China's carbon fiber subway developed by CRRC. Photo: VCG

China's first domestic large-tow carbon fiber production line started operations, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Thursday, citing Chinese oil giant Sinopec.

The first factory line of the country's first 10,000-ton large-tow fiber carbon project has rolled out qualified products in the carbon fiber industrial base of Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Co (SPC). 

The products are on par with similar overseas items in functionality, signaling that the country has succeeded in mass producing large-tow carbon fibers after achieving breakthroughs in key technologies, according to the report.

A bundle of more than 48,000 carbon fibers would fall under the large-tow category. Referred to as the "king of new materials" and "black gold," large-tow carbon fibers are widely used in wind power, solar power, high-speed rail systems, aircraft components and other sectors.

The carbon fibers that rolled off the SPC assembly line consist of a new type of high-strength carbon materials with a carbon content of more than 95 percent. 

In a sign of extraordinary mechanical functionality, the carbon fibers sport a specific gravity short of one-fourth of that of steel while featuring strength seven to nine times that of steel. The new products are also corrosion resistant. 

There are strict technological barriers to carbon fiber manufacturing. As a consequence, the country's carbon fiber development has long focused on breakthroughs on small-tow carbon fibers, which nonetheless involve high costs and put a damper on the application of carbon fibers among downstream firms, the report said.

Joining hands with 10-plus universities, scientific and research institutions and businesses, SPC has pushed for more than a decade to make major headway toward producing the 48,000 carbon fiber bundles from the previous 12,000. With that achievement, SPC became the first domestic firm and the fourth globally to have realized large-tow carbon fiber technology.

SPC's carbon fiber industrial base is to be completely built and put into operation by 2024 with an annual output of 24,000 tons of original fibers and 12,000 tons of large-tow carbon fibers. 

"This will greatly improve the single line production capacity and quality performance of carbon fiber, but also reduce China's reliance on imports and end supply shortages," SPC said in a statement in September. 

The large-tow carbon fiber project will push for transformation and upgrading of the domestic manufacturing power to make China rank among the world's leaders, per the statement. 

Last year, the country's total demand for carbon fibers stood at around 60,000 tons while domestic supplies hit nearly 30,000 tons, with some key categories and high-end items such as large-tow carbon fibers mostly reliant on imports, according to media reports.

Global Times