Carbon fiber tubing is a multi-layered structure made of carbon fiber reinforced composite materials. Its performance depends on the carbon fiber grade, resin type, and processing technology. The large-diameter StifPipe composite pipe consists of 12 layers-four layers of carbon fiber, six layers of glass fiber, and two layers of proprietary core material. The carbon fiber and glass fiber fabrics are supplied by Vectorply and Composite Fabrics Inc. This type of pipe can reach diameters of up to 16 feet (approximately 4.9 meters) and a thickness of only 2 inches (approximately 5 centimeters), resulting in an extremely high strength-to-weight ratio.
Carbon fiber tubing boasts high tensile strength; the T300 grade can achieve a tensile strength of approximately 3500 MPa. It is lightweight, about 30% lighter than aluminum alloy tubing of the same size and thickness, facilitating installation and transportation. It is corrosion-resistant, offering higher efficiency than traditional materials such as concrete in applications such as wastewater transport, and has a superior overall life-cycle cost. It has a low coefficient of thermal expansion, is dimensionally stable, and experiences virtually no thermal expansion or contraction.
