Aramid fibres are around 40% less dense and intermediate in strength between glass and carbon fibres. The specific strength of aramids is comparable to carbon fibre, and the specific modulus is higher than glass but not as high as the outstanding specific modulus of carbon.
The failure of aramid fibres is unique in that when they fail, the fibres break into small fibrils, which are like fibres within the fibre, so aramid fibres fail by a series of fibril failures rather than a brittle failure like carbon and glass. This unique failure mechanism is responsible for their high strength and high toughness; however the fibrils do not have the same resistance to compression forces, therefore aramid fibres are rarely used when compressive force resistance is required.
Advantages
Limitations
Applications
| Type | Density (g/cc) | Tensile Strength (ksi) | Tensile Modulus (Msi) | Elongation (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aramid (high toughness) | 1.4 | 523 | 12 | 4.0 |
| Aramid (high modulus) | 1.4 | 580 | 19 | 2.8 |
| Aramid (ultra-high modulus) | 1.5 | 494 | 27 | 2.0 |