Carbon fiber reinforced polymer

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) is a composite in which carbon fibers reinforce a polymer matrix. Its low density and high stiffness and strength depend on fiber direction and construction.

Carbon fiber: A fine filament made mostly of carbon, valued for high tensile strength and stiffness at low weight. These filaments carry most of the load along their alignment in CFRP.
Prepreg: A reinforcement fabric or fiber pre-impregnated with a partially cured polymer resin. Prepreg provides controlled fiber-resin proportions for many high-performance CFRP laminates.
Airbus A350 XWB: A wide-body passenger aircraft whose primary structure extensively uses carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer. Its airframe illustrates CFRP’s use in large commercial aircraft structures.
Glass fiber reinforced polymer: A polymer composite reinforced with glass fibers, commonly used for lightweight structural parts. It is usually cheaper than CFRP but generally less stiff for a given weight.
Polymer matrix composite: A material in which a polymer binds and supports a reinforcing phase such as fibers or particles. CFRP is a specific polymer matrix composite whose reinforcement is carbon fiber.
Autoclave: A pressurized heating vessel used to cure materials under controlled temperature and pressure. Autoclave curing consolidates many CFRP structures while limiting voids.
Boeing 787 Dreamliner: A wide-body passenger aircraft with a largely carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer fuselage and wings. The 787 demonstrates CFRP use at commercial-aircraft scale.
Aramid fiber: A heat-resistant synthetic fiber with high tensile strength, used in protective and composite materials. Aramid composites can resist impact and abrasion better, while CFRP is typically stiffer.
Epoxy: A family of polymers formed by curing compounds containing epoxide groups, often used as structural adhesives and composite matrices. Epoxy is a common matrix that bonds carbon fibers and transfers loads between them.
Fiber layup: The arrangement and orientation of reinforcement layers in a composite structure. Changing layer directions lets designers tune CFRP for multidirectional loads.

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