China: "Black gold" carbon fiber transforming China's high-end materials industry.

Storyline "Black gold" carbon fiber transforming China's high-end materials industry SINOPEC Shanghai Petrochemical has developed a carbon fiber that's so strong and versatile they've dubbed it "black gold". This high-performance small-tow fiber consists of 12,000 micro-fibers, each about one tenth the thickness of a human hair. Together as one strand it can pull a 10-ton truck. It was produced using a wet-spinning process that allows for better bonding with resin materials which results in a superior product. Huang Xiangyu, Deputy General Manager, Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Co.,LTD.: "We initially thought this (wet-spinning process) was quite difficult, but once we achieved it, we found it to be a highly usable material. We see this as a transition from quantitative to qualitative change, built on nearly 20 years of our accumulated experience." These "black gold" fibers are widely used in a range of sectors including sports equipment. Bicycle frames made from the fibers can sell for around 1500 U.S. dollars or more. Xue Jiachen, Vice President, Phoenix Bicycle: "The bicycle retails for around 1500 to 1800 U.S. dollars. The increase in domestic carbon fiber production volume is actually very beneficial for the popularization of carbon fiber products. The more people use it, the more prices will drop, encouraging even wider adoption." In the aerospace sector, carbon fiber fabric and resin sheets are significantly lighter than metal, making it suitable for components used in space. SINOPEC executives say in the next 20 to 30 years carbon fiber will become as popular as plastics were when they were first mass produced. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]