Carbon fiber is a high-strength, lightweight material composed of thin, strong crystalline filaments of carbon. These fibers are woven together to create fabric or combined with a matrix, such as plastic, to form a composite material.
Composition and Structure:
Carbon fiber is made from a polymer called polyacrylonitrile (PAN) or from pitch, a tar-like substance. The production process involves heating these materials to high temperatures in an inert atmosphere, which removes non-carbon atoms, leaving behind long chains of carbon atoms tightly bonded together. This process results in fibers that are incredibly strong and stiff yet lightweight.