Almost all engineering and high-performance plastics are available with carbon fiber reinforcement instead of glass.
Why choose it?
- Extreme strength or stiffness is required.
- It’s a bonus if the material is also lightweight.
Why not choose it?
- Unlike glass, carbon fiber increases the product’s electrical conductivity. Sometimes that can be an unwanted property.
- Despite high strength and modulus, carbon fiber reinforced products typically have lower impact resistance.
- Price. You might be able to achieve optimal performance by changing the base material. That would probably save you some money.
Typical applications:
- Sports equipment
- Race cars
- Aviation
- High quality and performance bicycles components