Carbon fiber reinforced plastic facts for kids

Tail of an RC helicopter, made of CFRP

Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP or CRP), is a very strong, light and expensive composite material or fiber-reinforced plastic. Similar to glass-reinforced plastic, one uses commonly the name of its reinforcing fibers (carbon fiber) for the composite material. The plastic is most often epoxy, but other plastics, such as polyester, vinyl ester or nylon, are also sometimes used. Some composites contain both carbon fiber and other fibres such as kevlar, aluminium and fiberglass reinforcement. Less commonly, the terms graphite-reinforced plastic or graphite fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) are also used.

It has many applications in aerospace and automotive fields, as well as in sailboats, and notably in modern bicycles and motorcycles, where these qualities are of importance. It is becoming increasingly common in small consumer goods as well, such as laptop computers, tripods, fishing rods, paintball equipment, racquet sports frames, stringed instrument bodies, classical guitar strings, and drum shells.

Related pages

• Carbon fiber
• Graphite
• Aramid
• Fiberglass

Images for kids

• 

  Carbon fiber reinforced polymer

• 

  An Airbus A350 with carbon fiber themed livery. Composite materials are used extensively throughout the A350.

• 

  A carbon-fiber and Kevlar canoe (Placid Boatworks Rapidfire at the Adirondack Canoe Classic)

• 

  Dunlop "Max-Grip" carbon fiber guitar picks. Sizes 1mm and Jazz III.

See also

In Spanish: Polímero reforzado con fibra de carbono para niños