Fibres
Carbon fibre
A black, electrically conductive fibre produced mainly from PAN or pitch. It offers the highest widely available specific stiffness and very low thermal expansion.
In simple terms
A black, electrically conductive fibre produced mainly from PAN or pitch. It offers the highest widely available specific stiffness and very low thermal expansion.
Best for
Minimum mass, high stiffness, fatigue resistance and dimensionally stable structures.
Watch out for
Brittle failure, impact sensitivity, galvanic corrosion beside aluminium, electrical conductivity and cost.
Typical applications
Aircraft, satellites, racing vehicles, pressure vessels, wind spar caps and premium sport.
Related tools
Use the calculators to turn these concepts into preliminary engineering estimates.