Graphite-reinforced plastic or carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP or CRP), is a strong, light and very expensive composite material or fibre reinforced plastic. Like glass-reinforced plastic, the composite material is commonly referred to by the name of its reinforcing fibers (carbon fiber), an example of part-for-whole metonymy. The plastic is most often epoxy, but other plastics, like polyester or vinylester, are also sometimes used. Composite materials (or composites for short) are engineering materials made from two or more components. ... Fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) is a composite material comprising a polymer matrix reinforced with fibres usually of glass, carbon, or aramid and is commonly used in aerospace, automotive and marine industries. ... Glass-reinforced plastic (GRP), is a composite material or fibre reinforced plastic made of a plastic reinforced by fine fibers made of glass. ... Carbon fiber composite is a strong, light and very expensive material. ... In rhetoric and cognitive linguistics, metonymy (in Greek meta = after/later and onoma = name) is the use of a single characteristic to identify a more complex entity. ... Epoxy or polyepoxide is a thermosetting epoxide polymer that cures when mixed with a catalyzing agent or hardener. Most common epoxy resins are produced from a reaction between epichlorohydrin and bisphenol-A. The first commercial attempts to prepare resins from epichlorohydrin occurred in 1927 in the United States. ... Close-up of a polyester shirt SEM picture of a bend in a high surface area polyester fiber with a seven-lobed cross section Polyester is a category of polymers, or, more specifically condensation polymers, which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. ...

It has many applications in aerospace and automotive fields, as well as in sailboats, and notably in modern bicycles, where these qualities are of importance. It is becoming increasingly common in small consumer goods as well, such as laptops, tripods, and fishing rods. Aerospace engineering is the branch of engineering concerning aircraft, spacecraft and related topics. ... Car redirects here. ... Traditional wooden cutter beating. ... This racing bicycle is built using lightweight, shaped aluminum tubing and carbon fiber stays and forks. ... Laptop with touchpad. ... Camera Tripod A tripod refers to any three-legged structure. ... A fishing rod is a tool used to catch fish, usually for sport. ...

Composite

The choice of matrix can have a profound effect on the properties of the finished composite. One common plastic for this application is graphite epoxy, and materials produced with this methodology are generically referred to as composites. The material is produced by layering sheets of carbon fibre cloth into a mould in the shape of the final product. The alignment and weave of the cloth fibres is important for the strength of the resulting material. In professional applications all air is evacuated from the mould, however in applications where cost is more important than structural rigidity, this step is skipped. The mould is then filled with epoxy and is heated or air cured. The resulting stiff panel will not corrode in water and is very strong, especially for its weight. If the mould contains air, small air bubbles will be present in the material, reducing strength. For hobby or custom applications the cloth can instead be draped over a mould, and the epoxy is "painted" over it, however because of the resulting lack of strength, this is usually only used for cosmetic details. Wiktionary has a definition of: Matrix The word matrix (plural matrices, or less often, matrixes) has several meanings. ... Molding (US) or moulding (UK) can be: moulding or molding, a decorative feature used in interior design and architecture molding or moulding, a process used in manufacturing This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Epoxy or polyepoxide is a thermosetting epoxide polymer that cures when mixed with a catalyzing agent or hardener. Most common epoxy resins are produced from a reaction between epichlorohydrin and bisphenol-A. The first commercial attempts to prepare resins from epichlorohydrin occurred in 1927 in the United States. ...

The high amount of (often manual) work required to manufacture composites has hitherto limited their use in applications where a high number of complicated parts is required.

The chemistry and manufacturing techniques for thermosetting plastics like epoxy are often poorly-suited to mass-production. One potentially cost-saving and performance-enhancing measure involves replacing the epoxy matrix with a thermoplastic material such as Nylon or polyketone. Boeing's entry in the Joint Strike Fighter competition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Strike_Fighter#Program__History) included a Delta-shaped carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastic wing, but difficulties in fabrication of this part contributed to Lockheed Martin winning the competition. Thermosetting plastics (thermosets) refer to a range of polymer materials that cure, through the addition of energy, to a stronger form. ... Mass production is the production of large amounts of standardised products on production lines. ... A thermoplastic is a plastic that softens when heated and hardens again when cooled. ... This article covers the material nylon. ... The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) is a leading American aircraft and aerospace manufacturer, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with its largest production facilities in Everett, Washington, near Seattle, Washington. ... The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a fighter plane currently in early development by Lockheed Martin (with partners Northrop Grumman and BAE SYSTEMS.) The primary customers are the United States armed forces and the United Kingdom (RN and RAF), but the Netherlands... Lockheed/BAE/Northrop F-35 Lockheed Trident missile C-130 Hercules; in production since the 1950s, now as the C-130J Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is an aerospace manufacturer formed in 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta. ...

Other materials can be used as the matrix for carbon fibres, as well. Due to the formation of metal carbides (i.e., water-soluble AlC) and corrosion considerations, carbon has seen limited success in metal matrix composite applications. Reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) consists of carbon fibre-reinforced graphite, and is used structurally in high-temperature applications, such as the nose cone and leading edges of the space shuttle. Corrosion is deterioration of useful properties in a material due to reactions with its environment. ... A metal matrix composite (MMC) is a type of composite material with at least two constituent parts, one being a metal. ... Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) is a composite material consisting of carbon fiber reinforcement in a matrix of graphite, often with a silicon carbide coating to prevent oxidation. ... 1970 Model American Aviation AA-1 Yankee showing the wings straight leading edge The Leading edge is that part of the wing that, when it is in motion, first contacts the air. ... The Space Shuttle Columbia seconds after engine ignition, 1981 (NASA). ...

Automotive uses

Carbon fiber is used extensively in racing, most especially in Formula One and Indycar racing. The high cost of carbon fiber is mitigated by the material's unsurpassed strength-to-weight ratio, and low weight is essential for high-performance automobile racing. Formula One, abbreviated to F1 and also known as Grand Prix racing, is the highest class of single-seat open-wheel formula auto racing. ... IndyCar is most often used as a generic term for open-wheel auto racing in the United States National Championship, and comes from the name of the Indianapolis 500, the best known and long most-popular open-wheel auto race in North America. ...

Several supercars over the past few decades have used carbon fiber for various components. The most notable is the McLaren F1 which used the material extensively, even for the monocoque. Other supercars that make significant use of the material include the Bugatti EB110, Pagani Zonda and Ferrari Enzo. This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The McLaren F1 is a roadcar manufactured by McLaren Cars, a British company. ... Monocoque (French for single shell) or unibody is a construction technique that uses the external skin of an object to support some or most of the load on the structure. ... The Bugatti EB110 is an exclusive supercar from Bugatti, one of the most celebrated marques in automotive history. ... The Pagani Zonda is a supercar made by Italian car maker Pagani. ... The Ferrari Enzo Ferrari is a 12-cylinder Ferrari supercar named after the companys founder, Enzo Ferrari. ...

Until now, the material has had limited use in mass-produced cars because of the expense involved - in terms of materials, equipment and the relatively limited pool of individuals with expertise in working with it.

BMW has begun studying and creating methods of producing carbon fibre reinforced plastics in its Landshut plant. To make the roof of the BMW M3 CSL, 5 layers of carbon fibre cloth are placed in an 1,800 ton press, where epoxy is resin transfer moulded and heat-cured in a robot-automated process. The resulting roof is half the weight of the equivalent steel roof. The BMW logo is a circle (known as a roundel) divided into quadrants of alternating white and light blue color. ... There is also a Landshut in the Canton of Bern in Switzerland, see Landshut, Switzerland Landshut is a city in Bavaria, Germany, the capital of the Niederbayern region. ... 2002 BMW M3 convertible The BMW M3 is a sports version of the popular compact 3-Series automobile made by BMW Motorsport. ... A humanoid robot playing the trumpet In practical usage, a robot is a mechanical device which performs automated tasks, either according to direct human supervision, a pre-defined program or, a set of general guidelines using artificial intelligence techniques. ... Steel framework Steel is a metal alloy whose major component is iron, with carbon being the primary alloying material. ...

Chevrolet is already using carbon fiber in its flagship sports car, the Corvette. A special option package for the Corvette, dubbed the Z06, includes carbon fiber front bodywork for reduced weight and added rigidity. Chevrolet, or Chevy, is a brand of automobile, now part of the General Motors group. ... C5 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 at the Memphis Motor Speedway, 2004 The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car first manufactured by Chevrolet in 1953 and is built today exclusively at a General Motors assembly plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky. ... C5 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 at the Memphis Motor Speedway, 2004 The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car first manufactured by Chevrolet in 1953 and is built today exclusively at a General Motors assembly plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky. ...

Use of the material has been more readily adopted by low-volume manufacturers like TVR who use it primarily for creating body-panels for some of their high-end cars due to its increased strength and decreased weight compared with the glass-reinforced plastic they use for the majority of their products. TVRs logo TVR 280i TVR Chimaera TVR is a manufacturer of sports cars, located in Blackpool, North West England. ... Glass-reinforced plastic (GRP), is a composite material or fibre reinforced plastic made of a plastic reinforced by fine fibers made of glass. ...

See also

• Carbon fiber
• Graphite
• Kevlar
• Fibreglass

Carbon fiber composite is a strong, light and very expensive material. ... Graphite (named by Abraham Gottlob Werner in 1789, from the Greek γραφειν: to draw/write, for its use in pencils) is one of the allotropes of carbon. ... Kevlar, also known as Twaron and poly-paraphenelyne terephthalamide, is a synthetic fibre that is five times stronger than steel, weight for weight. ... There is a disputed proposal to merge this article with glass-reinforced plastic. ...

External links

• Japan Carbon Fibre Manufacturers Association (English) (http://www.carbonfibre.gr.jp/english/)
• Carbon fibre page from the Department of Polymer Science at USM (http://www.psrc.usm.edu/macrog/carfib.htm)
• BMW's use of carbon fibre reinforced plastics (http://www.germancarfans.com/News.cfm/NewsID/2030725.001)