October 25, 2018 Source: New Materials Online

Carbon fiber materials have broad prospects and strong global market demand. Due to its light weight, high strength and high modulus, carbon fiber materials have high application value in aerospace, wind power blades, industrial materials, automobile manufacturing and sports and leisure products. Therefore, carbon fiber is called "Black gold" in the 21st century.

As a new strategic material, carbon fiber has long been monopolized by foreign countries, mainly concentrated in a few developed countries such as Japan, Europe and America. In 2017, the global carbon fiber theoretical capacity was 147,000 tons, of which the US production capacity was 38,600 tons, accounting for 27%, and the Japanese production capacity was 27,200 tons, accounting for 18%. The two countries accounted for almost half of the carbon fiber production capacity. China's carbon fiber theoretical capacity of 26,000 tons accounted for 17.68% of the world, ranking third, but China has been in a situation of production capacity and no production. At present, China's carbon fiber is 80% dependent on foreign imports. However, due to the dual-use characteristics of carbon fiber, it is difficult to import high-performance carbon fiber products from abroad, which further aggravates the domestic demand for carbon fiber. Import substitution is the main driving force for the development of domestic carbon fiber industry.

Toray (3402.T) is one of the earliest leading manufacturers of carbon fiber. It is currently the world's largest carbon fiber producer, ranking first in terms of output and sales, and taking the world's high-end carbon fiber demand market share, leading the industry. Continue to develop. Teijin Toho (3401.T) is the world's second largest carbon fiber manufacturing company. It distributes carbon fiber and its composite materials production bases around the world. Teijin Tobang's profitability of carbon fiber sector has been enhanced since its business restructuring in 2012. Mitsubishi Rayon (4188.T) is the only company in the world that produces both PAN-based carbon fiber and pitch-based carbon fiber. Its carbon fiber materials and the Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Group's various product business segments have formed a huge synergy, making carbon fiber in automobile manufacturing. The application of the field has significant advantages. SGL (F) is the world's largest supplier of carbon graphite and related materials, with a complete industrial chain layout from carbon graphite products to carbon fiber and composite materials. Its carbon fiber materials are used in wind power, military and automotive lightweight applications. Strong demand has increased its profitability.

However, the domestic carbon fiber industry leader in the production of carbon fiber industry chain, the competitiveness continues to increase. Domestic carbon fiber industry leader Langfang Zhonganxin Technology Co., Ltd., Weihai Guangwei Composite, Lianyungang Zhongfu Shenying, Changzhou Zhongjian Technology, Shanxi Gangke Carbon Materials, Hengshen Co., Ltd. specializes in carbon fiber precursor, carbon wire and composite materials. R & D, production and sales, domestic manufacturers cover the entire carbon fiber industry chain, both in military and civilian applications. At the same time, the state has introduced a number of policies in recent years, vigorously supporting the development of the domestic carbon fiber industry, achieving coordinated development of military and civilian integration, and further benefiting the company's development. At the same time, domestic carbon fiber enterprises continue to invest in research and development funds, and their technical level is excellent, taking the lead in occupying the military industry. Among them, Kangdexin (002450) invested in Kangde Carbon Valley Co., Ltd., which is 14% owned. Zhonganxin Technology Co., Ltd. is a subsidiary of Kangde New Shareholder Kant Group, and its carbon fiber products are comprehensively deployed in the fields of military, transportation, new energy, etc. BMW Co., Ltd. cooperates with Kangde Composites to realize the whole industrial layout of carbon fiber raw silk-carbon wire-prepreg-composite materials, which has strong comprehensive competitiveness in the future; Guangwei Composite Materials (300699) is the only independent listed carbon fiber in China. And Composite Products Co., Ltd., carbon fiber T300 grade products are used in military aircraft such as the national 歼10 and 歼11, and their carbon fiber composite materials enter the international wind power supply chain such as Vestas; China National Building Materials (3323.HK) Subsidiary China Composites and Shenying Group established Zhongfu Shenying Carbon Fiber Co., Ltd. to realize the mass production of T800-class thousand tons of raw silk and won the first prize of National Science and Technology Progress Award.

In addition, China's T800 grade carbon fiber products have achieved a leap from scientific research to engineering manufacturing. On June 13, the National Defense Science and Technology Bureau issued a message saying that China's T800 grade carbon fiber composite material has achieved its first engineering application in recent days, filling a gap in the domestic aviation field.

Vigorously develop strategic emerging industries, and the carbon fiber industry policy continues to be launched. Since 2010, the State Council and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology have continued to launch a number of industrial development plans, set up long-term and short-term plans for technological development and capacity expansion, and effectively promote the development of the carbon fiber industry. Since 2000, China's carbon fiber industry has experienced rapid development in the past 15 years. At present, China's carbon fiber industry is in the stage of industrial integration. Now it has established a domestic polyacrylonitrile carbon fiber technology system and established the mainstream technology direction. It has initially formed a domestic carbon fiber R&D and production platform from laboratory development to industrialization. At the product level, China has now solved the problem of “doing or not” localization and initially broke the international blockade. At the company level, there are currently 25 carbon fiber enterprises in China, 7 of which have 11 production lines with a capacity of 26,000. Ton.

Assume that the average ratio of carbon fiber in the third and third generation fighters is 10%; the proportion of the fourth generation machine is about 20%; the proportion of large military aircraft is about 15%; the proportion of helicopters is about 40%; the proportion of the trainer is about 10%, the future In 10 years, the total amount of carbon fiber used in China's military aircraft is about 3,460 tons. If the unit price is 4,000 yuan/kg, the market space of military carbon fiber in China is about 13.840 billion yuan.