Long Road Ahead for Carbon Fiber

Despite the growing use of carbon fiber in the automotive and aerospace industries to make cars and planes weigh less and cut fuel consumption, it still faces a long road to mass adoption. In a new report, IHS Chemical predicts consumption of carbon fibers in industrial applications will grow at an impressive average annual rate of 12.6% through 2018, but it also warns of continuing headwinds. The high costs of the carbon fiber precursor itself, the energy required to turn the precursor into fibers, and the massive ovens and other equipment used in the process remain challenges.

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