Materials/Carbon materials

Carbon materials

carbon

7 materials · 6 types

What this is

Graphite, carbon fibre, carbon-carbon, graphene and related forms of carbon.

Carbon is strong, light and heat tolerant. Different forms behave very differently, so the type matters.

Grades of one kind compared side by side.

Carbon materials: Carbon materials (graphite, glassy carbon, pyrolytic graphite, graphene, graphene oxide, carbon nanotubes, carbon fibre): density, conductivity and strength with sources.

Pick a type to see its materials.

The measurements we use to compare carbon materials. Each one has a standard test and a direction: is higher or lower better?

What matters
Measurement	Better when	How it is tested
Atomic oxygen erosionHow fast low-orbit oxygen eats the surface	lower	Flight (MISSE); ground ASTM E2089
Thermal conductivityHow well it moves heat	depends on the use	ASTM E1461
Strength per massStrength per kilogram launched	higher	ASTM E8, D638
Stiffness per massStiffness per kilogram launched	higher	ASTM E8, D638