions and extreme temperature changes are what contribute to its chainlike bonds. During the carbon fiber production process, thousands of small strands are bound together and mixed with epoxy.
While a single layer of carbon fiber sheet isn’t very thick or strong, it gets stronger as the layers are combined. Despite a single layer being about 0.25 inches thick, it’s actually an incredibly dynamic material.
So Why Doesn’t It Break Easily?
Carbon fiber lets you control the strength and even the direction of the strength of each layer or sheet.
If you’ve ever seen a sushi-rolling mat, you’ll notice that they’re made of wooden sticks that are parallel to each other. Carbon fiber sheets are much like this, but far more resilient than wood.
This means it’s hard to break carbon fiber sheets if you’re putting pressure in the same direction as the rods. Imagine if you stacked another carbon fiber sheet with the rods going the other way.
This is part of what makes carbon fiber sheets so strong. You can also weave carbon fiber filaments like a basket. If you combine these sheets on top of one another, it also creates a strong and resilient material.
Is Carbon Fiber Stronger Than Kevlar?
Many people use Kevlar, which is a brand of aramid fiber, as the baseline for how strong materials are. Compared to Kevlar, carbon fiber is generally equal in strength.
It’s worth noting that Kevlar is thicker and is harder to penetrate. However, it’s bulkier and less flexible when compared to carbon fiber. It’s also far less resistant to heat, so there are plenty of tradeoffs when it comes to Kevlar.
How Heat Resistant is Carbon Fiber?
Speaking of heat resistance, how resistant is carbon fiber to heat? Well, suffice to say, it’s hard to burn through any sort of carbon fiber.
Even if you apply a 750-degree source of heat right onto a carbon fiber layer, it’ll only burn slowly. As soon as it’s taken off the heat, though, carbon fiber will stop burning.
The carbon components in the carbon fiber sheets prevent them from burning easily. Only the non-carbon components are what burn. This is why people use carbon fiber materials for products such as engines.
So How Strong is Carbon Fiber
If you’ve been wondering “how strong is carbon fiber,” just know that it’s quite strong when layered on each other, and is incredibly fire-resistant. Use this guide to help you understand if carbon fiber is right for your needs.
Looking for a reliable composite manufacturing firm with expertise in carbon fiber? Contact us today and we’ll get you started on whatever you need!
