Choosing the right materials for a particular furniture is quite complicated when you lack knowledge and understanding about it. Sometimes, you just rely on the information that a shop attendant is saying regarding their products. In this case, it would be very easy for you to believe whatever a seller is talking about, right? In my opinion, this is not a smart thing to do because you might choose a furniture wrongly and that may lead to disappointment. Let’s say that you have plans of buying new chairs for your home.
One of the raw materials used when it comes with a sturdy and comfy chair is a CF. Now, check the products or designs that are available in the shops. For example, you may go online and search from the listing. As you browse each model from the list, it is also a must to think, if this one will suit your home or not.
Since you are aware that the models, which you are looking at are made of carbon fiber, you should be interested in learning more about this raw material. Other chairs are made of wood, which is also strong. But why do other manufacturers use a CF just like the Aeron carbon chair? I guess, this is a relevant information that you need to understand before buying for your home or even office use.
What is carbon fiber or CF?
Basically, it is a material that is composed of conformed and linked carbon atoms with 10 – 50 micrometer diameter. This comes with a crystal structure along the fibers. It is aligned in such a way that it makes the volume really sturdy. It is because every strand has thousands of braided strings. Aside from the fact that this is a relatively strong one. It is also high in some features, such as flexibility, temperature and resistance. That makes it useful in the field of engineering, motor sports and military applications as well.
When it comes to the atomic structure, it is the same with the graphite, but this site will tell you more about the difference. Depending on how it is manufactured, it may have structured in a hybrid, graphitic or the turbostratic way and flat layers. When a CF is formed from a PAN or polyacrylonitrille, it is turbostratic. These are more elastic, however less flexible. While CF’s that are produced, using a coal tar is graphitic when heated over a 2200-degree Celsius temperature. Actually a CF has a characteristic – close to steel and plastic. If you are going to consider the weight ratio of this material, it is, indeed, higher compared to a plastic and steel.
It is not easy to compare raw materials because they are used and built with a purpose and have their own properties. Generally, this raw material is either isotropic or homogeneous. At all points, it is homogenous like aluminum, plastic and steel. While it can also be isotropic because these resources are the same in all axes.
Manufacturing
So, how are the precursors processed? These long strands are woven and combined with other precursors that comes in different sizes and shapes. It has to undergo 5 stages to complete a product.
First, is the spinning. Here, the PAN is mixed together with other ingredients or elements and whirled to form a fiber. These are later on washed and then, stretched. Second is the stabilizing, where there is a need to alter chemicals that will help in stabilizing the bond. Third, we have carbonizing. Here, they are going to heat the stabilized fibers. It must be done in an extremely high temperature. Through this, it can form crystals that must be tightly bonded – making it stronger. Visit https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2gru0q/why_is_carbon_fibre_so_strong_if_pure_carbon_is/ to learn what other people have to stay on its strength.
The fourth stage is to treat the surface. During this stage, they are going to oxidize the surface of the CF. they need to do this because it is very important to improve and enhance the bonding properties of the resources used. The last stage is the sizing. This is where the CF are coated into the bobbins that has to be spinned, using a machine to allow the twisting into a yarn size.