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The vast majority of fibers used in composites are carbon fiber and fiberglass.
Carbon fiber is a tiny (0.0002 to 0.0004 inches in diameter) strand of carbon atoms bonded linearly – making it amazingly strong in that direction. Carbon fibers can be pulled through a resin bath to create pultruded rods and tubes or woven into a fabric and pre-impregnated with resin to later be used to manufacture roll-wrapped tubes or molded parts.
Fiberglass is similar to carbon fiber, but the thin glass filaments are larger than carbon and not quite as strong. Pultruded fiberglass rods and tubes have glass fibers oriented linearly and are incredibly strong.
The choice of whether to use carbon or fiberglass in your application depends on many factors. Below is a breakdown of the most important carbon and fiberglass characteristics.
Lightweight
70% lighter than steel, 40% lighter than Aluminum
High stiffness-to-weight ratio
Also known as specific stiffness, this ratio allows materials of different mass to be compared quickly in rigidity-sensitive applications where weight is still a factor. Carbon fiber is about 3 times stiffer than steel and aluminum for a given weight.
Low thermal expansion
As opposed to most other materials, carbon fiber has a negative coefficient of thermal expansion. This means that it expands when the temperature lowers. The matrix will have a positive coefficient, resulting in a near neutral for the composite. This is a desirable quality for applications that have to operate in a wide range of temperatures .
High fatigue level
Carbon fiber composites keep their mechanical properties under dynamic loads, rather than deteriorating slowly over time.
Corrosion resistant
Carbon and fiberglass composites alike perform well in an acidic or otherwise chemically challenging environment. Additives in the resin can enhance this property.
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High strength-to-weight ratio
Also known as specific strength, this number allows you to compare materials of different mass for applications where resistance against breaking has priority. Being more flexible, it means that glassfiber typically has a higher ultimate breaking point than a similarly shaped carbon fiber product.
Cost effective
Fiberglass composites are less expensive than carbon composites in most cases
Non-conductive
Fiberglass composites are insulators, which means they do not respond to an electric field and resist the flow of electric charge.
Corrosion resistant
Carbon and fiberglass composites alike perform well in an acidic or otherwise chemically challenging environment. Additives in the resin can enhance this property.
No radio-signal interference (Radiolucent)
Glassfiber composites are very radiolucent, which means they allow radiation to pass through it freely. This makes glassfiber rods very capable antennas.
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