Süsinikkiust

Süsinikkiust, commonly known as carbon fiber, is a high-strength, lightweight reinforcement material made from thin carbon fibers. The fibers are bundled into tows or woven into fabrics and are typically embedded in a polymer matrix to form carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP). The fibers themselves are produced from precursors such as polyacrylonitrile (PAN) or pitch; PAN-based fibers are most common. The manufacturing involves stabilizing the precursor in air, carbonization at high temperatures (roughly 1000–1600°C) in inert atmosphere, and sometimes graphitization to increase stiffness. The surface is often treated (sizing) to improve adhesion to the resin.

Süsinikkiust has very high tensile strength and modulus, low density, and excellent fatigue and corrosion resistance. Densities around 1.75–1.95 g/cm3, tensile strengths up to 3.5–6 GPa or higher, and moduli in the hundreds of GPa are typical, depending on fiber grade. It is electrically conductive and exhibits low thermal expansion, which is advantageous in precision components. However, it is relatively expensive, exhibits poor compressive strengths in some configurations, and is sensitive to high temperatures in the presence of certain resins or UV exposure.

In applications, süsinikkiust is used in aerospace, automotive and motorsport parts, wind-turbine blades, sporting goods (bikes, rackets, golf clubs), and as reinforcement for concrete or polymers in civil engineering. Recycling and end-of-life disposal remain challenging; recycling often involves thermal or chemical processes to remove resin.

Forms include tows (1K, 3K, 12K), fabrics (weaves such as plain, twill, satin), and continuous prepregs. The choice of fiber grade, weave, and resin determines the composite’s properties for a given application.