Mass production of domestic T1000-grade high-performance carbon fiber has been achieved in Shanghai.

Recently, Sinopec achieved a major industrial breakthrough. T1000-grade 12K small-tow high-performance carbon fiber, produced via a domestically developed process route, has officially achieved mass production in Shanghai. This marks a significant step forward in China's independent production capacity for high-end carbon fiber, providing critical core strategic material support for high-end fields such as aerospace, embodied intelligence, and the low-altitude economy, as well as for the development of future industries.

As a high-end new material long hailed as "black gold," carbon fiber possesses multiple superior properties such as low density, high strength, corrosion resistance, high-temperature resistance, and fatigue resistance. It is an indispensable core basic material for high-end manufacturing and strategic equipment sectors. Compared to traditional steel, carbon fiber has a density less than one-quarter that of steel, yet its strength is 7 to 9 times greater. Its outstanding comprehensive performance advantages make it a core category prioritized for development in the current new materials industry.

The T1000-grade carbon fiber mass-produced in Shanghai this time is of the 12K small-tow specification, with technical indicators at the high end of the industry. According to reports, this specification of carbon fiber contains 12,000 filaments per tow, with a single filament diameter of only about 7 micrometers—just one-tenth the diameter of an ordinary human hair. Behind this extremely slender structure lies extremely strong mechanical performance; the tensile strength of a single tow exceeds 6.5 GPa, capable of easily pulling a 10-ton medium-duty truck, demonstrating robust performance capabilities.

A relevant person in charge of the No. 3 Carbon Fiber Plant of Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical's Carbon Fiber Division stated that the successful mass production of T1000 small-tow carbon fiber forms a perfect strategic complement to large-tow carbon fiber, perfecting the gradient layout of the enterprise's carbon fiber products. Currently, the factory possesses the mass production capacity for nearly 20 models of carbon fiber products. With a rich product matrix, it can fully adapt to application scenarios in aerospace, high-end manufacturing, wind power, transportation, sports and leisure, and other fields, significantly enhancing market adaptability and industrial service capabilities.

For a long time, China has continued to delve deep into tackling technical problems in the carbon fiber field, breaking through multiple core technology barriers. It has now built a complete independent industrial chain covering precursor preparation, carbon fiber production, and composite product processing, completely摆脱ing dependence on foreign technology. With the continuous release of high-end carbon fiber production capacity and constant technological iteration, the domestic carbon fiber industry has entered the fast lane of high-quality development.

Industry forecast data shows that China's carbon fiber market size is expected to exceed 60 billion yuan by 2030. The mass production of Sinopec's T1000-grade high-performance carbon fiber this time not only fills the gap in the mass production of domestic high-end small-tow carbon fiber and further consolidates the pattern of independent and controllable development of China's carbon fiber industry, but will also inject strong material power into the upgrading of China's future emerging industries and high-end equipment manufacturing.