Carbon Fibre

Carbon fibre is the most prolific composite material, known for its strength and lightweight characteristics. Composites are by nature, two or more materials - a matrix and an adhesive - combined to maximise their positive properties and minimise their weaknesses.

A carbon fibre is essentially a strand of organised graphite atoms which are bound together at an atomic level into an incredibly strong formation. Special recipes of plastics are mixed and jet-spun into fibres, which are bathed and stretched to specific sizes. The fibres are treated to a highly guarded luxurious zero oxygen extreme heating process, reaching temperatures of 3,000°C, causing the atoms in the fibre to vibrate violently, expelling any non-carbon riff-raff atoms. After the beautifully one-directional three-dimensional crystal alignment forms, the exterior of each and every fibre is allowed to breathe, preparing the surface for a protective coating which perfectly matches the adhesive used in the final composite. Several thousand of these fibres are twisted together to form a yarn, which is woven into a criss-cross material to form the Matrix of the composite.

Literally thousands of specific weave patterns have been developed to enable flex and strength patterns for specific engineering use. Some designs can flex in continuous circles and others with a strength five times that of the strongest steel. 

The designers at Superleggera uses this engineering expertise in material qualities and tolerances to realise designs impossible in other materials.