Carbon Fiber vs. Fiberglass: Why is there such a big difference in price and performance for the same fiber?

Carbon Fiber vs. Fiberglass: Why is there such a big difference in price and performance for the same fiber?

Have you ever wondered this? A high-grade carbon fiber fishing rod may cost thousands of dollars, while ordinary fiberglass fishing rod dozens of dollars can get. The same is "fiber", the name sounds like cousins, why the price and performance, it has become a "noble" and "commoner" gap? Today, we'll pick up a pick of carbon fiber and fiberglass this pair of "fiber family" in the compatriots, to see what they are actually different from the inner.

From a different background: the "second generation of wealth" and the "doers" of the material world.

To understand the difference, we have to start with the "pedigree".

Fiberglass

The main ingredient is silica, and these raw materials are available in huge reserves on earth at low cost. Through high-temperature melting, drawing and other processes, made of glass fiber. It is like a common origin but very hard "doer", by the cost-effective to fight the world.

Carbon Fiber

The main component is carbon. Its predecessors are usually organic polymers such as polyacrylonitrile, asphalt or viscose fibers. These filaments have to go through thousands of degrees of high temperature carbonization and graphitization treatment, under the protection of inert gas, to drive out the non-carbon atoms, and ultimately form a super material containing more than 90% carbon. This process is complex, energy-consuming, strong technical barriers, materials industry is called "steel". Carbon fiber, therefore, is also like a carefully cultivated, consuming huge resources "rich second generation" or "top athletes".
From birth it is destined to cost differences. A use of "sand", a use of "chemical raw materials + complex process", carbon fiber "noble" price in the starting point has been buried.

Performance PK: Why Carbon Fiber is "King"?

It's not enough to look at resumes, we have to look at the real deal. Here's a performance comparison chart to give you an idea:

Focus on the "modulus": You can think of the modulus as the "stiffness" of the material.

Fiberglass

Like a tough cane, it's strong and doesn't pull apart easily, but when you break it with force, it bends and deforms significantly.

Carbon Fiber

Like a hard steel bar, it is not only strong, but also extremely resistant to deformation. You use the same force to break, it almost does not move.
This characteristic of "not bending" is crucial in the high-end field. For example:

(1) F1 car: the frame must be extremely rigid in order to maintain precise handling in high-speed cornering, any small deformation is fatal.
(2) Aerospace: wing and fuselage structures require minimal deformation under high loads to ensure aerodynamic performance and safety.
(3) Top badminton racket: at the moment of hitting the ball, the smaller the deformation of the racket frame, the more direct the power transfer, the clearer the feel, which is the experience brought by "high modulus carbon fiber".

Each has its own shortcomings

carbon fiber:

(1) brittle: although it is hard and strong, but poor impact resistance, by the sharp objects of the violent impact is easy to break, rather than bending.
(2) Conductivity: this is both an advantage and a disadvantage. In the need for insulation (such as electrical equipment), it becomes a hidden danger.
(3) Price: again, expensive!

Fiberglass

(1) good toughness: impact resistance is stronger than carbon fiber, may only crack after being hit, not instantly crushed.
(2) Good insulation: excellent electrical insulation materials, a wider range of applications.
(3) Cost advantage: where extreme rigidity and light weight are not required, it is the irreplaceable king of cost performance.

Application scenario

The "division of labor" between the two types of fibers is well established and is essentially a balancing act between "performance needs" and "cost budget":

Carbon fiber: the "performance king" in the high-end field

(1) Aerospace: aircraft fuselage, satellite mounts (30% weight reduction can significantly reduce fuel consumption and launch costs);
(2) High-end manufacturing: supercar bodies, F1 racing parts, carbon fiber wheels (taking into account both strength and lightweight);
(3) Sporting goods: high-end badminton rackets, fishing rods, skis (high modulus of elasticity, more accurate feel);
(4) Special scenarios: medical equipment, military equipment (high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, and no magnetic interference).

Fiberglass: "Practical Play" in People's Livelihoods

(1) Construction industry: exterior wall insulation panels, glass fiber reinforced plastic tiles, anticorrosive wall panels (weather-resistant and inexpensive);
(2) Transportation: refrigerated truck compartments, RV shells, general ship hulls (corrosion-resistant, easy to mold);
(3) Electrical and electronics: circuit board substrate, insulation sleeve (good insulation, cost-effective);
(4) Daily necessities: fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) furniture, environmentally friendly trash cans, pipes (durable and cost-controlled).

To summarize: why is the gap so wide?

Returning to our original question, the answer is clear:

Raw material and process:The preparation of carbon fiber is a "Phoenix Rising", and the cost of raw materials and processes is much higher than that of "melt-drawn" glass fiber.

Performance Ceiling:Carbon fiber in the specific strength and specific modulus of the two core indicators, to achieve the crushing of glass fiber, especially in the field of rigidity and weight reduction has the ultimate requirements, it is irreplaceable.

Market and Positioning:Carbon fiber serves cutting-edge industries and high-end consumers, and is a "technology-driven" product; glass fiber is deeply cultivated in a wide range of industrial and civil fields, and is a "market-driven" product.

So the next time you weigh a carbon fiber fishing rod or bike frame, what you feel is not only the lightness and hardness of the product, but also a whole set of cutting-edge material science, complex technology and the pursuit of extreme performance of the condensation. Fiberglass, on the other hand, is a quiet, reliable and affordable "old friend" in our lives.