China has achieved stable mass production of T1100-grade carbon fiber with high tensile strength, low density, and environmental resistance through a partnership between Shenzhen University in south China and Chang ShengTechnology Co., Ltd. in north China, China Media Group reported on January 13, 2026.

Production lines at Chang Sheng Technology Co., Ltd in Langfang, Hebei Province, are delivering T1100-grade carbon fibers at a stable, massive output, with qualification rates consistently reaching 95 percent.

T1100 is among the highest-strength grades of carbon fiber currently in industrial use. The fiber filament has a tensile strength of around 7,000 megapascals – about seven times that of high-strength steel –  while weighing roughly one-quarter as much. Each filament is approximately 5 micrometers in diameter, thinner than a human hair, yet capable of bearing extreme mechanical loads.

The main technical challenge of mass production lies in the initial formation of the fiber precursors. The precursors will form swelling pores if the manufacturing techniques are not properly adjusted, noted Professor Zhu Caizhen from the College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering at Shenzhen University. He added that the smaller the pores in the precursors, the stronger the final carbon fiber products.

Such defects are difficult to eliminate during large-scale production, making it hard to maintain consistent quality in high-strength carbon fiber. Until now, the large-scale supply of this T1100-grade carbon fiber has been dominated by overseas producers.

After more than 30 rounds of lab-scale manufacturing iterations, researchers at Shenzhen University optimized key parameters and reduced the pore rate of precursor fibers by about 60 percent, enabling the mass production of T1100-grade carbon fiber. This breakthrough has reduced China's reliance on imports and strengthened the security of strategic materials.