Carbon

Carbon, specifically carbon fibre in the textile industry, refers to a material composed of extremely thin fibres made mostly of carbon atoms, typically 5–10 micrometres in diameter. Its history dates back to the 19th century, when Thomas Edison used carbonised fibres in light bulbs in 1879. Modern carbon fibres began to be developed in the 1950s: they are produced by heating precursor fibres such as viscose or polyacrylonitrile (PAN) at very high temperatures in an inert atmosphere, removing non-carbon elements and leaving behind nearly pure carbon structures. The resulting carbon yarns can be used directly or woven/knitted into textiles for technical fabrics, protective clothing, sportswear, high-strength composite materials, reinforcements, and other specialised applications. Carbon fibre is known for its very high strength, stiffness, thermal and chemical resistance, and extremely low weight. However, it is more expensive than conventional textile fibres, requires specialised processing, and has limited recyclability.