This section provides an overview for carbon & graphite fiber as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 8 carbon & graphite fiber manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked carbon & graphite fiber companies as of November, 2024: 1.AvCarb Material Solutions, 2.KULR Technology Group, Inc., 3.Carbon Fiber Remanufacturing.
Table of Contents
Carbon & graphite fiber, also known as carbon fiber, is a type of fiber composed entirely of carbon (C).
Two primary types of carbon & graphite fiber exist: PAN-based and pitch-based. These fibers inherit many properties of carbon, such as excellent heat resistance and electrical conductivity. Carbon & graphite fiber is highly valued across numerous industries due to its lightweight nature, strength, and hardness.
However, challenges related to its cost currently limit its usage in several fields.
Carbon & graphite fiber find extensive application as a substitute for metallic materials, leveraging their lightweight properties while retaining strength. Its flexibility, electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance, and flame retardance widen its utility.
Typically used in composite materials alongside resins, ceramics, and metals, carbon & graphite fiber is integral in various sectors. It is employed in aerospace for aircraft, rockets, and satellites, in medical equipment like prosthetics and wheelchairs, and notably in automotive manufacturing for improved fuel efficiency and weight reduction.
In addition, carbon & graphite fiber's strength and elasticity make it popular in sports equipment such as golf clubs, tennis rackets, and bicycles. Its potential applications extend to architecture and civil engineering, where it may enhance earthquake resistance in concrete structures or replace steel frames and suspension bridge cables.
Carbon & graphite fiber can be categorized based on the raw material:
Made from carbonized polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers, PAN-based carbon & graphite fiber is prevalent in industrial and leisure applications. It typically consists of filaments with diameters ranging from 5 to 15 μm, bundled in regular or large tows.
Derived from pitch, a solid residue obtained from crude oil distillation, pitch-based carbon & graphite fiber offers adjustable elasticity. It is categorized into mesophase and isotropic pitch fibers, each tailored for specific applications such as automotive brake pads or machinery requiring vibration resistance.
1. PAN-Based Carbon & Graphite Fiber
PAN fibers undergo oxidation at 200-300°C to create a cyclic molecular structure. Subsequent carbonization at temperatures exceeding 1,000°C converts the molecular structure into a carbon crystal. Further graphitization at temperatures above 2,000°C yields graphite fiber.
2. Pitch-Based Carbon & Graphite Fiber
Coal or petroleum pitch is converted into fibers, which are then sintered. Precursor fibers are obtained through a process involving melt-spinning, stabilization, flame resistance treatment, carbonization, and graphitization.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
Sort by Area
AvCarb Material Solutions, founded in 1960 and based in Lowell, Massachusetts, is a manufacturer of carbon materials tailored for thermal, electrochemical, and friction applications. The company manufactures felts, papers, woven fabrics, gas diffusion layers, and molded laminates. Its fiber materials are ideally used in critical friction applications. The company also offers Gas Diffusion Systems (GDS) that combine carbon fiber paper for PEM fuel cell applications, ensuring consistent performance and durability throughout the life of the fuel cell system. It has international representatives in China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and other countries. The company serves military, aerospace, and specialty automotive applications worldwide.
KULR Technology Group, Inc., established in San Diego, California in 2013 is a manufacturer of thermal management technologies lightweight heat exchangers, and protection against lithium-ion battery thermal runaway propagation. The company's product range includes Fiber thermal interfaces, internal short circuits, fiber thermal interfaces, thermal capacitors and cell checks. The company serves markets including Automotive and Electric Vehicles, Renewable Energy and Energy Storage and Electronics and IT Infrastructure. The company also offers services including Cell Screening, Fractional Thermal Runaway Calorimetry Testing and Bomb Calorimetry Testing.
Bally Ribbon Mills is a company based in Pennsylvania, United States, established in 1923 as a manufacturer and supplier of woven fabrics and webbing solutions. Their main products include narrow fabrics, tapes, and specialty woven materials used in a range of applications, from aerospace and military to medical and industrial sectors. Bally Ribbon Mills' advanced textile solutions play a critical role in providing strength, durability, and precision to various products and systems. The company continues to deliver quality woven solutions to customers globaly, meeting their specific requirements and contributing to their success.
Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation was founded in 1933 and has a head office in Tokyo, Japan. Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation provides products including chemicals, industrial gases, and health care products to customers globally. Mitsubishi Chemical Group’s performance products division manufactures and distributes. functional food materials, electronic and electrical components, specialty chemicals, and other products. Mitsubishi Chemical health care products include pharmaceuticals, drug discovery solutions, diagnostic reagents, and instruments for medical use. Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation also provides other services such as engineering, information systems, logistics, and consulting.
Nippon Kornmeyer Carbon Group GmbH, established in 1968 and headquartered in Windhagen, Germany, is a manufacturer of components made of graphite, CFC, and carbon-based insulating materials. The company produces CFC charging systems, graphite tube technology (GF-AAS), rotating X-ray anodes, semiconductor materials, and optical fiber products. Its products find application in critical areas such as medical analysis, X-ray applications, microelectronics components, and power devices. The company holds an ISO 9001:2015 certification, ensuring top-quality products and services. It serves diverse industries, including industrial, metals, heat treatment, automotive, solar (photovoltaic), and many other industries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and America.
Garlock, headquartered in Palmyra, New York, is a global manufacturer of sealing solutions for diverse industries worldwide. Offering over 100,000 sealing solutions, its products cater to demanding fluid-handling equipment in sectors such as chemical processing, food & beverage, brewing & bottling, and mining. Its product range includes GYLON for superior leak prevention, BLUE-GARD enhancing torque retention and emission reduction, MIll-RIGHT for abrasion resistance and extended seal life, and MULTI-SWELL for tight seals in water and oil applications.
Carbon Fiber Remanufacturing (CFR), which was established in 1997 and is headquartered in Kansas, United States, is a manufacturer of products made of post-industrial excess and scrap carbon fiber materials. The company produces carbon fiber solutions for various applications, including fire-retardant fabric, insulation, friction/brakes, filtration, thermal barriers, and many more. It processes carbon fiber scrap, end cuts, and preforms by detangling, milling, cutting, and preparing the materials for use. The products include precision-cut fiber, milled fiber, molding compounds, rolled broadgoods, and others. Holding an ISO 9001:2008 certification, it serves various industries worldwide that utilize carbon fiber materials.
Sgl Carbon, LLC is a Germany-based company founded in 1992 as a manufacturer of carbon products. The company provides composite and graphite products for diverse applications in aerospace, industrial, semiconductor, and LED industries. It also offers glass fiber and care fiber plastics for use in automotive industries to reduce carbon emissions. The company partners with OEMs and cell manufacturers to ensure the sustainability and availability of lithium-ion batteries, and provides composites for use in aircraft construction.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | AvCarb Material Solutions |
24.5%
|
2 | KULR Technology Group, Inc. |
18.4%
|
3 | Bally Ribbon Mills |
14.3%
|
4 | Carbon Fiber Remanufacturing |
12.2%
|
5 | SGL Carbon, LLC |
12.2%
|
6 | Nippon Kornmeyer Carbon Group GmbH |
8.2%
|
7 | Garlock |
8.2%
|
8 | Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation |
2.0%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the carbon & graphite fiber page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
United States of America | 3 | 60.0% |
Japan | 1 | 20.0% |
Germany | 1 | 20.0% |