Carbon fiber products are in growing demand. In fact, the market size is expected to be worth 7.8 billion by 2024 at a CAGR of 10.6%.
So, why’s this the case?
In short, aerospace, wind energy, defense, and automotive industries are all using increasing amounts of carbon fiber products.
In light of that, we’re going to explain everything you need to know about what carbon fiber is, why manufacturers use it, and lastly, what epoxy resin is and its role in the manufacturing of carbon fiber products.
Let’s start.
What’s Carbon Fiber? Why’s it Used in Manufacturing?
Carbon fiber is a polymer material, made up of thin crystalline filaments of carbon. It’s perfect for manufacturing because being a polymer, it’s very strong, extremely tolerant to high temperatures, as well as being incredibly lightweight. This makes carbon fiber a brilliant alternative to metals.
When manufacturers use carbon fiber to make their products, they lay it over a mold that’s covered in resin to form permanent shapes. In other words, it involves a process of chemical treatment, heating, stretching, and carbonization.
What’s Epoxy Resin?
Epoxy resin is generally formed as a result of epichlorohydrin (ECH) and bisphenol- A (BPA) reacting. Predominantly, epoxy resin is used in the manufacturing and construction of:
- Adhesives (glues)
- Plastics
- Paints
- Coatings
- Primers
- Sealers
- Vehicles
- Snowboards
- Aircrafts
As you can see, epoxy resin can be relied upon to produce a wide variety of products. This is namely because it works well with various other materials, including:
- Wood
- Fabric
- Glass
- Metal
- China
Due to epoxy resin’s versatility, it’s somewhat steeper in price. But, you get what you pay for – so it’s worth spending a little bit extra.
How’s Epoxy Used in the Manufacturing of Carbon Fiber Products?
Often, manufacturers combine epoxy resins and carbon fibers together to make a variety of products, because these two materials complement each other’s strengths. The role of epoxy resin is to bind the reinforcements within the product’s structure.
How does epoxy resin achieve this?
Well, epoxy resins transfer the weight between the fibers. As a result, a stack of carbon fibers forms. These are then infused under a vacuum.
Put simply, epoxy sticks to the carbon fiber to improve the composite material’s strength, durability, and chemical resistance. Consequently, the combination of these two materials manages to enhance the overall quality of the end product.
Want to Know More?
We hope having read this blog post; you now have a clearer understanding of the role epoxy resin plays in the manufacturing of carbon fiber products.
If you have any further questions on the subject, please feel free to reach out to our friendly team, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Don’t forget to ask us about how we can create the perfect composite material for your industry. After all, that’s what we excel in- speak soon!
