China has established a 100-ton capacity production line for M40J high-performance carbon fibers after the country made breakthroughs in stabilized manufacturing and surface treatment, Xin Ling, chief designer of an institute under China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, said on July 19.

“This means China has developed stable supply of M40J high-performance carbon fibers,” Xin added.

M40J carbon fiber boasts light weight, high specific strength, high specific stiffness and high vibration resistance. It is a key material for the production of high-end spacecraft components.

The high-performance carbon fiber is as thin as 1/10 of the thickness of hair. Its tensile strength could reach 4,000 MPa, equivalent to 48,000 times of barometric pressure.

Compared to commonly applied high-strength steels in aircraft, domestic M40J carbon fibers can provide 2 to 3 times more tensile strength and elasticity modulus, the chief engineer explained.

It was learnt that related indexes of M40J carbon fibers have already achieved a leading position in the global context.

According to Xin, the material can also be widely applied in high-end numerically-controlled machines, robots and marine engineering.

In addition, the evaluation system, characterization methods and technological standards of the material have been gradually established, laying the foundation for the serialized development of high-performance carbon fibers in the future.