Carbon brittle in cold?
10-13-09, 09:53 AM
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Well the new JSF jet by Lockheed Martin is 40% carbon. The F22 Raptor also has quite a bit of CF. I would hope that when it's flying around 50k feet in the air (much colder than the ground) that this isn't true. 
10-13-09, 10:06 AM
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I always kinda figured that if a material could be used in F1 race cars, fighter jets, and freakin' SPACECRAFT that it would probably be safe for a bike. Unless you're riding on the surface of the Sun or something.
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10-13-09, 10:35 AM
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Carbon fiber composites are interesting materials. It can be designed to be not only brittle, but flexible. It depends on the application intended for the design.
Does it become brittle in the cold? Well, I'm not aware of any material that doesn't become more brittle in the cold, however, it only will be of concern if it is being operated outside of its design specifications. The only way to be sure of that is to call the manufacturer and get the engineer's answer.
Does it become brittle in the cold? Well, I'm not aware of any material that doesn't become more brittle in the cold, however, it only will be of concern if it is being operated outside of its design specifications. The only way to be sure of that is to call the manufacturer and get the engineer's answer.
10-13-09, 10:39 AM
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At cold temperatures, it will be stiffer, stronger in compression, and weaker in tension. But not significantly so at the temps you will be riding at.
10-13-09, 10:51 AM
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I rode my CX carbon frame through all of last winter, including a couple of days that were in the -20 degree range. Rough roads, ruts, etc. No problems.
Just ride it! Bonus: no worries about corrosion
Just ride it! Bonus: no worries about corrosion
10-13-09, 11:11 AM
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Metals get more brittle in colder temperatures, too, if that helps any.
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10-13-09, 11:14 AM
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10-13-09, 11:31 AM
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Considering the F-22 has a problem with its skin falling off when flown in the rain I'd hesitate to cite it as a positive example of the use of non-metallic materials.
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10-13-09, 11:40 AM
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10-13-09, 11:42 AM
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You can do some cool tricks with that stuff. Pound a nail with a banana.
Shatter a rubber ball into pieces, that the pieces quickly return to soft and bouncy.
Shatter a rubber ball into pieces, that the pieces quickly return to soft and bouncy.
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10-13-09, 11:51 AM
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Considering the F-22 has a problem with its skin falling off when flown in the rain I'd hesitate to cite it as a positive example of the use of non-metallic materials.
???
10-13-09, 12:03 PM
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10-13-09, 12:05 PM
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10-13-09, 12:55 PM
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Actually, if you read the article, they are not talking about the load bearing skin panels, but rather the radar absorbing coating/structures that are coated/glued to the skin panels. I am pretty sure the skin panels don't just slough off in the rain. I don't know for sure, but it's likely that the skin panels are aluminum, with a radar absorbing coating. Otherwise I think it would cost more. These "only" cost $350 million... The B-2 bomber, which has a carbon skin, costs $2 billion per copy.
EDIT: it seems the skin panels are a carbon honeycomb structure. Regardless, the article is clearly talking about the coating, not the panel itself.
EDIT: it seems the skin panels are a carbon honeycomb structure. Regardless, the article is clearly talking about the coating, not the panel itself.
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Last edited by Brian Ratliff; 10-13-09 at 01:01 PM.