Folding from the 2D – 3D level
Carbon fibres are between 5–10 micrometres in diameter and are bundled together to form a tow. The resulting structure has several advantages including high stiffness, high tensile strength, low weight, high chemical resistance, high temperature tolerance and low thermal expansion. Carbon fibres are usually combined with other materials to form a composite to create a highly resistant matrix. We combined the strength and stiffness of carbon fibre with the flexibility and softness of textiles to benefit from the union of the material properties of both. Through specific folding patterns, we developed a carbon-reinforced textile which can be compressed or pushed together to be reshaped into a solid three-dimensional object.
