New carbon fiber technology

[trux]

On the recent Paris Auto Show, Lamborghini presented the amazing Sesto Elemento (carbon is the sixth element in Mendeleev's periodic table). With an overall curb weight of just 999 kg, the car has a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration of 2.5 seconds and a top speed of some 350 km/h.

Reinforced Plastics - Lamborghini unveils Sesto Elemento carbon fibre concept car

What could be possibly interesting for us too, is the new carbon fiber technology Lamborgini developed for this project. The carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) from their labs does not use the traditional weaved carbon-fiber cloth glued with epoxy, but rather just plastic material with free short carbon fibers that is hot pressed in a mould.

It means the production is much cheaper. First of all they do not need to use the rather expensive CF cloth, but just short fibers that can be purchased at fraction of the price. And then the manufacturing of the part is much simpler and faster with the hot press molds, than with slow and complicated lamination.

The resulting material has mechanical properties similar to classical CF, and it is 30% lighter. It would be lovely if the material turned out to have mechanical properties suitable for the use in fins - that could help to simplify the production of carbon blades, and reduce their cost significantly.

Well, I bet the boss of C4 drives a Lambo anyway (seeing the price of their fins, he can likely afford it), so let's hope he jumps on the idea soon, and tests it out

 

[Simos]

Intersting Trux - thanks for posting. Regarding the C4s, I think it's more likely that the new technology will drive the cost of production down and the price of the fins... UP!
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[chrismar]

From the description, I'd be surprised if it had the same uni or bidirectional flex characteristics that make CF so good for fins, bit I'll happily be proven wrong.

I wonder what the new material is like for impact resistance?

 

[trux]

Well, I wonder about it too, but seeing Lambo uses it not only for the outer body, but also for the chassis and other structural parts, it has to be pretty strong. Still, I agree that the lack of the textile structure lets some doubts about its strength and flex properties

 

[spaghetti]

. The carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) from their labs does not use the traditional weaved carbon-fiber cloth glued with epoxy, but rather just plastic material with free short carbon fibers that is hot pressed in a mould.

The Mares Phantom Carbon spearguns are made with basically the same concept. I can't tell if it's the very same material and process as the Lamborghini, but sort of.

The Mares "carbon" speargun is basically made of nylon mixed with smithereens of minced carbon fiber, gas-injected in the mould of a speargun.

They also make a "glass fiber" version, the Phantom FV, that's nylon mixed with GF.

But regarding fins, as a matter of fact, Mares itself kept consistent with the good old textile structure for the Razor Carbon fins.

 

[Viktor Poll]

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