Carbon Fibers add Muscle to Plastics

The technology involving chemical coupling of fiber/resin constituents, cost-effective proportions, and overall processability has now reached the stage where a number of carbon-fiber-reinforced engineering thermoplastics are commercially available. Carbon-fiber-reinforcement is now available in molding compounds of nylon, polysulfone, polyester (thermoplastic), polyphenylene sulfide (Ryton), polycarbonate, polypropylene, ETFE copolymer (Tefzel), and vinylidene fluoride-TFE copolymer. Content of carbon fiber is 20, 30, or 40% by weight, although not all resins are available with a 40% loading. Nylon 6/6 is also available in a 20%-glass, 20%-carbon formulation. Tables display state-of-the-art the mechanical properties of these materials as unreinforced and as reinforced by carbon fibers or by glass fibers, including wear, frictional, and limiting PV (pressure-velocity product) characteristics