Carbon fiber and fiberglass are similar and often replace each other in certain aspects of the industry. But, that doesn't mean carbon fiber is glass fiber. There are still many differences between carbon fiber and glass fiber. In this article, we will talk about the difference between carbon fiber and glass fiber.
Carbon fibers are made of carbon atoms bound together into long chains thinner than human hair, and the resulting strands can then be braided together to form cloth. These fabrics and yarns can be molded together and bonded into any desired shape under high temperature, high pressure, and vacuum conditions.
Fiberglass are made of inorganic silica sand, which is extruded into amorphous microfiber bundles by heating molten glass to extremely high temperatures through a sleeve. These carbon fiber bundles can be woven into yarn, which in turn can be woven into cloth. Same as carbon fiber, this cloth can be molded and bonded into any desired shape.
Carbon fiber is made with carbon atoms. Fiberglass is made with glass fibers that are connected together to form a material.
The strength of carbon fiber is stronger than fiberglass. (The strength is about 20 percent stronger than the best fiberglass)
Although fiberglass might not have a higher tensile strength, has a lower tensile modulus. That means fiberglass is more flexible than carbon fiber. Resulting in it will not easily break when bent and taking more strain.
If someone only requires flexibility and no need for rigidity, fiberglass is the preferred choice.
Both carbon fiber and fiberglass materials are very lightweight compared to metals such as steel and aluminum. If you compare carbon fiber to glass fiber, carbon fiber is about 15% lighter than glass fiber composites.
The price of carbon fiber is several times that of glass fiber. The price difference is that carbon fiber is hard to produce and needs to cost more time. In contrast, fiberglass processes are much easier, only needs to extrude melted glass to form fiberglass.
Carbon fiber can conductive. This is because it main component is carbon. And the molecular structure of carbon is similar to graphite. so the electrical conductivity of carbon fiber is extremely high.
Fiberglass composites are insulators, which means they do not respond to an electric field and resist the flow of electric charge.
Carbon fiber does not require covering or epoxy. But Fiberglass can easily come apart without epoxy or covering to maintain its strength and durability.
Carbon fiber generally does not damage human health. But fiberglass is different. If not sealed with epoxy, fiberglass can irritate the skin and cause a rash. If you inhale fiberglass it will cut the lining of the lungs.
The above is the difference between carbon fiber and glass fiber. Both carbon fiber and glass fiber are versatile materials that can be used for a variety of purposes, and both have advantages and disadvantages. Customers can choose the appropriate material according to the point they care about. If you care about price, fiberglass is the best choice. But it should be noted that glass fiber is not as visually pleasing as carbon fiber. Fiberglass is also an option if you need the properties to bend without breaking. To learn more about carbon fiber and the benefits it offers, contact Dronecarbon.