By: Charlie Tacchi

Zack Peters Cody Van Beek

Philip Tran ENGR45, SRJC, 2012

About Carbon Fiber:

• Composite Material

• About 4.5 to 6.5 microns in diameter

• In bundles, 5x as strong & 2x as stiff

as steel

• 2/3 the weight of steel

• Tensile Strength of 5.9 GPa

• Tensile Modulus of 300 GPa

• 4 different weaves

Brief History of Carbon Fiber

• 1879, Thomas Edison experimented with

carbon fiber, using it as the filament for his

light bulbs

• 1958, Roger Bacon discovered the tensile

strength of carbon fiber and was the first to

create the modern fiber with petroleum-

based polymer

• US Air force and NASA began using

carbon fiber for its applications to aircrafts

and spacecrafts

Applications of Carbon Fiber Overview:

• Sporting Equipment

• Automotive Parts

• Aerospace Engineering

• Civil Engineering

• Medical Applications

• Environmental Applications

• Things at Home

Applications in Sports:

• Ice Hockey Sticks

• Track Spikes

• Bicycle Frames

• Helmets

• Motor Racing

• Tennis Rackets

• Golf Clubs

• Cricket Bats

• Gliders

• Surfboards

• Rowing Shells

Application in the Automotive Industry:

• Racing car chassis

• Hoods

• Car emblems

• Mufflers

• Interior panels of a car

• Steering wheels

• Parts and parts and

more parts

Application in Civil Engineering

• Carbon Fiber Reinforced

Polymer is can be applied to

reinforce concrete structures

• The high strength of carbon

fiber enables it to be used as a

prestresser

• High corrosion resistance

allows for use in offshore

environments

• Used in PCCP lines to

reinforce the pipes

Applications in Aerospace Engineering

• Aircraft: main wings Tail units Fuselages Ailerons Rudders Elevators Floor panel Beams Lavatory units Seats

• Rockets: Nozzle cones Motor cases

• Satellites: Antennas Solar battery panels Tube truss structural materials

Applications in the Medical Field

• Radiographic imaging table tops,

cradles, couches, and pallet

• Table top extensions & accessories

• Oncology treatment overlays

• Positioning products

• Surgical table components

Other Applications

• Audio Equipment

• Music Instruments

• Firearms

• Laptops

• High-end knives

• Toilet seats

• Much more

What did we want to test and observe?

• Tensile Strength of Carbon Fiber

• Elasticity Modulus

• Deformation

Results

The results were inconclusive for the following reasons:

• Inadequate testing methods

o Clamping

The fibers tore at the bolts

o Resin

The resin broke off the shaft of the steel tensile sample

o Tying a knot

The single strand tore at the knot

Some Pictures of Results

Random Pictures…..

Carbon Fiber Data from Sources

Sources: http://www.tohotenax.com/tenax/en/products/pro_carbon01.php http://www.hj3.com/company/history-of-carbon-fiber/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon-fiber-reinforced_polymer#Aerospace_engineering http://www.protechcomposites.com/pages/About-Carbon-Fiber.html http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/fuel-economy/carbon-fiber-oil-crisis1.htm http://theprojectjunkie.com/resources-guides-tutorials/39/carbon-fiber-basics.html http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8129017.html http://www.yoeleo.com/weave http://www.dragonplate.com/sections/technology.asp http://www.hexcel.com/products/cf_carbonfibers