Promoting creativity in the aerospace industry depends mostly on carbon fibre composites.
Under the trend of global sustainable development, the low-altitude economy is becoming an emerging hotspot in the aerospace industry, notably the fast development of electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL), which has pushed the fast growth of this developing area. Carbon fibre composites, a major lightweight and high-strength material in the low-altitude economy, have progressively taken front stage in promoting the “take-off” of the low-altitude economy because of their special performance and wide use possibilities. The new driving role of carbon fibre composites in the low-altitude economy, their use in eVTOL models, and their future development possibility from many angles will be discussed in this paper.
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The main materials used in lightweighting of aircraft are carbon fibre composites.
Comprising more than 90% carbon, carbon fibre is a structural material. Its low density, great specific strength, and strong specific modulus are among its many traits. The tensile strength at the same weight may surpass more than 9 times that of steel, aluminium alloy, and titanium alloy; the elastic modulus can reach more than 4 times that of steel, aluminium alloy, and titanium alloy.
These benefits make carbon fibre the perfect material for light-weight aircraft building. Applying carbon fibre composites to the production of aircraft fuselage structures and interior components can help to significantly lower fuselage weight, energy consumption may be lowered, and structural strength and safety improved. By thirty to forty percent, eVTOL built from carbon fibre composite materials may enable the fuselage’s total weight be lowered.
Low-altitude economy gives carbon fibre composite materials fresh drive.
Aiming to improve short-distance transport, logistics and urban air traffic (UAM) by exploiting the airspace above the city to the ground, the idea of low-altitude economy has progressively surfaced in recent years. Apart from offering fresh ideas for urban transit, this growing market offers the aerospace materials sector additional growth chances. Among them, carbon fibre composite materials have shown tremendous promise in the low-altitude economy because of their outstanding characteristics including light weight, strong strength, high modulus and corrosion resistance.
Mostly eVTOL aircraft utilise carbon fibre composite materials in the low-altitude economy. Targeting to overcome the congestion and environmental issues of conventional transport in the city, this new kind of aircraft performs vertical take-off and landing with an electric system. Reducing structural weight has been a main design objective as eVTOL aircraft have to consider flight safety, energy economy and endurance. Carbon fibre composite materials’ low density and great strength help to satisfy this need, so they are a perfect alternative for the structural design of eVTOL aircraft.
Furthermore, the fast expansion of the low-altitude economy has inspired ongoing technological innovation in carbon fibre composite materials and production technique. For instance, the implementation of new technologies including resin transfer moulding (RTM) technology and automated fibre laying technology has significantly raised the production efficiency of carbon fibre composite materials and so helped to properly control costs, so encouraging their broad use in the low-altitude economy.
Mainstream eVTOL models extensively use carbon fibre composites.
Being a basic good in the low-altitude economy, eVTOL has evolved quickly and been preferred by numerous airlines all over. Carbon fibre composites have been rather important as the primary structural component in eVTOL models. Higher specific strength and specific stiffness of carbon fibre composites enable eVTOL aircraft to drastically lower their own weight while assuring strength, hence enhancing endurance and flying efficiency compared with conventional aluminium alloy materials.
Nearly all popular eVTOL vehicles available today make significant use of carbon fibre composites. For instance, the eVTOL aircraft started by a well-known airline employs carbon fibre composites for its wings, fuselage and propellers. This not only improves aerodynamic performance of the aeroplane but also significantly lowers carbon emissions and energy consumption of it.
Furthermore, the resistance to fatigue of carbon fibre composites guarantees the high frequency of usage of eVTOL aircraft. EVTOL aircraft must regularly take off and land in metropolitan air traffic; conventional materials are prone to wear degradation under such high loads. Excellent fatigue performance of carbon fibre composites may efficiently lengthen the service life of aircraft, save maintenance costs, and thus increase economic advantages.
For carbon fibre in the aircraft industry, eVTOL will serve as a fresh growth pole.
eVTOL aircraft are projected to become the major force in the future aerospace industry as the low-altitude economy develops constantly; the use of carbon fibre composites in this area will also bring rapid development. Industry estimates indicate that the worldwide eVTOL market size will reach tens of billions of dollars by 2030 and that market demand for carbon fibre composites would also rise noticeably.
First, the diverse development of eVTOL aircraft will generate demand for carbon fibre composites in many applications. For instance, different scenarios including urban air traffic, goods logistics, and emergency medical rescue have different needs for the structural design and material properties of aircraft, which also helps the continuous expansion of the kinds and application range of carbon fibre composites.
Second, the mass manufacture of aircraft will also propel the extensive use of carbon fibre composites as eVTOL technologies gradually mature. The advent of developing technologies such 3D printing and automated fibre insertion technology has progressively lowered the production cost of carbon fibre composites in recent years, opening the path for their major use in eVTOL aircraft.
At last, the worldwide adoption of eVTOL aircraft will help to advance carbon fibre composites’ development everywhere. Although European and American nations are now dominating in the area of eVTOL, the fast growth of the Asian market has also presented fresh chances for the spread of carbon fibre composites. The application possibilities of carbon fibre composites in eVTOL aircraft will be more extensive as the process of globalisation picks speed.
Classification and use of composites made of carbon fibres
Matrix materials allow one to classify carbon fibre composites into resin-based, metal-based, ceramic-based, and carbon-based composites. Particularly in the structural components of eVTOL aircraft, resin-based carbon fibre composites are extensively employed in the aerospace industry because to their small weight, quite cheap cost and mature technique. They Rule.
Mainly utilised for essential parts like wings, fuselage, propellers, etc. of eVTOL aircraft are resin-based carbon fibre composites. These parts must have strong impact resistance and fatigue performance in addition to tolerate significant mechanical pressures. Resin-based carbon fibre composites are the chosen material in structural design of eVTOL aircraft because of its outstanding mechanical qualities and corrosion resistance.
Because of their outstanding high-temperature resistance and great specific strength, metal-based carbon fibre composites are increasingly employed in aviation engine components and high-temperature structural elements. Though metal-based carbon fibre composites have a high cost, their application possibilities under certain operating circumstances cannot be disregarded.
Because of their great temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, and high strength, ceramic-based and carbon-based carbon fibre composites have great application value in harsh circumstances and high-temperature settings in the aerospace industry. Usually found in high-temperature components of eVTOL aircraft, including thermal protection systems and brake systems, these materials include
Carbon fibre process flow
The performance of carbon fibre composites depends much on their production technique. Hand lay-up, automated fibre placement, resin transfer moulding (RTM), vacuum assisted resin injection (VARI), etc. are among the conventional methods of making carbon fibre composite. New techniques include 3D printing, automated fibre placement, and autoclave moulding have progressively been used with technological advancement.
Simple operation, low cost, and appropriate for small batch manufacturing hand lay-up is a classic technique. But its complicated approach and poor production efficiency have led to a slow replacement by automated systems. One of the major methods used in mass production of carbon fibre composite materials is automated fibre placement technology. Automated equipment’s exact carbon fibre implantation helps to guarantee product quality and increase manufacturing efficiency.
By pouring liquid resin into prefabricated carbon fibre plies, the closed mould method known as resin transfer moulding (RTM) rapidly prototypes materials. Mass manufacturing is appropriate for this technique, which also helps to properly monitor material thickness and quality. An increasingly advanced moulding technique is the vacuum assisted resin injection (VARI) procedure. By use of resin injection in a vacuum environment, bubbles and holes may be minimised and material mechanical qualities enhanced.
Emerging as a technology, 3D printing can quickly prototype intricate constructions under computer control. Although this technique is currently at the experimental stage when used in carbon fibre composite materials, production efficiency and cost management have significant possibilities.
Long carbon fiber reinforced plastic raw materials
Conclusion
The emergence of the low-altitude economy has presented fresh development prospects for carbon fiber composite materials, particularly the extensive use in eVTOL aircraft, which has pushed the fast growth of carbon fibre composite materials in the aerospace area. As technology develops constantly, the categorisation and process flow of carbon fibre composite materials will become better, thus supporting the future low-altitude economic growth more strongly. As the low-altitude economy develops, carbon fibre composite materials will inevitably become a vital key material in this area, driving the whole sector to a new height.
Post time: Aug-26-2024