Can you make a fuel tank from CF, and if so, does it need to be sealed with anything? My recollection is that fiberglass needs to drained after using or it decomposes...?
Can you make a fuel tank from CF, and if so, does it need to be sealed with anything? My recollection is that fiberglass needs to drained after using or it decomposes...?
Fiberglass can be fine too BUT its the Resin that is what makes it gas safe not the fiber.
I'm sure there's a gas safe resin somewhere. Remember to use a layer of kevlar for safety :)
Its all in the resin. Though due to the nature of CF (like how it fails explosively), I would use a liner in that situation anyways.
Vinyl ester and at least some epoxies are used with fiberglass in composite home built aircraft construction.
My Dad's Glasair is vinyl ester and fiberglass. Holds about 60 gallons of avgas.
Aluminum can compete with CF for lightness...not strength/weight ratio, but lightness.
If it can't compete in strength to weight, it can't compete in lightness. Just use less of it.
You can't use less than 1 layer of carbon fiber...and then there's the cost and fabrication difficulty to factor in.
I've heard of making a gas tank shape out of foam, then dissolving the foam once the composite material has cured. The key is using the right resin, one not affected by gas.
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