Unlocking New Possibilities with Flexible Carbon Fiber Composites

Unlocking New Possibilities with Flexible Carbon Fiber Composites

The Stone Age. The Bronze Age. The Iron Age. We’ve often denoted historical time periods by the materials a society is able to produce. Continuing this naming convention, our current era may best be described as the Composites Age. 

A composite is the combination of two or more materials into something new that performs better or differently than either base material alone. 

In the same way that the use of stone, then bronze, and then iron revolutionized societies, leading to leaps of innovation, the thoughtful use of composites might be what leads to your own innovation. Composites can improve the effectiveness and longevity of solutions and even make what was previously impossible possible.

So let’s take a closer look at some of the most interesting composites being explored today: carbon fiber–reinforced composites. 

The King of Composites: Carbon Fiber

The first composites might have been ancient mud bricks, which have been found with straw included as a reinforcement, ultimately increasing their loading capacity and durability. In modern times, the composites world is vast and varied, including polymers, metals, and ceramics being reinforced by any number of other materials. Chances are, there are composites inside your phone and car right now.

Of the many composites, carbon fiber–reinforced composites are some of the most popular. Carbon fiber is extremely strong for its weight, resistant to chemicals, and able to withstand high temperatures. However, carbon fiber is almost never used by itself. Despite its many benefits, it does not have much structural integrity on its own. (Carbon fibers are just that: fibers.) You need another material to give it shape.

Carbon fiber is a little like a cheat code, albeit an expensive one. While carbon fiber has gotten progressively cheaper over the past few decades, it is still pricey, easily costing ten times as much as steel. If you want to increase strength, lower weight, or tolerate extreme conditions, and the project can afford it, carbon fiber might be the solution. Carbon fiber composites have been used extensively across many industries, anywhere performance matters: from racing cars to golf clubs to aerospace vehicles. 

A carbon fiber composite—reinforced carbon–carbon (carbon fiber in a graphite matrix)—is one of the things that has allowed us to travel to space or, more accurately, to return from space. On re-entry, Space Shuttles reach speeds of 17,000 miles per hour and exterior surface temperatures of up to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Reinforced carbon–carbon panels are able to withstand these extreme conditions and keep our astronauts safe. And the panels only need to be between ¼ inch to ½ inch thick!

While carbon fiber can seem like a miracle material, there are some limitations beyond cost, specifically around flexibility. 

The Holy Grail of Carbon Fiber Composites: Flexibility 

In February 2003, the Space Ship Columbia disintegrated on re-entry. The tragedy was related to the reinforced carbon–carbon (RCC) panels. While RCC is incredibly hard and strong, it lacks impact resistance. A bit of insulating foam broke off and struck one of the RCC panels, damaging it. With the heat shield compromised, the metal substructure was heated to its yield point, and the shuttle broke apart.  

Typically, carbon fiber–reinforced composite materials are stiff—really stiff, which can also make them brittle. This can not only lead to damage but also limits the use cases for such composites. Imagine, though, if you could have the tensile strength, temperature tolerance, chemical resistance, etc., of carbon fiber but in a flexible material. For us, this is the holy grail of carbon fiber composites and what we’ve been developing. 

We have completely upended what others might think is possible when it comes to flexible carbon fiber composites by rethinking and experimenting with the types of material paired with the carbon fiber. We have pioneered applications for these highly flexible carbon fiber composites in personal protective equipment and in developing novel actuators. While these solutions are still on their way from the lab to the market, the potential is real and the results are scalable.

The Future of Flexible Carbon Fiber

While traditional carbon fiber–reinforced composites have been extensively used, flexible composites are still an emerging field. However, research and development efforts are accelerating the pace of innovation, and the possibilities are exciting to say the least. 

Sometimes the barrier to innovation is not in the idea, but in the materials available to you. In the Composites Age, who knows what is possible? Partner with PCDworks, and let’s find out.