Based on the size of the tow (number of monofilaments), carbon fiber can be divided into small-tow carbon fiber and large-tow carbon fiber. In the aerospace field, carbon fiber with no more than 24,000 monofilaments per tow is commonly used, such as 1K, 3K, 6K, 12K, and 24K products. This type of carbon fiber is usually called "small-tow carbon fiber" or "aerospace-grade carbon fiber."
Small-tow carbon fiber has excellent performance but is more expensive. It is generally used in high-tech fields such as aerospace and military, as well as in high-value-added products in sporting goods. Major downstream products include aircraft, missiles, rockets, satellites, fishing rods, golf clubs, and tennis rackets. In general industry, carbon fiber with more than 48,000 monofilaments per tow is more commonly used, such as 48K, 50K, and 60K products. This type of carbon fiber is usually called "large-tow carbon fiber" or "industrial-grade carbon fiber." Large-tow carbon fiber has relatively lower performance but also lower manufacturing costs, so it is often used in basic industrial fields such as civil engineering, transportation, and energy.
