Integration and development of carbon fiber and low-altitude economy

1. Basic characteristics of carbon fiber

Carbon fiber, as a kind of inorganic polymer fiber material with carbon as the main component, is known as "black gold" because of its unique physical and chemical properties. Its density is low, usually between 1.5-2g/cm³, only about 1/4 of steel, but the strength is 4-5 times that of steel, the elastic modulus is high, and the elastic recovery is close to 100%. In addition, carbon fiber also has excellent thermal stability, can not melt in a non-oxidizing atmosphere of 3000°C, do not soften, while resistant to sudden cooling, thermal expansion coefficient is small, thermal conductivity decreases with the increase of temperature. These characteristics make carbon fiber in aerospace, automobile manufacturing, sports equipment and other fields have a wide range of application prospects.

2. Low-altitude economy definition category

Low-altitude economy is an emerging economic form, mainly relying on low-altitude airspace (usually refers to the vertical height of less than 1000 meters, according to different regional characteristics and actual needs can be extended to within 3000 meters of the airspace) to carry out a variety of manned and unmanned aircraft flight activities. This economic form covers many industries from the research and development and manufacturing of aircraft, low-altitude flight infrastructure construction and operation to flight service support. The low-altitude economy not only includes various low-altitude flight activities of civil manned and unmanned aircraft, but also involves the application of multiple scenarios such as transporting people, transporting goods, and special operations, and radiates the development of related fields. For example, electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOL) are an important part of this, and they show great potential in urban air traffic, low-altitude logistics and other fields.

3. Carbon fiber in low altitude application

Carbon fiber, with its lightweight, high strength, corrosion resistance and other characteristics, plays a vital role in the low-altitude economy, especially in the manufacturing of drones and small aircraft and flying cars. As an important part of the low-altitude economy, the structure of the UAV uses a large number of carbon fiber composite materials to reduce weight and improve flight efficiency and endurance. In addition, carbon fiber is also applied to the body and key components of the flying car to achieve lightweight design and improve the overall performance of the vehicle.

4. Carbon fiber industry status

At present, the global carbon fiber industry is in a stage of rapid development. With the continuous progress of technology and the gradual reduction of cost, the application field of carbon fiber continues to expand. Especially in China, the demand for carbon fiber continues to grow and has become the world's largest carbon fiber demand market. Wind power blades, sports and leisure, aerospace and military industries, carbon carbon composites, pressure vessels, etc., are the main application areas. At the same time, the carbon fiber industry chain has been continuously improved, from the preparation of raw silk to the production of composite materials, and then to the final application, all aspects are developing rapidly.

5. Low-altitude economy drives demand

The rapid development of the low-altitude economy has brought new growth drivers to the carbon fiber industry. With the increasing maturity of drone technology and the rise of emerging fields such as flying cars, the demand for carbon fiber composites is showing strong growth momentum. Especially in the fields of logistics transportation, air Tours, emergency rescue, etc., lightweight carbon fiber designed drones and flying cars can significantly improve efficiency, reduce costs, and meet market demand.

6. Carbon fiber industry chain analysis

Carbon fiber industry chain includes acrylonitrile, precursor, carbon fiber to composite materials, and then to the final consumer goods. Among them, the preparation of prefilament is the core link, and its quality directly affects the performance of carbon fiber. Currently, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) based carbon fibers dominate the market with a market share of more than 90%. In the downstream of the carbon fiber industry chain, the added value of carbon fiber products and carbon fiber composite materials is higher. These products are widely used in low-altitude economic fields such as drones and flying cars, which has promoted the rapid development of the carbon fiber industry.

7. Forecast of future development trend

In the future, with the continuous development of low-altitude economy and the continuous progress of technology, the carbon fiber industry will usher in broader development prospects. On the one hand, the rise of emerging areas such as drones and flying cars will promote the continuous growth of carbon fiber demand; On the other hand, the continuous innovation of carbon fiber technology and the further reduction of cost will broaden its application field and improve market competitiveness. In addition, with the global emphasis on environmental protection and sustainable development, carbon fiber, as a green and environmentally friendly material, will be applied in more fields.

8. Carbon fiber technology upgrade direction

In order to meet the high performance requirements of carbon fiber composites in areas such as low-altitude economy, carbon fiber technology needs to be continuously upgraded and innovated. On the one hand, the strength and modulus of carbon fiber need to be improved to meet the more demanding application environment; On the other hand, it is necessary to reduce the production cost of carbon fiber and improve production efficiency. In addition, it is also necessary to strengthen the research and development and application of carbon fiber composite materials to promote the optimization of lightweight, high strength, corrosion resistance and other properties in more areas.

To sum up, the integration and development of carbon fiber and low-altitude economy has broad prospects and huge potential. With the continuous progress of technology and the continuous expansion of the market, carbon fiber will play a more important role in low-altitude economy and other fields, and promote the rapid development and transformation and upgrading of related industries. At the same time, the continuous innovation and upgrading of carbon fiber technology will also provide more high-quality and efficient material support for low-altitude economy and other fields.