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HexTow® Carbon Fiber

HexTow® Carbon Fiber

HexTow® Carbon Fiber

Product catalog summary
Overview: HexTow® carbon fiber by Hexcel is a high-performance material used in aerospace and industrial applications, particularly for the US military. Hexcel has over 45 years of experience in manufacturing carbon fibers.
Product Specifications: HexTow® carbon fiber is PAN-based, offering high strength, strain, and stiffness. It is stronger than steel, lighter than aluminum, and as stiff as titanium, with surface treatment and sizing for enhanced bonding.
Manufacturing Process: The fiber is produced by oxidizing and carbonizing polyacrylonitrile precursor at high temperatures, resulting in excellent strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight properties. It is available in continuous and chopped forms.
Product Forms and Applications: Continuous fibers are used in weaving, braiding, and filament winding, while chopped fibers are used in molding applications. Hexcel offers standard, intermediate, and high modulus fibers, with IM7 being an industry standard.
Technical Data: The document includes specifications such as tensile strength, modulus, strain, weight/length, and density for various fibers, along with epoxy composite properties and sizing compatibility.
Storage and Handling: Carbon fibers should be stored below 95°F and 50% RH. Sizing agents like G, GP, and GS improve processing and have specific shelf lives.
Selection Criteria: Selection depends on application requirements, mechanical performance, tow size, and sizing compatibility. Hexcel provides guidance for choosing the right fiber.
Glossary: A glossary of terms related to carbon fiber technology is included to aid understanding.
Contact Information: Hexcel provides contact details for further information, quotes, and orders.
Disclaimer and Accuracy: Data is accurate at issuance, but Hexcel may update it. Performance values are representative, and Hexcel disclaims warranties or liabilities.
Product Overview: Hexcel offers a range of products including HexTow® carbon fibers, HexForce® reinforcements, HiMax™ reinforcements, HexPly® prepregs, HexAM™ manufacturing, HexMC®-i compounds, HexFlow® resins, Redux® & Hexbond™ adhesives, HexTool® materials, HexWeb® honeycombs, Acousti-Cap® honeycomb, engineered core products, and Polyspeed™ laminates.
Product Families: Products are categorized into families such as HiTape® Reinforcements, Modipur® Polyurethane, HexWeb® Core, HexTow® Fiber, HexFlow® Resins, HexMC®-i Composite, HexPly® Prepregs, HexTool® Material, Redux® & Hexbond™ Adhesives, Polyspeed® Laminates, HexWeb® Core, HexForce® Reinforcements, HiMax™ Reinforcements, and HexAM™ Manufacturing.
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Catalog excerpts

HexTow® Carbon Fiber-1

HexTow® Carbon Fiber HexTow® carbon fiber is the preferred carbon fiber for the world’s most advanced aerospace and industrial composite application

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HexTow® Carbon Fiber-2

• Stronger than steel, lighter than aluminum & as stiff as titanium ¥¥High strength ¥¥High strain • PAN based fiber • Successive surface treatment to improve bonding • Sizing to improve handleability embrace the exploration of new ideas, to challenge the impossible and succeed beyond expectations. We have been pioneers at the forefront of the composites industry for over 50 years and will continue to pave the way for the future. HexTow® carbon fiber The primary building blocks for carbon fiber composite materials begin with Hexcel’s HexTow® carbon fiber which is the preferred carbon fiber for...

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HexTow® Carbon Fiber-3

Continuous fiber can be combined with all thermoset and thermoplastic resin systems. They are used for weaving, braiding, filament winding applications, unidirectional tapes for ATL and AFP processes and prepreg tow for fiber placement. Hexcel offers standard, intermediate and high modulus carbon fibers. While our IM fibers have become an industry standard, particularly the HexTow® IM7 carbon fiber, we continue to innovate and look for better ways to meet customers’ growing needs. Fiber Type Refer to specific product data sheets for more details on each product. * Tensile Modulus Calculated as...

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HexTow® Carbon Fiber-4

* Compatibility with these Matrices is considered theoretically compatible. Hexcel cannot guarantee their results.

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HexTow® Carbon Fiber-5

Recommended Storage and Shelf Life The inherent properties of Hexcel’s unsized carbon fiber include: • Tow Tensile Strength • Tow Tensile Modulus • Tow Tensile Elongation • Fiber Density • Mass per Unit Length (yield) To enable consumer processing of carbon fiber, proprietary sizing agents are typically applied by Hexcel, such as G, GP, and GS Sizes. It has been found that the original processing characteristics of G Sized carbon fiber will essentially remain constant for at least one year from the date of manufacture while GP and GS Sized carbon fibers will essentially remain constant for at...

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HexTow® Carbon Fiber-6

Chopped fiber is used in compression and injection molding compounds to produce parts as varied as machine parts, gears and chemical valves. The finished products exhibit high strength and modulus, excellent fatigue and creep resistance, low thermal expansion, electrical and thermal conductivity, excellent friction and wear resistance, and low shrinkage. HexTow®, PAN based carbon fiber is available in 1/4 inch chopped fiber lengths, sized for compatibility with various resin matrix systems and processes. The chopped product is small, thin, rectangular flake, 1/4 inch long by 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide....

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HexTow® Carbon Fiber-7

AFL Automated fiber layup ATL Automated tape layup AS Standard modulus fiber in the 33 Msi to 38 Msi range Filament The individual threads in a tow. Filaments can vary in diameter. Flexural Modulus: A number referring to a material’s stiffness. It is used to calculate how far a bar will bend when a bending load is applied. Units are normally millions of pounds per square inch. (106 psi) - Giga Pascals (gPa). In two materials of equal thickness, the one with a higher number is more resistant to deflection. Flexural Strength: Also known as bending strength. Describes how much non-moving load can...

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HexTow® Carbon Fiber-8

Hexcel Product Family HexTow® Carbon Fiber HexFlow® Resins HexMC®-i Molding Composite HexForce® Reinforcements Polyspeed® Laminates HexWeb® Honeycomb Core HiTape® Advanced Reinforcements Modipur® Polyurethane HexWeb® Engineered Core HexPly® Prepregs Redux® & Hexbond™ Adhesives HexTool® Tooling Material HiMax™ Multiaxial Reinforcements HexAM™ Additive Manufacturing For more information Hexcel is a leading worldwide supplier of composite materials to aerospace and industrial markets. Our comprehensive range includes: HexTow® carbon fibers HexForce® reinforcements ¥¥HiMax™ multiaxial reinforcements...

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*Prices are pre-tax. They exclude delivery charges and customs duties and do not include additional charges for installation or activation options. Prices are indicative only and may vary by country, with changes to the cost of raw materials and exchange rates.