Re: Carbon fiber

[ChrisBourk@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 98-10-07 13:43:35 EDT, you write:

<< 
 Date: Wed, 07 Oct 1998 12:24:25 -0400
 From: James Moran <bavarian@domain.elided>
 Subject: Re: bmw-carphony fiber
 
 <Carbon fiber and aramid fibers are completely different.>

Well,  depends on what you call "Completely"  I stated incorrectly that
"carbon fiber = Arimid composit" actually carbon fiber = a product made from
either coal tar or a fine filiment of polyacrilonitrile. Some people call it
carbon others call it Graphite.
Kavlar = Arimid.  I don't think anyone else makes it but Dupont.  Kavlar is a
trademark of dupont (as you said)

 < Kevlar (TM) is
 an aramid fiber (polymer) produced by DuPont.  In tension, Kevlar
 actually has a higher strength, but it requires more elongation (strain)
 to reach its maxiumum strength (stress).  So, structures built with
 carbon fiber aren't necessarily stronger than Kevlar structures, but,
 they're stiffer.
 
 Why is carbon fiber trim used in production cars?  It looks boss.  BTW,
 BMW used real carbon fiber in the M3 LWT.  Not for any weight savings,
 but because it looked boss.
 
 Jim Moran
 '88 M6 >>

I didn't know the M3 is supposed to use Carbon fiber (I'm a little surprised)
but BMW Manhattan tolds me the 540 sport uses imitation carbon fiber for the
dash and door trim.

Christopher

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