Carbon composites refer to materials that combine reinforcements (carbon fiber, etc.) with metals, ceramics, polymers, etc. to give them high strength, light weight, and corrosion resistance. Compared to other materials at high temperatures, it is the only material that has good heat resistance, is thermally stable, and maintains mechanical properties even at high temperatures of 2,000℃ to 3,000℃ in a non-oxidizing environment. In addition, the influence of the base material (matrix) on physical properties is small, and it has excellent academic and electrical properties.
In general, a composite material is a material that expresses more useful functions by mechanically mixing two or more materials with different properties, and is differentiated from an alloy material and is a material that exhibits improved mechanical properties while preserving the properties of the original material. These composite materials are classified according to the type of steel material, and various materials are used such as carbon fiber, glass fiber, Kevlar fiber (representative of aramid fiber), boron fiber, silicon carbide fiber (SiC fiber), and industrial aluminum fiber (Al2O3 fiber). In addition, the base materials used in composite materials are polymer resins such as unsaturated polyester, epoxy, polyamide, and thermoplastic resin, ceramic base materials, and metal base materials.
Carbon fiber reinforced composites are composites that use carbon fiber as a reinforcement and polymer resin as a matrix. In general, the reinforcement plays an important role in reinforcing the strength and stiffness of the material, and the matrix plays the role of a binder that fixes the fibers, transmits stress between the fibers, protects the fibers from the outside, and resists mechanical abrasion.
Carbon fiber as a reinforcing material for steel composites has been used since the 1970s and has been classified as an advanced composite material until recently. In particular, it has advantages such as low density, high tensile strength (specific strength), high tensile rigidity, low thermal expansion coefficient, high heat resistance, high wear resistance, and high electrical conductivity. and high manufacturing costs. Carbon fiber steel composites have been widely used in aerospace, aviation, automotive, railway vehicles, and marine transportation as lightweight materials until recently.
