The primary application of carbon fiber involves combining it with matrix materials-such as resins, metals, or ceramics-to create structural materials. Carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy composites boast the highest combined specific strength and specific modulus metrics among all currently available structural materials. Carbon fiber composites offer significant advantages in fields with stringent requirements regarding density, stiffness, weight, and fatigue characteristics, as well as in environments demanding high-temperature resistance and exceptional chemical stability.
Carbon fiber emerged in the early 1950s in response to the demands of cutting-edge scientific and technological sectors-specifically rocketry, space exploration, and aviation. Since then, its applications have expanded widely to encompass sports equipment, textiles, chemical machinery, and the medical field. As cutting-edge technologies impose increasingly rigorous demands on the performance characteristics of new materials, researchers and technologists have been driven to continuously strive for improvement. In the early 1980s, high-performance and ultra-high-performance carbon fibers began to appear in succession; this marked another technological leap forward and signaled that the research and production of carbon fiber had entered an advanced stage.
Composites formed by combining carbon fiber with epoxy resin have become advanced aerospace materials due to their low specific gravity, high rigidity, and exceptional strength. This is of critical importance because for every kilogram of weight reduced in a spacecraft, the launch vehicle required to lift it can be lightened by 500 kilograms. Consequently, the aerospace industry is racing to adopt these advanced composite materials. For instance, a specific type of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) fighter jet utilizes carbon fiber composites for one-quarter of its total airframe weight and one-third of its wing weight. Reports indicate that key components within the three rocket boosters of the U.S. Space Shuttle, as well as the launch tubes for advanced MX missiles, are all fabricated using advanced carbon fiber composites.
In Formula 1 (F1) racing, the majority of a car's body structure is constructed from carbon fiber materials. High-end sports cars also frequently utilize carbon fiber extensively throughout their bodies to enhance both aerodynamic efficiency and structural integrity. Carbon fiber can be processed into various forms, including fabrics, felts, mats, tapes, paper, and other materials. In traditional applications-aside from its use as a thermal insulation material-carbon fiber is rarely used in its standalone form; instead, it typically serves as a reinforcing agent added to matrix materials such as resins, metals, ceramics, or concrete to create composite materials. Carbon fiber-reinforced composites can serve as structural materials for aircraft, electromagnetic shielding and static-dissipation materials, and biomedical substitutes-such as artificial ligaments-thereby expanding their application across various scenarios within the human body. Furthermore, they are utilized in the manufacturing of rocket casings, motorboats, industrial robots, automotive leaf springs, and drive shafts.
In January 2026, trains on the Jingxiong Express Line (connecting Xiong'an New Area to Beijing Daxing International Airport) incorporated cutting-edge technologies-including carbon fiber composites-to establish an intelligent operation and maintenance system.
Also in January 2026, within the consumer electronics sector, certain products began utilizing aerospace-grade carbon fiber composites for the construction of their device bodies.
On December 7, 2022, it was reported that China had successfully launched the Kuaizhou-11 solid-fuel carrier rocket, the entire structure of which was constructed using carbon fiber composites.
In 2025, the payload fairing for the Tianlong-3 carrier rocket-scheduled for its maiden flight by Tianbing Technology-also featured an all-carbon fiber composite construction.
Carbon fiber composites are additionally employed in satellite reflectors, battery enclosures for new energy vehicles, and structural reinforcement projects in the construction industry.
This material has also found application in aircraft carrier decks, ship hull structures, and load-bearing components for humanoid robots.
In 2025, domestic aerospace manufacturers successfully applied carbon fiber/glass fiber composites to the fuselages and wing components of general aviation aircraft, achieving large-scale production and assembly. Furthermore, high-performance carbon fiber composite manufacturing processes were adopted for eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft models currently under development and certification.
In the new energy sector, carbon fiber composites have emerged as a critical material for high-altitude airborne wind power generation systems. The S1500-the world's first megawatt-class commercial airborne wind power system, successfully test-flown by my country in September 2025-and the S2000 system (successfully test-flown in January 2026) both utilize high-strength tether cables made of carbon fiber composites.
These cables boast a tensile strength of 3,000 megapascals, enabling them to withstand Category 12 typhoons. Moreover, these cables perform multiple functions simultaneously: transmitting data, providing structural support, and integrating high-voltage lines for power transmission. In the realm of high-end watchmaking, the Swiss brand Richard Mille incorporates Carbon TPT®-a carbon fiber material-into the cases and dials of its ladies' timepieces, combining it with exquisite craftsmanship such as precious metals, ceramics, and diamond setting.
