Fiber carbon fiber, graphite or carbon graphite is formed by thin fibers composed primarily of carbon atoms. These atoms come together in microscopic crystals that are aligned parallel to the fiber axis. This makes the fiber very strong compared to its size. The material can be combined with a plastic resin and molded to form composite materials, one example is the carbon fiber reinforced plastic. Because of the density of it is much less than the density of steel, carbon fiber can be used are of low weight is required. Due to the high strength, low weight and low expansion when heated, aerospace engineering, civil and motor sports use this material in many applications. The disadvantage is that it is an expensive material compared to fiberglass or plastic.
Because of interest in the technologies that can reduce fuel consumption for cars, carbon or graphite fiber is an interesting material because it can reduce body weight of a car. Weight reduction means that smaller engines which in turn could reduce fuel consumption. There is a potential saving of 65% when the graphite fiber composites are used instead of steel.
Lightweight racing cars containing carbon fiber now have a monocoque design stressed skin which means a reduction in weight and manufacturing costs. For passenger cars, however, manufacturing techniques, this approach is too expensive for anything but niche cars. Here the cost constraints are not so tight as to make use of these new materials objectionable.
A few hundred McLaren sports car every year, and carbon graphite is used in car body. BMW uses carbon fiber front and rear, ceiling and beams, along with other internal structures of the M6. GM also has started using graphite fiber Corvette.
Daimler AG will develop carbon fiber car parts, in collaboration with Toray Industries, a Japanese textile manufacturer, and auto parts will be used in Mercedes-Benz from 2012. Mercedes Benz SL class will be the first cars to use the materials graphite fiber composites. Toray is the world's largest maker of carbon fiber and this is the first project to develop automotive parts in the company's plant in France.
The new method allows for molding processing platforms car in 10 minutes. Still means double the time required for sheet metal and normal graphite fiber is ten times more expensive but still Toray new method can dramatically reduce manufacturing costs.
Carbon fiber or graphite has been in use for quite some time in the aviation industry and could be able to afford a car that does it in a few years from now.
