How carbon fiber is made?
Some organic polymers are used in the making of carbon fiber. It can also be made from petroleum. The manufacturing process is long and drawn out as it consists of:
Spinning (all the components together to make fiber low structures)Stabilizing (adding chemicals to stabilize the structure)Carbonizing (hearing the structure to make solid carbon structures)Treating the surface (oxidation of the surface to improve adhesive properties)Sizing (the fibers are spun into different sizes)
A lot of manpower is also required. The execution of all these steps makes the final product expensive.
How aluminum is made?
While making carbon fiber is long and extensive, aluminum is made in only two phases.
The Bayer process (the aluminum is mined and extracted from mining rocks)The Hall-heroult process (chemical process to form aluminum compounds)
since aluminum is abundantly found in nature and making it is easier it is cheaper than carbon fiber
Complications of using Carbon fiber
Mass production of carbon fiber vs aluminium,carbon fiber is harder than that of aluminum as it is more complicated to produce, and requires more human resources. Some of the complications that occur in using Carbon fiber are listed below:
Carbon fiber can be more expensive than aluminum in larger structures. It is more rigid than aluminum. It cannot withstand heat as well as aluminum. It is not a conductor or electricity so aluminum should be preferred where this application is necessary. Carbon fiber is layered upon itself. It’s layered in different directions to be useful. It loses its epoxy curing effects in temperatures above 150 F
When to not use aluminum?
While aluminum might be the more accessible alternative, it can be easily outperformed by carbon fiber in some areas:
Aluminum is twice as heavy, compared to carbon fiberIt is denser and has less tensile strength compared to the weight ratio. That is why carbon fiber is used in the automobile industry and air crafts. Carbon fiber outperforms aluminum in many areas. It is more rigid than aluminum and safer to use as it doesn’t conduct heat or electricity. More technological advancements in using carbon fiber as it has many variants and can also be molded in resin form. While aluminum is comparatively less versatile.
Scientific comparison
Carbon fiber is a high-strength fiber with epoxy curing properties. It can easily be molded and captures finer details of the casting object. It is lightweight and tough. Aluminum is heavier and molding it may leave wielding marks. Aluminum is slowly being replaced as the carbon fiber industry grows.
Repair and recovery analysis
aluminum prepared is more expensive than carbon fiber but it is easier to recycle aluminum. Once carbon fiber is made it cannot be reminded into something else. Furthermore, aluminum will run out eventually no matter how abundant it is in nature while carbon fiber can always be made as carbon is the most common element.
At the moment though carbon fiber is more expensive than aluminum. It has more utilities than aluminum and is more reliable as well. There are pros and cons to both materials. It depends on what utility is required. With the carbon fiber industry growing and it being used in consoles, air crafts, three-dimensional apparatuses, 3d printers, and constructions it might very well replace aluminum to some degree. Aluminum will always have applications though and with technology at its all-time peak, we never know what new ways to use both materials may reveal themselves,
Conclusion
Taking all these factors into consideration it is obvious a lot more work is needed to make carbon fiber than it is to make aluminum, but quality-wise carbon fiber is the better alternative. The opportunity for growth is also high for the carbon fiber industry while aluminum already has a mature industry. With newer gadgets preferring to use carbon fiber and it getting cheaper to produce it is estimated by 2035 carbon fiber will be as cheap as aluminum if not cheaper.
