Carbon Composite Felts | Temperature Resistant

Carbon, whether as a technical fabric or, of course, as nonwoven needle felt, is used in many future-oriented industries. Products made from carbon, carbon felt or even the precursors made from preoxidised PAN have many outstanding properties such as low weight, chemical resistance and high strength, to name but a few. These properties play an important role, not only in mobility. Carbon felt and co. have also become indispensable in the field of renewable energies and energy storage.

As a precursor to carbon felt, we produce technical needle felts, e.g. from preoxidised PAN or rayon. These needle felts are then carbonised in special ovens at up to 1,200°C and graphitised at up to 2,600°C at our customers' premises. The result is carbon felts with the desired properties: low weight, excellent chemical resistance, electrical conductivity, maximum temperature resistance and strength.

Carbon and graphite felts are used in chemical batteries such as redox flow batteries or NaS batteries. Graphitised nonwoven needle felt is used as a felt electrode in redox flow batteries.

Needle felt is also a must for hydrogen technologies. Carbon felts as a gas diffusion layer regulate the water balance in fuel cells and electrolysers.

on graphite base are used, for example, in redox flow batteries.

High-temperature insulation plays a major role in the manufacture of photovoltaic cells, particularly in the production of monocrystalline silicon. Here, graphite felts, especially soft graphite felts, are used to insulate the furnaces. These graphite felt insulations are of course also used in other high-temperature furnaces and high-temperature applications, e.g. in the manufacture of monocrystalline silicon carbide, which is required for the production of semiconductors. Carbon insulation felts are also used in the manufacture of optical conductors and high-performance glass, such as sapphire glass.

Needle felts for carbonisation have also found their way into racing, namely in high-performance carbon ceramic brakes. The advantages of carbon-ceramic brake discs are their durability, high temperature resistance, braking performance and, last but not least, their low weight.
We at BWF Protec are very proud to be part of a Formula 1 success story with our needle felts

[Translate to English:] Technischer Nadelfilz: Meterware, Rohre, Bänder

Yard goods, endless rollers and belts, or ready-made parts.

Why carbon composite felts?

We have chosen this name for the special product group "technical needle felts made of rayon or preoxidised PAN", which are actually carbonised and/or graphitised for end use by our customers and partners. This product group is used for high-temperature applications such as furnace insulation, various battery applications (energy storage) and special applications such as carbon-ceramic brakes in the racing/formula 1 sector.

Does BWF Protec produce carbon felt or graphite felt?

No, it is currently not possible to buy graphite felt or carbon fibre felt from BWF Protec. As carbon fibres are highly electrically conductive, they require specially shielded systems, which we do not have (currently). As a precursor, we produce needle felts from rayon or from so-called pre-oxidised PAN fibres (designation at BWF Protec: SFO). These needle felts are then carbonised in special ovens at up to 1,200°C and/or graphitised at up to 2,600°C by our customers and partners. This is why we call our products "Carbon Composite Felts".

Buying carbon felt as a private individual?

In online shops, you can find felt products such as welding blankets or so-called fire protection mats under the term "carbon felt". But not everything that says "carbon" is actually made of carbon. Products are often made from pre-oxidised PAN, which is merely a carbon precursor. However, this does not mean that the product is not suitable for the advertised purpose. This is because such nonwovens have proven themselves very well as welding blankets and are also used by our customers from the Heat & Safety sector for this purpose.

Carbon fibre felt - outstanding material properties summarised

The following properties always play a decisive role in the use of felts made from carbon fibres or carbonised or graphitised needle felts from a preliminary stage: weight, chemical resistance, electrical conductivity, temperature resistance, strength and mechanical resilience. Low weight, for example, plays a major role in fuel consumption in vehicles and aeroplanes, chemical resistance is important for use in batteries/accumulators and the very high temperature resistance is of course important for use as furnace insulation.