Titanic firm submersible missing.

Platapus · 06-30-23, 04:37 PM

More than you ever wanted to know about Carbon Fiber...
Carbon Fiber is strong in tension, but not so strong in compression
People have to realize what Carbon Fiber is. It is carbon fibers in a plastic resin. The full correct name is Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP).
It is not magic. It is mixing types of fiber in types of plastic.

It is a compound composite consisting of two parts: a matrix and a reinforcement. In CFRP the reinforcement is carbon fiber, which provides its strength. The matrix is usually a thermosetting plastic, such as polyester resin, to bind the reinforcements together.
Unlike steel and such, CFRPs have directional strength properties. Meaning that they are strong only in the dimension that they are designed to be strong in. This means that there is no such thing as an all purpose CFRP when strength is involved.

Reporting was that the CEO purchased CFRP at a discounted price because it was left over. Unless the strength dimension matches your intended use, this may not be such a swell idea.

CFRPs are not used when strength is required, but when there is a strength to weight requirement. It is a compromise between strength and weight with weight normally being the desired factor. If you want to make something strong and don't care about weight, you use metals. If you are primarily interested in weight, you use plastics.

The biggest problem with CFRPs, and especially in this context, is that there is no way to calculate what is called fatigue limits or how long the CFRP will survive repeated flexing or deformation. With metals, smart people can calculate this pretty well. But because so much depends on the compound composition and structure of CFRPs, only a rough approximation can be made.
BTW, CFRPs don't like changes in temperature and moisture. Two things that really can't be avoided in a deep submersible.

When no one else makes submarines out of CFRP, there just might be a good reason.

In short, there are many many great applications of CFRPs. Making a submarine just ain't one of them.

06-30-23, 04:37 PM	#11
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,438 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	More than you ever wanted to know about Carbon Fiber... Carbon Fiber is strong in tension, but not so strong in compression People have to realize what Carbon Fiber is. It is carbon fibers in a plastic resin. The full correct name is Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP). It is not magic. It is mixing types of fiber in types of plastic. It is a compound composite consisting of two parts: a matrix and a reinforcement. In CFRP the reinforcement is carbon fiber, which provides its strength. The matrix is usually a thermosetting plastic, such as polyester resin, to bind the reinforcements together. Unlike steel and such, CFRPs have directional strength properties. Meaning that they are strong only in the dimension that they are designed to be strong in. This means that there is no such thing as an all purpose CFRP when strength is involved. Reporting was that the CEO purchased CFRP at a discounted price because it was left over. Unless the strength dimension matches your intended use, this may not be such a swell idea. CFRPs are not used when strength is required, but when there is a strength to weight requirement. It is a compromise between strength and weight with weight normally being the desired factor. If you want to make something strong and don't care about weight, you use metals. If you are primarily interested in weight, you use plastics. The biggest problem with CFRPs, and especially in this context, is that there is no way to calculate what is called fatigue limits or how long the CFRP will survive repeated flexing or deformation. With metals, smart people can calculate this pretty well. But because so much depends on the compound composition and structure of CFRPs, only a rough approximation can be made. BTW, CFRPs don't like changes in temperature and moisture. Two things that really can't be avoided in a deep submersible. When no one else makes submarines out of CFRP, there just might be a good reason. In short, there are many many great applications of CFRPs. Making a submarine just ain't one of them. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.