CARBON FIBER MANUFACTURING

Introduction
Structural materials can be divided into four basic categories: metals, polymers,
ceramics, and composites. Composites, which consist of two or more separate materials
combined in a structural unit, are typically made from various combinations of the
other three materials. Composites are generally used because they have desirable
properties that cannot be achieved by any of the constituent materials acting alone. The
most common example is the fibrous composite consisting of reinforcing fibers
embedded in a binder or matrix material. Particle or flake reinforcements are also used,
but they are generally not as effective as fibers. Fibrous reinforcement is very effective
because many materials are much stronger and stiffer in fiber form than they are in
bulk form.
The carbon fibers were first employed by Edison as a filament material in the
initial development of the electric light, and that paved the way for the use of more
efficient and durable materials within a few years. In particular, the fibrous nature
turned out to be of great importance for structural developments in the aerospace and
automotive fields. The practical commercial uses of carbon fibers, such as
reinforcement, came into being since the 1960s when it became apparent that the
carbon fibers, which contributed significantly to the strength and stiffness of structural
products, could be developed. Carbon fibers are widely defined as fibers containing at
least 92 and up to 100 wt% carbon. Moreover, carbon fibers are polycrystalline, and
usually in the nongraphitic stage. They possess a two-dimensional long-range order of
carbon atoms in planar hexagonal networks, but without any measurable
crystallographic order in the third direction (z-direction) apart from parallel stacking.
The raw material used to make carbon fiber is called the precursor. About 90% of the
carbon fibers produced are made from polyacrylonitrile (PAN). The remaining 10% are
made from rayon or petroleum pitch. The process for making carbon fibers is part
chemical and part mechanical. The precursor is drawn into long strands or fibers and
then heated to a very high temperature without allowing it to come in contact with
oxygen. Without oxygen, the fiber cannot burn. Instead, the high temperature causes the
atoms in the fiber to vibrate violently until most of the non-carbon atoms are expelled.
This process is called carbonization and leaves a fiber composed of long, tightly
interlocked chains of carbon atoms with only a few non-carbon atoms remaining.

Manufacturing Process of Carbon Fibre

 Spinning: PAN fibers are formed by a process called wet spinning. The dope is
immersed in a liquid coagulation bath and extruded through holes in a spinneret
made from precious metals. The spinneret holes match the desired filament count
of the PAN fiber (e.g., 12,000 holes for 12K carbon fiber). This wet-spun fiber,
relatively gelatinous and fragile, is drawn by rollers through a wash to remove
excess coagulant, then dried and stretched to continue the orienting of the PAN
polymer. Here, the filament’s external shape and internal cross-section are
determined by the degree to which the selected solvent and coagulant have
penetrated the precursor fiber, the amount of applied tension and the percentage of
filament elongation.
 Stabilizing: Before the fibers are carbonized, they need to be chemically altered to
convert their linear atomic bonding to a more thermally stable ladder bonding. This
is accomplished by heating the fibers in air to about 390-590° F (200-300° C) for 30-
120 minutes. This causes the fibers to pick up oxygen molecules from the air and
rearrange their atomic bonding pattern. The stabilizing chemical reactions are
complex and involve several steps, some of which occur simultaneously. They also
generate their own heat, which must be controlled to avoid overheating the fibers.
Commercially, the stabilization process uses a variety of equipment and techniques.
In some processes, the fibers are drawn through a series of heated chambers. In
others, the fibers pass over hot rollers and through beds of loose materials held in
suspension by a flow of hot air. Some processes use heated air mixed with certain
gases that chemically accelerate the stabilization.
 Carbonizing: Once the fibers are stabilized, they are heated to a temperature of about
1,830-5,500° F (1,000-3,000 °C) for several minutes in a furnace filled with a gas
mixture that does not contain oxygen. The lack of oxygen prevents the fibers from
burning in the very high temperatures. The gas pressure inside the furnace is kept
higher than the outside air pressure and the points where the fibers enter and exit
the furnace are sealed to keep oxygen from entering. As the fibers are heated, they
begin to lose their non-carbon atoms, plus a few carbon atoms, in the form of various
 gases including water vapor, ammonia, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen,
nitrogen, and others. As the non-carbon atoms are expelled, the remaining carbon
atoms form tightly bonded carbon crystals that are aligned more or less parallel to
the long axis of the fiber. In some processes, two furnaces operating at two different
temperatures are used to better control the rate of heating during carbonization.
 Treating the surface: After carbonizing, the fibers have a surface that does not bond
well with the epoxies and other materials used in composite materials. To give the
fibers better bonding properties, their surface is slightly oxidized. The addition of
oxygen atoms to the surface provides better chemical bonding properties and also
etches and roughens the surface for better mechanical bonding properties. Oxidation
can be achieved by immersing the fibers in various gases such as air, carbon dioxide,
or ozone; or in various liquids such as sodium hypochlorite or nitric acid. The fibers
can also be coated electrolytically by making the fibers the positive terminal in a bath
filled with various electrically conductive materials. The surface treatment process
must be carefully controlled to avoid forming tiny surface defects, such as pits, which
could cause fiber failure.
 Sizing: After the surface treatment, the fibers are coated to protect them from
damage during winding or weaving. This process is called sizing. Coating materials
are chosen to be compatible with the adhesive used to form composite materials.
Typical coating materials include epoxy, polyester, nylon, urethane, and others.

Market Dynamics of Carbon Fibre manufacturing

 Present Scenario: The carbon fiber market is projected to grow from USD 4.7 billion
in 2019 to USD 13.3 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 11.0% between 2019 and 2029. The
market is growing due to its increasing demand from aerospace & defense,
automotive, and wind energy industries. The major end-user industries in the carbon
fiber market include aerospace & defense, automotive, sports & recreation, and wind
energy. The aerospace & defense industry accounted for a major share of the market,
in terms of value and volume. This is due to the increased production of aircraft by
Boeing and Airbus. Boeing and Airbus have a projected demand for nearly 9,000 new
wide-bodied aircraft over the next 20 years. The use of carbon fiber in narrow-body
aircraft is also witnessing growth t. According to The Teal Group, aircraft production
is set to grow at 5.8% annually, from an estimated market size of USD 164 billion in
 2017 to USD 218 billion by 2022. PAN-based carbon fiber dominate the overall
carbon fiber market as they are widely applicable in aerospace & defense,
automotive, sports & recreation, wind energy, and other industries. This fiber has
high strength modulus in comparison to other types of carbon fibers. PAN-based
carbon fiber is used more due to its cost-effectiveness and better quality of fiber
produced. This carbon fiber precursor possesses high tensile strength and elastic
modulus. It gives more than 85% yield of carbon fiber.
 Driver: Aircraft manufacturers are becoming stronger through consolidation for new
single-aisle regional aircraft manufacturing projects. In 2018, Embraer (Sã o Paulo,
Brazil) entered into a joint venture with Boeing for the production of regional
commercial aircraft. Airbus and Bombardier (Quebec, Canada) entered into a
partnership for the production of the C Series aircraft. In 2018, JetBlue purchased 60
Airbus A220-300s, the new designation for the former C-Series aircraft.
Single-aisle airplanes are expected to command the largest share of new aircraft
deliveries during the forecast period. These aircraft are expected to fulfill around
70% of the future commercial aircraft demand. With the retirement of A30 aircraft
production, all the players in the entire aerospace production value chain are looking
for the future. Currently, only Boeing 787, 777X, and Airbus A350 are in production
that are using carbon fiber. New demand for carbon fiber is expected to come from
the next-generation single-aisle aircraft. The new midsize airplane - NMA, or, 797) - a
single-aisle, mid-range plane designed by Boeing is expected to replace the
company’s retired Boeing 757 aircraft. This aircraft is also expected to have AFP-
made, autoclave-cured wings and fuselage structures.
 Restraint: Aircraft manufacturers are becoming stronger through consolidation for
new single-aisle regional aircraft manufacturing projects. In 2018, Embraer (Sã o
Paulo, Brazil) entered into a joint venture with Boeing for the production of regional
commercial aircraft. Airbus and Bombardier (Quebec, Canada) entered into a
partnership for the production of the C Series aircraft. In 2018, JetBlue purchased 60
Airbus A220-300s, the new designation for the former C-Series aircraft.
Single-aisle airplanes are expected to command the largest share of new aircraft
deliveries during the forecast period. These aircraft are expected to fulfill around
70% of the future commercial aircraft demand. With the retirement of A30 aircraft
production, all the players in the entire aerospace production value chain are looking
 for the future. Currently, only Boeing 787, 777X, and Airbus A350 are in production
that are using carbon fiber. New demand for carbon fiber is expected to come from
the next-generation single-aisle aircraft. The new midsize airplane - NMA, or, 797) - a
single-aisle, mid-range plane designed by Boeing is expected to replace the
company’s retired Boeing 757 aircraft. This aircraft is also expected to have AFP-
made, autoclave-cured wings and fuselage structures.
 Oppurtunity: 3D printing technology involves the printing of a 3D object from a
digital model by stacking thin materials. This is a sophisticated technology used for
several applications and does not require large equipment setup. This technology can
be used to print several objects in a short time span. Continuous carbon fibers are
used in 3D printing as if it offers high strength and rigidity compared to other
metallic materials. The content and orientation of carbon fiber are controllable,
which eases the optimization process. 3D printing using carbon fibers also allows for
high accuracy in the manufacturing of parts for various end-use industries such as
aerospace, automotive, and dental. This technology will revolutionize the carbon
fiber manufacturing process and will offer significant opportunities for the market
players.
 Challenge: The high cost of carbon fiber is one of the major concerns associated with
its growth. Carbon fiber is still not used in large applications due to its high cost.
Developing low-cost technologies is a major challenge for researchers and key
manufacturers. In the automotive industry, carbon fiber composites are only
introduced in high-end and luxury cars due to their high cost. With the production of
low-cost carbon fiber, there will be an increased use in the automotive industry than
the aerospace industry, where high-grade carbon fiber is used.