Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2025-12-09 Origin: Site
Carbon fiber is a high-performance, carbon-rich filament, typically containing 92–99% carbon. Its atoms form highly aligned microcrystalline structures, giving it exceptional mechanical and thermal properties:
High tensile strength – stronger than steel on a per-weight basis
High Young’s modulus (stiffness) – resists deformation under load
Low density – approximately 1/4 the weight of steel
Excellent fatigue resistance – maintains performance under repeated loading
High chemical and corrosion resistance – ideal for harsh environments
Thermal stability – depends on fiber grade and resin system
Applications include:
Aerospace and UAV structures
Wind turbine blades
Automotive lightweight components
High-end bicycles and sports equipment
Marine and boating structures
Industrial machinery and robotics
Electronics and medical devices
For a company like JLON Composite, supplying carbon fiber fabrics, UD tapes, and prepregs, understanding these properties helps you communicate value to customers and select the right material for each application.
Carbon fiber does not emerge from carbon directly. It starts with a polymeric precursor, which is carefully processed into fiber. The choice of precursor determines performance, cost, and processing complexity.
Dominates >90% of the global market
High tensile strength and stable properties
Widely used in structural composites
JLON Composite primarily uses PAN-based fibers for our fabrics, UD tapes, and prepregs
Ultra-high modulus
Excellent thermal and electrical conductivity
Common in aerospace and heat-conductive applications
Stiffer but generally lower tensile strength than PAN fibers
Historically used, now rare
Lower performance compared to PAN or pitch-based fibers
In most engineering applications, PAN-based fibers are the default choice, while pitch-based fibers are used for specialized high-modulus or thermal applications.
Now let’s dive into the complete production process and explain why each step is critical.
Polymerization
Monomers such as acrylonitrile (AN) are combined with small amounts of comonomers
Free-radical polymerization occurs at controlled temperatures (~40–70°C)
Critical parameters: molecular weight, polydispersity, purity
Purpose: ensures spinnable polymer chains and uniform fiber structure
Spinning
The polymer solution is extruded through spinnerets into a coagulation bath
Filaments solidify as solvent diffuses out
Key points: filament diameter, cross-section uniformity, absence of defects
Washing
Removes residual solvent to prevent bubbles or weak spots during heating
Stretching
Fibers are stretched 5–10× at controlled temperature
Aligns molecular chains, boosting strength and modulus
Sizing
Protective coating improves handling, reduces friction, and ensures compatibility with later processes and resins
At the end of this stage, you have high-quality PAN precursor fibers, ready for stabilization.
Stabilized fibers enter a nitrogen or argon furnace
-carbon atoms (H, O, N) are removed
Carbon atoms rearrange into turbostratic graphite layers
Fibers shrink, densify, and turn black
Result: standard modulus carbon fiber suitable for most structural applications.
For applications requiring extremely high stiffness, fibers undergo graphitization
Increases crystallite size and improves modulus
Used in aerospace, robotics, satellites, and precision instruments
Carbon fibers are chemically inert and require functionalization to bond with resins
Methods: electrochemical oxidation, gas-phase, or liquid oxidation
Introduces functional groups (–OH, –COOH, –C=O)
Benefit: improves interfacial shear strength (ILSS) in composites
Second sizing applied to match intended resin system (epoxy, vinyl ester, thermoplastic)
Benefits: better wet-out, easier weaving, higher laminate strength
Critical for UD fabrics, prepregs, and multiaxial fabrics supplied by JLON Composite
Fibers are gathered into tows (1K–50K) and wound onto bobbins under controlled tension
QC checks include:
Filament count and diameter
Tensile strength and modulus
Sizing content
Defect rate
JLON Composite ensures customers receive consistent, high-quality fibers suitable for demanding FRP applications.
Precursor quality – molecular weight, purity
Thermal profiles – stabilization, carbonization, graphitization
Tension control – ensures uniform microstructure
Surface treatment & sizing – affects adhesion and composite performance
Tow size (K-count) – affects fabric weight and prepreg properties
JLON Composite supports a wide range of applications:
Aerospace: high-strength, small tow (3K–6K), high modulus
Wind turbine blades: fatigue-resistant, long continuous fibers
Automotive lightweighting: balance cost and performance (12K–24K tows)
Marine/boat structures: corrosion resistance, dimensional stability
Sports equipment: surface quality, specific stiffness for performance
We also provide complementary materials and solutions:
Woven carbon fabrics (3K/6K/12K)
UD tapes
Multiaxial fabrics
Prepregs
Core materials (PVC, PET, PMI foam)
RTM and vacuum-assisted molding support
Domestic PAN and carbon fiber production is increasing, lowering costs and improving supply chain reliability
Larger tow sizes (50K/100K) reduce unit costs for industrial-scale components
Integrated composite solutions (fiber + core + resin) shorten design and production cycles
Sustainable/thermoplastic composites are emerging, offering recyclable and eco-friendly alternatives
Carbon fiber is far more than a “black filament” — it is a highly engineered material, carefully produced through:
Polymer precursor creation
Filament spinning and stretching
Multi-zone thermal stabilization
Carbonization and optional graphitization
Surface treatment and sizing
Quality control and spooling
By understanding each step, you can make smarter material choices, evaluate suppliers more effectively, and maximize composite performance.
JLON Composite is committed to supplying high-performance carbon fiber, fabrics, UD tapes, and prepregs — together with the technical knowledge and guidance you need to succeed in your projects.
