Buildings
Structure, lining, insulation or finish depending on family.
Darker cells mean a higher score for this topic on that metric.
Strength96
Heat resistance70
Fire performance50
Insulation24
Workability30
Circularity26
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Last reviewed Sources & creditsMedia creditsMethodology
Quick answers
Is Carbon fibre non-combustible?
Declared reaction class in this atlas: fibre A1-ish; CFRP follows the matrix. Assemblies still need resistance tests.
Does Carbon fibre insulate?
Thermal mark 24/100 versus the atlas. Conductivity note: high along fibre; low through-thickness in composites.
What is the density band?
~1.8 g/cm³ fibre
How is it made?
Origin story: Edison carbon filament; Shindo/Watt 1960s PAN (Japan / UK / US).
Can it be recycled?
Circularity mark 26/100 — editorial, route-specific.
Typical melting or failure heat?
sublimes; resin burns
heat 70 · fire 50
Carbon fibre earns its keep in systems: a beam, a batt, a fibre blend, a coated steel — rarely a lone coupon.
Products below are cultural landmarks as much as SKUs.
Sectors
Transport
Mass, fire and fatigue rewrite the grade list.
Energy
Heat, voltage and hydrogen compatibility.
Consumer
The volume that pays for the mill.
Medical / food
When allowed — extractables and allergies matter.
Defence / safety
Ballistics, FR clothing, fire stops.
Products
Boeing 787
2009–
McLaren MP4/1
1981
Toray T300
1970s–
Trek Madone CF
2000s
A380 wing bits
2000s
Golf shaft
1970s–
Pressure vessel COPV
1990s–
Wind-blade spar
2000s–
Pairings
graphene
The 2-D cousin in the same carbon family.
aramid
Tougher impact, lower modulus.
aluminum
The metal CFRP replaced in aero skins.
steel
Cheap stiffness when mass is free.
If the pairing is wrong, the material will be blamed for a system fault.
Keep exploring
More in Advanced solids
⬡
Graphene
A one-atom carbon sheet — Nobel-era physics, composites hype, and a few honest electronics and barrier uses.
Overall 50 ☁️Aerogel
A nanoscale silica sponge — among the lowest solid λ values, fragile unless blanketed, and A1 when purely inorganic.
Overall 60 🩺Nitinol
Near-equiatomic Ni–Ti that remembers shape and super-elasticates — stents, orthodontics and actuators.
Overall 48 ☀️Perovskite (PV)
ABX3 halide crystals that jumped laboratory solar efficiency — still fighting humidity, lead and lifetime.
Overall 26