Carbon Fiber Weaves and Their Impact on Performance

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Known for its impeccable qualities, Carbon Fiber has unique properties that make it a widely popular and preferred material for various industries ranging from Aerospace to Sports. However, there are various factors that determine its application in the industry, such as the nature of alignment, the matrix material, the manufacturing process, etc. This analysis aims to delve into the most significant aspect of the material that comes out the other end: the pattern and arrangement of Carbon fiber atoms. It is as astounding as it seems that simple weave patterns determine the overall performance in terms of the most pertinent performance parameters like high strength, stiffness, flexibility, and durability. This article begins by providing a brief overview of the process of manufacturing the weaves, the types of carbon fiber weaves commonly deployed, and their impact on the performance in the form of a comparative analysis.

CARBON FIBER WEAVES: MAKING AND COMMON PATTERNS

While the process of manufacturing carbon fiber is fairly easy to incorporate (another reason for its heavy usage throughout various industries), the process of weaving begins post-carbonization, or the removal of non-carbon elements from the carbon fiber compound using extremely high temperatures in an inert atmosphere. These sets of carbonized fibers in thousands of quantities are bundled together into a “tow.” The tows are then coated with various substances to improve the adhesive and the handling properties before weaving commences. These coated sets of fibers are broadly placed in two forms- in longitudinal fibers running parallel to the length of the fabric, often referred to as “Warp” or perpendicularly or transversely, termed as “weft.” Post deciding upon the arrangement (Longitudinal or Transverse), traditional weaving looms are used to interlace and arrange the tows in the desired pattern. This process happens using automated machines to improve the precision and efficiency of the weaving process. Subsequently, additional treatments such as coatings, finishing, cutting, layering, and curing take place to obtain the end product.

It is pertinent to note that the method of weave chosen and the material for the matrix are two of the most crucial factors that signify the kind of output that will be achieved. The weave pattern in that regard plays a major role in the case of strength and stiffness. The following are the most commonly used weave patterns:

• Plain Weave: This is the simplest form of carbon fiber weave pattern that can be used. Also called a checkerboard-like pattern, each tow alternately goes over and below the perpendicular tow. Although this pattern allows ease of manufacturing, this may not provide as much strength as the other forms of weaves in Carbon fiber products.
• Twill Weave: A slight variation of the plain weave pattern, the twill weave is a diagonal pattern wherein each tow passes over either 2 or 4 tows and then goes under the tows. Twills usually occur in the same number of tows, that is, two over, two under, or four over, four under. This pattern is helpful wherein the carbon fiber must have conformability to curved surfaces or drape ability, such as sports equipment.
• Unidirectional Weave: As goes the name, in this pattern, all carbon fibers run in a single direction- giving the ultimate composite material high tensile strength.
• Satin Weave: Similar to the Twill Pattern, satin weaves have a similar arrangement as that of twill, except with longer floating sections and a larger number of tows. The long floating pattern gives it a smooth appearance, and this is useful for applications that require an aesthetic appeal, such as jewelry.
• Hybrid Weave: Although not strictly a type of carbon fiber weave, this weave pattern is used wherein carbon fiber is weaved with different materials such as fiberglass or Kevlar.

STRATEGIC WEAVING: A COMPARATIVE ON REDEFINING PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Since the pattern of weave in the manufacturing process itself plays a fundamental role, different types of weaving patterns are adopted depending on the requirement of the End User. The following parameters are radically influenced by the type of weaving chosen:

STRENGTH

• Plain Weave: Because of its checkboard-like pattern, this weave provides a considerable amount of strength and stiffness.
• Twill Weave: Twill weaves are the perfect mix of strength along flexibility. More often than not, twill leave is used in the Aerospace industry because of its tensile strength combined with conformability.
• Satin Weave: Although satin weaves provide a decent amount of strength, it is more focused on maintaining flexibility.

FLEXIBILITY

• Plain Weave: Plain weave has a fixed set pattern and does not leave scope for a lot of flexibility.
• Twill Weave: Because of its diagonal pattern of arrangement of tows, twill weave offers good flexibility and drapability.
• Satin Weave: However, satin weave provides the highest form of flexibility, making it ideal for cosmetic and decorative applications catering to a plethora of designs due to its long floats.

WEIGHT

• Plain Weave: Lighter than most of the other weaves, plain weave is highly suitable wherein minimizing mass is crucial, such as in UAV Applications.
• Satin Weave: In comparison, Satin weave can be heavier depending on the specific construction and the pattern of tows adopted. For instance, an eight-tow pattern is likely to weigh more than a twill pattern of two tows.

IMPACT RESISTANCE

• Plain Weave: Although plain weave can have a fairly average impact resistance, making it an ideal choice for most applications, the other weave patterns generally offer a higher impact resistance.
• Twill and Satin Weave: Contrary to plain weaves, Twill and satin weaves offer a balance between strength and impact resistance and hence cater to applications that require both, such as Defence components, Aerospace, and Sports amongst others.

COST

• Plain Weave: Due to the ease of the manufacturing process, plain weaves are more cost- effective compared to the more multifaceted weaving patterns.
• Twill and Satin Weave: Since the process requires a more complex pattern, it is more labor-intensive and is more expensive than the other weaving patterns.

While the manufacturing process may vary slightly in the case of each weaving pattern, the choice of the pattern is based on the specifical industry requirement and the application. The engineering process and the designing process consider the balance of strength, flexibility, aesthetical appeal, and the cost to select the weave pattern that would cater to the tailor-made requirement of the end user. It can therefore be evidently corroborated that the carbon fiber weave plays a critical role in determining the property of the final composite material and hence is a concomitant to unveiling the breakthrough in the performance of the material.