https://j.people.com.cn/n3/2026/0603/c94476-20463540.html

Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Company Limited, in collaboration with the Shanghai Research Institute of Petrochemical Technology, has achieved a major breakthrough by successfully mastering the core technologies for producing T1000-grade high-performance carbon fiber via the wet-spinning method and realizing mass production. This fiber is suitable for applications in aerospace, embodied AI, and the “low-altitude economy” and will serve as a core strategic material supporting the development of key sectors in China.

Carbon fiber boasts exceptional performance characteristics. While its density is less than one-quarter that of steel, its strength is seven to nine times greater, and it also offers excellent corrosion resistance. Carbon fibers are classified into “large-tow” and “small-tow” categories based on tow specifications (bundles of long fibers), with the industry using “K” to denote the specification (where 1K signifies a bundle of 1,000 individual filaments). Fibers rated at 24K or lower are classified as small-tow carbon fibers; these feature thinner bundles, more uniform performance, and higher precision, making them ideal for applications requiring high performance, such as aerospace and high-end equipment. Fibers rated at 48K or higher are classified as large-tow carbon fibers; these offer higher single-line production capacity and lower costs, serving as core materials that support large-scale applications in industrial sectors like wind power generation and energy storage. The “T” in the T1000 grade designation indicates the tensile strength class; the higher the number, the greater the strength.

The high-performance carbon fiber recently developed and mass-produced by Shanghai Petrochemical is a 12K small-tow fiber, consisting of 12,000 individual filaments per bundle. Although the diameter of a single fiber is about one-tenth that of a human hair, it boasts excellent mechanical properties; a single fiber bundle exhibits a tensile strength of 6.5 gigapascals (GPa) and a tensile modulus exceeding 300 GPa. This is equivalent to the strength required to tow a medium-sized truck weighing approximately 10 tons.