Graphene-reinforced carbon fiber may lead to affordable, stronger car materials

Researchers from Penn State, the University of Virginia, and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in collaboration with industry partners Solvay and Oshkosh, have found a way to strengthen carbon fibers, which are widely used in the airline industry but are typically very expensive. Using a mix of computer simulations and laboratory experiments, the team found that adding small amounts of graphene to the production process not only strengthens the fibers, but also reduces their production cost, which may one day pave the way for higher-strength, cost-effective car materials.