Carbon fiber composites: the key material for low-altitude economic
Carbon fiber composites (CFRP) are the key materials for aerospace vehicles to achieve lightweight
Carbon fiber is a carbon content of more than 90% of the fiber structure material, with low density, large specific strength, large specific modulus and many other characteristics, under the same weight tensile strength can reach steel, aluminum alloy, titanium alloy more than 9 times, elastic modulus can reach steel, aluminum alloy, titanium alloy more than 4 times. These advantages make carbon fiber an ideal choice for lightweight aerospace vehicles. By applying carbon fiber composites to the fuselage structure and internal components of aircraft, the weight of the fuselage can be effectively reduced, energy consumption can be reduced, and structural strength and safety can be enhanced. The use of carbon fiber composites to build eVTOL can help reduce the overall weight of the fuselage by 30% to 40%.
Low altitude economy brings new driving force to carbon fiber composite materials
Since eVTOL, small drones, and some light aircraft are driven by motors, the requirements for lightweight are higher. The proportion of carbon fiber composite materials in the structure and components of eVTOL far exceeds that of traditional aircraft. In the civil aviation sector, about 50% of the structure of the Boeing 787 is made of composite materials. According to StratviewResearch, composite materials account for more than 70% of all materials used in eVTOL fuselage structures. More than 90% of the composite materials are reinforced with carbon fiber and about 10% are reinforced with glass fiber. It can be estimated that carbon fiber composite materials account for more than 63% of eVTOL materials. About 75-80% of the composite materials used in eVTOL will be used in structural components and propulsion systems, and 12%-14% in internal structural applications, such as beams and seat structures. The remaining 8-12% is in battery systems, avionics and other small applications.