Fiberglass vs Carbon Fiber: The Ultimate Showdown!

Fiberglass cloth and carbon fiber cloth are two commonly used high-performance reinforcement materials widely applied in the composite materials field. Their differences are mainly reflected in the following aspects:

1. Material Composition

   • Fiberglass Cloth: Primarily composed of silicon dioxide (glass), made by drawing molten glass into fibers. It is an inorganic non-metallic material.

   • Carbon Fiber Cloth: Made from polyacrylonitrile (PAN) or pitch-based precursor fibers through high-temperature carbonization. Its main component is carbon (over 90%), making it an organic polymer-derived material.

2. Mechanical Properties

   • Strength and Modulus:

     • Carbon fiber cloth has significantly higher strength and modulus than fiberglass (carbon fiber tensile strength: 3000–7000 MPa; fiberglass: 1000–3000 MPa).

     • Carbon fiber is lighter, making it suitable for high-load applications (e.g., aerospace, racing cars).

   • Toughness:

     • Fiberglass has better ductility and impact resistance, making it less prone to brittle fracture.

     • Carbon fiber is harder but more brittle and may fracture under extreme loads.

3. Weight

   • Carbon fiber cloth has a lower density (~1.5–1.8 g/cm³) compared to fiberglass (~2.4–2.6 g/cm³), making it ideal for weight-sensitive applications.

4. Temperature Resistance

   • Fiberglass Cloth: Withstands temperatures of about 500–600°C (high-temperature variants can exceed 1000°C).

   • Carbon Fiber Cloth: Can endure up to 2000°C in inert environments but begins to oxidize and degrade above 400°C in air.

5. Electrical and Electromagnetic Properties

   • Carbon Fiber Cloth: Highly conductive, suitable for electromagnetic shielding or conductive composites, but may interfere with electronic devices.

   • Fiberglass Cloth: Excellent insulation properties, making it ideal for electrical insulation (e.g., PCB substrates).

6. Cost

   • Fiberglass Cloth: Low-cost (about 1/10 the price of carbon fiber) with high cost-performance.

   • Carbon Fiber Cloth: Expensive due to high production costs, typically used in high-end applications.

7. Chemical Stability

   • Fiberglass Cloth: Resistant to acids and alkalis but may corrode under prolonged exposure to strong acids/bases.

   • Carbon Fiber Cloth: More chemically resistant but prone to oxidation (requires protective coatings).

8. Typical Applications

   • Fiberglass Cloth:
     Building reinforcement (e.g., GFRP), ship hulls, pipelines, insulation materials, automotive parts.

   • Carbon Fiber Cloth:
     Aerospace structures, high-performance racing cars, sports equipment (golf clubs, bicycles), precision instruments, military devices.

9. Processing and Handling

   • Fiberglass Cloth: Easy to cut, conforms well to complex surfaces, and has good resin wettability.

   • Carbon Fiber Cloth: Harder to process, requiring specialized tools (e.g., diamond cutters), with slightly poorer resin wettability.

Selection Summary:

• Choose Fiberglass Cloth: For budget constraints, electrical insulation, impact resistance, or high-temperature (non-oxidizing) environments.

• Choose Carbon Fiber Cloth: For extreme lightweighting, high strength/stiffness, or applications requiring conductivity/EM shielding.