Difference between Fiberglass and Carbon Fiber
Glass fiber and carbon fiber are two commonly seen fiber-reinforced composite materials, yet they have significant difference on the mechanical properties and functions. Let me explain to you one by one below:
1. Different Compositions
It is clear that fiberglass and carbon fiber consist of various compositions by name but do you know the details of it?
Glass fiber is a fiber reinforced material composed of glass fiber bundles or short cut segments; while carbon fiber is a fiber reinforced material composed of carbon element fibers, as described below.
Glass fiber (fiberglass) is an excellent inorganic non-metallic material with a wide variety of properties. Its advantages include good insulation, strong heat resistance, good corrosion resistance, high mechanical strength etc. However, its disadvantages include brittleness and poor wear resistance. Its main components are silicon dioxide, alumina, calcium oxide, boron oxide, magnesium oxide, sodium oxide, etc. According to the alkali content in the glass, it can be divided into alkali free glass fiber, medium alkali glass fiber, and high alkali glass fiber. Glass fiber is commonly used as a reinforcing material in composite materials, electrical insulation materials, thermal insulation materials, circuit substrates, and other fields of the national economy.Glass fibers can be divided into continuous fibers, fixed length fibers, and glass wool according to their morphology and length; According to glass composition, it can be divided into alkali free, chemical resistant, high alkali, medium alkali, high strength, high elastic modulus, and alkali resistant (alkali resistant) glass fibers
Carbon fiber is a new type of fiber material with high strength and high modulus that fibers with a carbon content of over 95%. It is a microcrystalline graphite material obtained by stacking organic fibers such as flake graphite microcrystals along the axial direction of the fibers and undergoing carbonization and graphitization treatment. Carbon fiber is lighter than aluminium metal, but stiffer than steel. It also has corrosion resistance and high modulus characteristics, making it an important material in national defence, military industry, and civil use. It not only possesses the inherent characteristics of carbon materials, but also has the flexibility and processability of textile fibers, making it a new generation of reinforcing fibers
2. Different Physical Properties
Carbon fiber has many excellent properties, such as high axial strength and modulus, low density, high specific performance, no creep, super high temperature resistance in non oxidizing environment, good fatigue resistance, specific heat and conductivity between nonmetal and metal, small coefficient of thermal expansion and anisotropy, good corrosion resistance, and good X-ray transmission. Good conductivity, thermal conductivity, electromagnetic shielding, etc., while glass fiber has relatively low strength and stiffness, but has excellent insulation and corrosion resistance.
Carbon fiber has good conductivity, therefore its insulation is poor. When carbon fiber encounter damp environments or liquids, their electrical resistivity will significantly decrease, leading to a decrease in insulation performance. Therefore, in applications that require high insulation, glass fiber is usually chosen instead of carbon fiber.
In addition, carbon fibers may be affected by corrosion in certain specific environments, such as high temperatures or strong acidic and alkaline environments, where carbon fibers may undergo oxidation or chemical reactions and lose some of their performance. Fiberglass has excellent corrosion resistance and is suitable for environments with corrosive media.
3. Different Applications
Due to its high strength and stiffness, carbon fiber is commonly used in the manufacturing of high-end products, such as aerospace, automotive, and sports equipment. Fiberglass is mainly used in products in fields such as architecture, automobiles, ships, and wind power generation, such as insulation materials, insulation materials, electronic components, cement products, etc.
4. Different Cost
The cost of carbon fiber is much higher than fiberglass in general due to the limited productivity of carbon fiber. The facilities input for a complete carbon fiber line is expensive.
