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🏎️Market & cost

Carbon fibre · Polymer-derived filaments with graphite-like sheets — aero, bikes and a fire story that is about the resin, not the fibre.

At a glance
Score intensity

Darker cells mean a higher score for this topic on that metric.

Last reviewed Sources & creditsMedia creditsMethodology

Quick answers

Is Carbon fibre non-combustible?

Declared reaction class in this atlas: fibre A1-ish; CFRP follows the matrix. Assemblies still need resistance tests.

Does Carbon fibre insulate?

Thermal mark 24/100 versus the atlas. Conductivity note: high along fibre; low through-thickness in composites.

What is the density band?

~1.8 g/cm³ fibre

How is it made?

Origin story: Edison carbon filament; Shindo/Watt 1960s PAN (Japan / UK / US).

Can it be recycled?

Circularity mark 26/100 — editorial, route-specific.

Typical melting or failure heat?

sublimes; resin burns

heat 70 · fire 50

Start with this section - Market & cost

Prices are bands. A 2024 coil is not a 2026 contract. Labour and certification often dwarf the commodity.

Producers listed are landmarks for orientation, not a ranking or a procurement list.

Cost bands

Commodity

Index-linked

Bulk Carbon fibre follows a global index more than a boutique mill.

Specified grade

Premium

Tight chemistry, cleanliness or certification multiplies the unit price.

System

Installed

Boards, coats and labour dwarf kilogram prices.

Certified / medical / aero

Highest

Paperwork is the product.

Trial / green route

Policy

Low-carbon or bio routes still trade on certificates.

Regions

East Asia

Volume production and finishing.

Europe

Standards (EN, Euroclass) and specialty.

North America

ASTM / NFPA language and large domestic mills.

Korea / Japan

High-spec sheet, fibres, electronics-adjacent ceramics.

Resource belts

Ore, plantations or energy that feed primary routes.

Global trade

Carbon fibre moves as coils, bales, boards or chemicals — check HS codes, not vibes.

Key numbers

~1.8 g/cm³ fibreDensity
high along fibre; low through-thickness in compositesThermal
fibre A1-ish; CFRP follows the matrixFire letter
24Atlas insulation

Producers

Toray

Largest PAN-CF.

Mitsubishi Chemical

Japanese CF.

Teijin / Toho

Tenax.

Hexcel

US aero prepreg.

SGL

European, auto trials.

Zhongfu Shenying

Chinese capacity.

Ask for the route (primary, scrap, bio) before believing a green label.

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