3 mm vs 2 mm vs 1 mm Carbon Fiber Sheets: Which Thickness Wins?
A Table + Three Scenarios to Lock in Your Answer in 30 Seconds
Author: Aohong Carbon Fiber Technology Center
1. Conclusion Up Front
- For extreme lightweight, choose 1 mm carbon fiber sheet.
- For the stiffness‑to‑weight sweet spot, choose 2 mm carbon fiber sheet.
- For high load capacity and durability, choose 3 mm carbon fiber sheet.
2. Core Data at a Glance
(T300‑3K, epoxy resin, Vf ≈ 60 %)
| Metric | 1 mm | 2 mm | 3 mm | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Areal Density | 600 g/m² | 1 200 g/m² | 1 800 g/m² | Linear with thickness |
| Bending Stiffness (N·m²/m) | 25 | 200 | 675 | Scales with thickness³; 2 mm is 8× 1 mm |
| Ultimate Bending Moment (kN·mm/m) | 0.9 | 3.6 | 8.1 | 3 mm is 800 % higher than 1 mm |
| Typical Plies | 6–7 layers | 13–14 layers | 20–22 layers | Single ply ≈ 0.15 mm |
| Minimum Bend Radius | 50 mm | 120 mm | 250 mm | Thick sheets harder to form |
| Processing Cost Factor | 0.8× | 1.0× | 1.3× | Cutting/drilling thick sheets takes more time |
3. Three Real‑World Scenario Comparisons
Drone Wing Skin
- Load: 5 kg lift + 2 g maneuver
- Result:
- 1 mm: visible deflection
- 2 mm: deflection < 2 mm
- 3 mm: over‑stiff, wasted weight
- Winner: 2 mm carbon fiber sheet
Robot Joint Housing
- Requirement: withstand 100 N lateral impact, weight‑sensitive
- Result:
- 2 mm & 3 mm both meet spec
- 2 mm is 33 % lighter than 3 mm and boosts cycle speed by 12 %
- Winner: 2 mm carbon fiber sheet
Industrial Equipment Reinforcement Plate
- Requirement: continuous 5 kN point load, deflection ≤ 0.5 mm
- Result:
- Only 3 mm meets requirement
- Winner: 3 mm carbon fiber sheet
4. Quick 30‑Second Selection Formula
Bending stiffness requirement:
E⋅Ireq=q L4384 δmaxE \cdot I_{\text{req}} = \frac{q \, L^{4}}{384 \, \delta_{\max}}
Since I∝t3I \propto t^{3}, every 26 % increase in thickness doubles stiffness.
- If 2 mm just meets your need, switching to 1 mm requires added stiffeners or honeycomb cores.
- If 3 mm overshoots, consider if it’s over‑engineered.
5. One‑Sentence Summary
1 mm is ultra‑light, 2 mm is the all‑rounder, 3 mm is rock‑solid—plug your requirements into the formula and the right 3 mm carbon fiber sheet (or 2 mm, 1 mm) thickness will reveal itself.
