Carbon Fabric

What distinguishes carbon fabric as a reinforcing fiber?

Carbon fabrics are one of the most sought-after fiber materials in the field of fiber composites due to their outstanding mechanical properties. They consist of carbon-based fibers in a woven structure, which ensures even force distribution and high dimensional stability. This structure enables a high load-bearing capacity combined with low weight. Compared to multiaxial carbon fabrics, they offer improved drapability, which makes processing much easier. They are also chemically resistant, temperature-resistant and electrically conductive. Carbon fabrics are available in various weave types, such as plain weave, twill weave or UD (unidirectional) weave. These different fabric structures each offer different properties in terms of strength, flexibility and formability, which influences the choice depending on the application. Further information on the individual fabric types can be found in our sub-categories such as plain weave, twill weave and UD weave.
 

Why are carbon fabrics used in industry?

Carbon fabrics are used in numerous branches of industry as they offer an optimum combination of lightness and stability. In mechanical engineering, they are used in structural components where high load-bearing capacity and low weight are required. In aerospace engineering, they help to reduce the overall weight of aircraft without compromising the required strength and rigidity. In boatbuilding and medical technology, manufacturers benefit from the corrosion-resistant and durable properties of CFRP. UD fabric is frequently used in aviation in particular, as it offers exceptional strength in unidirectional orientation. In other applications, such as vehicle construction, plain weave or twill weave is also used, as these types of fabric offer a balanced mix of flexibility and strength.
 

What are the advantages of carbon fabric over glass or aramid fibers?

Glass fiber (GRP) is characterized by high impact strength and a good price-performance ratio, while aramid fabric is valued for its extreme impact strength and resistance to abrasion. Carbon fabric, on the other hand, offers an unsurpassed combination of low weight and maximum rigidity, making it particularly suitable for highly stressed components. Compared to glass fiber, carbon fabric is also more resistant to fatigue and offers greater thermal resistance. Hybrid fabrics are also used in many applications, in which carbon fabric is combined with glass or aramid fibers in order to combine the respective advantages of the materials. Such hybrid structures are often used in the automotive industry and in motorsport, where the right combination of strength and flexibility is essential. In particular, the combination of plain weave and twill weave with aramid fibers enables the production of particularly resistant composite materials.
 

Where are carbon fabrics used?

In addition to aviation and mechanical engineering, carbon fabrics are also used in the automotive industry, in boat building and for sports and leisure equipment. In medical technology, they are used for prostheses and orthopaedic aids as they are biocompatible and lightweight. Thanks to the continuous development of material technology, more and more new areas of application are opening up for CFRP and other fiber composites. Various types of fabric are used in the automotive industry in particular, such as plain weave for balanced strength or UD fabric for components that require high strength in a specific direction. These types of fabric are also frequently used in the field of sports equipment, for example in the manufacture of bicycles or skis, due to their specific properties.