Colored carbon fiber used to be reserved for luxury automakers like Lamborghini and Bugatti. It provides the superior performance of carbon fiber with an enhanced aesthetic appeal.
Today, you don’t need to invest in a $3 million Lamborghini to experience colored carbon fiber. You can find it in products in a wide range of industries.
So, learn more about colored carbon fiber and how it can open up your design possibilities.
Texalium Colored Carbon Fiber
One product commonly called colored carbon fiber is Texalium. Texalium is a trademarked fiberglass-based fabric with a proprietary finish.
The fabric has a coating of 99.99% pure aluminum. The coating is extremely thin and measures only 200 angstroms in depth. An angstrom is one hundred-millionth of a centimeter.
The aluminum coating makes Texalium surfaces highly reflective.
Texalium is commonly available in a 2×2 twill. In this weave, two warp yarns float over two fill yarns. The weave creates a diagonal appearance.
The 2×2 twill weave is most popular for cosmetic and decorative applications. It works well on compound curves. The woven fibers are more pliable than a plain weave but more stable than a harness satin weave.
Interwoven Fiber Combination
Another technique for making colored carbon fiber is to use fibers like aramid that can be dyed. Kevlar is a brand name for aramid.
Aramid fibers are very strong. They’re also very flexible and have a high tensile-strength-to-weight ratio. The fibers are naturally yellow and can be dyed.
Clear Coat Tinting
Some manufacturers choose not to interweave carbon fiber with anything else. They tint the binder and/or the clear coat they apply to the finish. A clear coat protects the carbon fibers against damage from sunlight.
Color can be mixed into a clear binder with the clear coat applied afterward. Parts manufacturers use translucent or candy paint systems with this technique.
Colored Carbon Fiber and Aesthetic Design
Colored carbon fiber has a unique combination of functionality and beauty. Industries from aerospace to automotive and sports rely on it.
Carbon fiber is strong but lightweight. Colored carbon fiber lowers post-production costs because painting isn’t necessary. Parts weigh less without a separate coat of paint.
Most modern projects in the aerospace industry rely on lightweight composites like carbon fiber.
In the automotive industry, carbon fiber was traditionally reserved for luxury cars. It’s becoming more mainstream, though.
This is partly a result of regulations that require better fuel economy. Therefore, the demand for electric vehicles is another factor.
The versatility of carbon fiber makes it ideal for precision sports equipment, such as:
- Bike frames
- Tennis rackets
- Golf clubs
- Skis
- Canoes
Athletes benefit from the lightweight strength of carbon fiber.
Sourcing Colored Carbon Fiber Parts
Colored carbon fiber opens a wide range of aesthetic design possibilities. You benefit from the superior performance of carbon fiber with more options.
SMI Composites can offer a complete carbon fiber solution, from design and engineering to custom tooling. Therefore, we’re dedicated to bringing your vision to life. Our focus on quality parts and superior customer service has made us a leader in composite technologies.
No project is too big or too small, and we love a challenge. So, request a quote from SMI Composites today and experience the difference.
