As a high-performance fiber, the carbon fiber industry has good development prospects
Carbon fiber is a high-performance fiber, which refers to high-strength and high-modulus fiber with a carbon content of more than 90.0%. Carbon fiber is made of acrylic fiber and viscose fiber as raw materials and is prepared through high-temperature carbonization. It has the characteristics of wear resistance, high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance and other properties.
According to the “2022-2027 Carbon Fiber Industry In-depth Market Research and Investment Strategy Suggestions Report released by the Industrial Research Center, carbon fiber plays an important role in aviation It is widely used in aerospace, wind power generation, sports equipment, medical equipment, rail transportation, automobile manufacturing and other fields. Driven by the continuous release of downstream market demand and rapid economic development, my country’s carbon fiber market continues to expand. In 2021, my country’s carbon fiber market will reach US$1.35 billion, a year-on-year increase of 21.6%.
In the field of medical devices, carbon fiber has the advantages of light weight, good biocompatibility, and high wear resistance, and can be used as a material for human implants. Compared with traditional implant materials such as stainless steel, cobalt-chromium alloy, and titanium alloy, carbon fiber is non-irritating to human bone marrow tissue. Its modulus is close to that of human bone. After implantation, it can carry the load required by bone, blood and human tissue. Therefore, it is widely used in orthopedic surgery.
The technical barriers to carbon fiber are extremely high and the preparation process is relatively complex, which mainly includes processes such as polymerization, fiber spinning, pre-oxidation, carbonization, graphitization, surface treatment, sizing and drying. Carbonization reaction is a key link in carbon fiber production and will determine its quality and performance. The carbonization reaction requires placing raw materials in a carbonization furnace, injecting inert gas, and removing non-carbon molecules through high-temperature incineration, ultimately producing carbon fibers with ultra-high carbon content.
There are a large number of carbon fiber production companies in my country, and the industry concentration is high. Leading companies include Zhongfu Shenying, Guangwei Composite Materials, Jilin Chemical Fiber, Jiangsu Hengshen, Shanghai Petrochemical, etc. The above companies account for nearly 70.0% of my country’s carbon fiber market. Zhongfu Shenying Carbon Fiber Co., Ltd. is the first company listed on the Science and Technology Innovation Board in my country’s carbon fiber industry. It is the first to master the industrial manufacturing technology of dry-jet wet spinning of kiloton-level carbon fiber precursors. Its carbon fiber products are widely used in my country’s aerospace, wind power equipment, and ocean engineering. It has been widely used in other fields.
The Chinese government encourages the development of the carbon fiber industry. The “14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of the People’s Republic of China and the Outline of the Longest Goals for 2035” clearly states that it is necessary to strengthen the research and development and application of high-performance fibers such as carbon fiber. This will provide impetus for the development of the carbon fiber industry.
Industry analysts said that in recent years, the demand for carbon fiber applications in my country has continued to grow, providing broad space for industry development. While my country’s leading carbon fiber companies are expanding production scale, they also focus on innovative research and development technology and improving product quality, which will enhance the competitive advantage and voice of my country’s carbon fiber in the international market. With the support of national policies, my country’s carbon fiber will gain broad market prospects.