Virgin Carbon Fiber Chopped Tow 12mm (1/2")

This chopped carbon fibre tow is made from 100% virgin carbon fibre tow, cut (or chopped) to consistent length of ~12mm. This specification of chopped tow is often used as reinforcement in compression moulded or injection moulded carbon fibre reinforced components, often referred to as forged carbon fibre.

Made with virgin tow, CT12 offers a higher level of consistency and purity compared to chopped tow products made from fibre recycled from surplus converted woven or multiaxial reinforcements, whereby the recovered fibre will usually contain traces of binders or stitching from the recycled reinforcement. It also offers superior mechanical performance compared to fibre recovered from cured laminates by pyrolysis, whereby 'sizing' on the fibre, critical for ensuring a good bond between the matrix and the fibre, is usually removed or degraded by the pyrolysis process.

Cosmetic Appearance

Although CT12 is made from virgin tow, it is manufactured using tow from a variety of sources and therefore some variation in appearance will naturally occur. For this reason, it is generally not suggested for purely cosmetic/visual applications, such as forged carbon fibre skinning, especially if larger 'chips' of flat tow are the desired appearance.

Units of sale

This chopped tow carbon fiber it is sold by weight and is available in 150g, 750g and 1.5kg (4.42oz, 26.46oz and 53oz) pack sizes. Please choose the pack size you require from the drop-down menu at the top of the page.

Processing

Chopped tow carbon fiber is compatible with all common resin systems including epoxy, vinylester and polyester.

Hand laminating: Chopped tow carbon is often used in hand laminating where its short strand nature allows is to conform into complex geometries with reduced bridging behaving in a similar fashion to chopped strand fiberglass. This is well suited to carbon fiber mold making.

Resin Infusion: Chopped tow carbon fiber can be used in a resin infusion it offers good wetting out and can be particularly useful for ‘stuffing’ intricate details with solid material that may otherwise bridge and become resin rich.

RTM: Chopped tow carbon fiber can be loaded into a closed mold and have the resin matrix injected in, this process is where the term 'forged carbon' originated and can be used to produce inexpensive yet reasonably high-performance moldings.

Prepreg: Chopped tow carbon fiber is not currently available or usable for prepreg processing.

Suitable Applications

As a high performance, environmentally friendly recycled material chopped tow carbon fiber is suitable for a wide range of application including:

• Structural resin infused and RTM parts
• High temperature carbon fiber molds
• Filleting and filling in complex infusions
• Casting resin reinforcement

Safety

This product is made up of chopped strands and particles that are small and will become airborne when the material is scooped, moved or mixed. Always wear protective gloves and a dust mask when handling this product in its raw state.