What Do Carbon Fiber Strips Do?

Carbon fiber strips are thin strips made with unidirectional carbon fiber that are very strong and flexible. The carbon fiber, which is made from polyacrylonitrile (PAN) polymer, is oriented along the axis of the strip. The epoxy resin can be combined with carbon nanotubes for additional strength and rigidity. Because these strips are pultruded, the fiber to resin ratio is higher and the fibers are extremely straight, which increases strength and stiffness. These strips are very flexible and springy and will not take a plastic deformation. When unloaded, they will return to their original shape.

In this blog, we will discuss how carbon fiber strips are used, why they are so helpful in certain projects, and how to best work with them.

How Are Carbon Fiber Strips Used?

Carbon fiber strips can be used in truss structures or as local stiffeners or reinforcements. They can be bonded to Dragonplate, plywood, or aluminum sheeting using ScotchWeld 2216 epoxy resin to provide strength and stiffness to a structure. DragonPlate Carbon Fiber Strips make it easy to create small lightweight carbon structures.

Benefits of Carbon Fiber Strips

Carbon fiber strips are easy to assemble into lightweight carbon fiber structures, as the flat surfaces facilitate easy epoxy bonding. Because they are very straight, they can easily be bonded to flat surfaces, along cylindrical surfaces or to edges. Carbon fiber strips are also very flexible, so they can be bent into tight radiii, providing strong resilient structural elements.

Working with Carbon Fiber Strips

Carbon fiber strips should also be handled with care. Carbon fiber strips will not take a permanent bend and can snap if they are bent or flexed too far. Any surfaces should be very clean and oil free for bonding. Sharp edges can be smoothed with fine sandpaper.

Learn more about Dragonplate’s carbon fiber strips at dragonplate.com/carbon-fiber-strip.