Carbon Fiber Processing: Challenges and Trends
Carbon fiber processing, with raw material conversion, composite forming, and optimization testing at its core, is a sophisticated and complex technology. Thanks to its outstanding performance, it has been widely applied in many fields. In the aviation sector, Airbus' A380 uses carbon fiber-reinforced composites to manufacture major structures such as horizontal stabilizers, vertical stabilizers, and rudders, effectively reducing the aircraft's weight and improving fuel efficiency; Boeing 787 has even increased the usage of composites to 50% of the structural weight, with main load-bearing structures like the main wings and fuselage all made from carbon fiber prepregs.
In the automotive industry, carbon fiber is also widely seen. General Motors' ultra-light concept car successfully reduced the body weight by 68% with the help of carbon fiber materials; the BMW M3 coupe uses a carbon fiber roof, which reduces weight by 5 kilograms while lowering the vehicle's center of gravity and improving driving stability. In the manufacturing of sports goods, high-end sports bicycles mostly adopt carbon fiber frames. The Ridley T24 track bike used by the Chinese national cycling team at the Tokyo Olympics has a frame weighing only 1.15 kilograms, helping athletes compete for every second on the field; in archery, bow limbs made of carbon fiber can reduce weight, increase arrow speed, and reduce vibration, improving the comfort and stability of athletes when shooting.
Current challenges are significant: Firstly, the cost remains high, as raw material purification and carbonization processes consume a lot of energy, and the investment in specialized equipment is high. Secondly, the processing flow is complex, with strict precision requirements for resin proportioning in prepreg preparation and parameter control in forming processes, making large-scale production difficult. Thirdly, environmental issues are prominent, as the treatment cost of dust and waste generated during processing is high.
Future trends are clear: Automation and intelligent technologies will become popular, improving efficiency through robotic lay-up and AI parameter regulation; the research and development of environmentally friendly materials will accelerate, and the application of recyclable carbon fibers and bio-based resins will reduce costs and pollution; the integration of new forming processes such as 3D printing technology is expected to simplify the process and promote the penetration of carbon fiber composites into a wider range of fields.
