Overview of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites

Carbon fiber (CF) is produced by carbonizing organic fibers at high temperatures in an inert atmosphere. It is an excellent reinforcing material due to its high strength, high specific modulus, superior thermal properties, chemical stability, and damping, vibration reduction, and noise reduction characteristics.

Compared with traditional thermoset composites, thermoplastic composites offer shorter molding cycles, lower toxicity in chemical composition, higher toughness, better impact resistance and damage tolerance, longer shelf life of prepregs, and stronger mass production capability.

Thermoplastic composites reinforced with CF combine the performance advantages of both carbon fiber and thermoplastic resin. They do not undergo chemical cross-linking after molding and can be remelted and reshaped, making recycling and reuse easier and addressing the end-of-life disposal issues of thermoset CF materials. During processing, carbon fiber thermoplastic composites undergo crystallization and glass transition, while carbon fiber thermoset composites undergo cross-linking and curing reactions.

From a technical standpoint, thermoplastic CF composites are more challenging to impregnate during production compared to thermoset CF composites, but they offer clear advantages: shorter molding cycles, superior impact resistance, weldability, secondary molding capability, and greater design flexibility.

Components made from carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites are typically lightweight, high-strength, tough, and recyclable. They have broad application prospects in aerospace, military, high-end machinery, medical equipment, and other fields.

Carbon fiber reinforced composites differ from traditional FRP materials reinforced with glass fibers or aramid fibers. CFRP composites (carbon fiber reinforced plastics) offer exceptional properties, including:

Lightweight: Traditional glass fiber reinforced composites use continuous glass fiber with a 70% weight fraction (glass/total weight), typically reaching a density of 0.065 lb per cubic inch.

High Strength: Despite being lightweight, CFRP composites have significantly higher strength and stiffness per unit weight than glass fiber composites. Their advantage becomes even more pronounced when compared with metals.

For example, experience shows that CFRP materials weigh only 1/5 of steel at equivalent strength. It’s clear why automotive manufacturers are actively exploring carbon fiber as a steel substitute to improve vehicle performance. When compared with aluminum—one of the lightest metals—under equivalent strength assumptions, aluminum still weighs about 1.5 times more than carbon fiber.

Common resins used in carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites include PEEK (Polyetheretherketone), TPI (Thermoplastic Polyimide), PPS (Polyphenylene Sulfide), and PEKK (Polyetherketoneketone).

Below is a brief introduction of three types: carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic polyimide, carbon fiber reinforced polyphenylene sulfide, and carbon fiber reinforced polyetheretherketone.

1.

Carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic polyimide (PI) composites

As a new generation of high-performance specialty engineering plastics, retain the high strength, high-temperature resistance, chemical resistance, good dielectric properties, and radiation resistance of traditional thermoset polyimides. They also offer outstanding toughness and thermal processing advantages, allowing for not only hot pressing but also extrusion and injection molding. The addition of carbon fiber significantly enhances the mechanical properties of thermoplastic polyimide; when the carbon fiber volume fraction reaches 30%, the tensile and flexural strength is about 2-3 times that of the pure resin. Carbon fiber reinforcement also imparts even better heat resistance and mechanical performance, making thermoplastic polyimide composites ideal for high-grade, wear-resistant, and corrosion-resistant applications.

2.

Carbon fiber reinforced polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) composites
Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) is also one of the most favored thermoplastic resins in the composites industry. It exhibits excellent mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and inherent flame retardancy, making it a popular matrix material for various high-performance composites. The mechanical properties of carbon fiber reinforced PPS composites are influenced by the carbon fiber content; within a certain threshold, a higher carbon fiber content results in greater load-bearing capacity. Experiments have shown that even under temperature variations as high as 100°C, continuous carbon fiber reinforced PPS composite panels maintain good stability in interlaminar shear strength (ILSS).

3.

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) Composites

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) composites are known for their high rigidity, excellent dimensional stability, low coefficient of thermal expansion, and ability to withstand immense stress without significant elongation over time. Moreover, PEEK has a low density, good processability, and is suitable for components that require high precision. PEEK itself is one of the thermoplastic resins with excellent heat resistance, withstanding long-term operating temperatures up to 250°C, while its mechanical properties remain largely unaffected in such high-temperature environments. By using carbon fiber as a reinforcement, the performance of PEEK in terms of strength, rigidity, and wear resistance is further enhanced, which also significantly extends the overall service life of the product. Experimental studies have shown that when the carbon fiber content is between 30% and 40%, the wear resistance of the PEEK-based composite material is significantly improved. The addition of carbon fiber effectively enhances its application value and range.

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