What are the advantages of fiberglass over carbon fiber?
Cost: Fiberglass has lower raw material costs and simpler, more mature production processes, making its products significantly cheaper than carbon fiber. This gives fiberglass a competitive edge in cost-sensitive applications, such as general construction materials and everyday plastic products.
Processing Performance: Fiberglass is more flexible and easier to shape.
It can be processed into various forms and sizes using methods like winding, weaving, and molding, with relatively low difficulty. Additionally, fiberglass causes less wear and tear on processing equipment, reducing manufacturing and maintenance costs.
Electrical Insulation: Fiberglass provides excellent electrical insulation, effectively blocking current flow. This makes it widely used in electrical insulation applications, such as wire/cable insulation and circuit boards.
While carbon fiber also has some insulating properties, fiberglass outperforms it in high-demand insulation scenarios.
Chemical Stability: Fiberglass exhibits strong chemical resistance, maintaining durability in common acidic/alkaline environments and most chemical media. This allows fiberglass products to endure harsh chemical conditions without corrosion damage.
In contrast, carbon fiber may react chemically in certain environments, making it less stable than fiberglass.
Recyclability: Fiberglass is easier to recycle. Recycled fiberglass can be reprocessed and reused in new fiberglass products or related applications.
Carbon fiber recycling, however, is more complex and costly, giving fiberglass an edge in sustainability.