Carbon fibers

Carbon fibers are thin filaments composed mostly of carbon atoms. Their high strength and stiffness relative to their weight make them useful alone and as reinforcement in composite materials.

Polyacrylonitrile: A synthetic polymer widely used as a precursor for commercial carbon fibers. Its polymer fibers are stabilized and carbonized to produce many high-performance carbon fibers.
Carbon: A chemical element with atomic number six that forms several stable structures, including graphite and diamond. Carbon atoms form the aligned, layered structures that give these filaments their characteristic properties.
Carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer: A composite material in which carbon fibers reinforce a polymer matrix. It is the principal form in which carbon fibers are used in lightweight structures.
Glass fiber: A thin filament made from glass and used to reinforce composite materials. It is generally cheaper and less stiff than carbon fiber, but can suit less demanding structures.
Carbonization: Heat treatment that converts carbon-rich material into a material with a higher carbon content. It removes non-carbon elements from precursor fibers and forms carbon-rich filaments.
Graphite: A form of carbon made of stacked sheets of hexagonally arranged atoms. Carbon fibers contain graphite-like regions, though their structure is not usually perfect graphite.
Aerospace engineering: The engineering of aircraft, spacecraft, and associated systems. Aircraft structures use carbon-fiber composites to reduce mass while maintaining strength and stiffness.
Aramid fiber: A strong, heat-resistant synthetic fiber, including the material sold as Kevlar. Aramid offers impact resistance and toughness, while carbon fiber is typically stiffer.
Graphitization: Heat treatment that increases the ordering of carbon atoms into graphite-like structures. It can raise fiber stiffness by aligning carbon crystallites along the filament.
Anisotropy: The property of having different physical behavior in different directions. Carbon fibers are much stronger and stiffer along their length than across it.

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