RBAs - *single part*- wick and element combined experiments - Carbon Fibre 'Wickement'.

[cadcoke5]

I am wondering if the fact that the "wickament" is conducting through its entire thickness will affect how it functions. If this is true, then a possible solution is to somehow fill the middle part with something non-conductive. I don't know if it matters if the fill substance is able to absorb anything.

The idea is to make it more tube like, at least at the vaping area. Similar to cotton shoe laces, but thinner. I recall from one job I had that involved weaving carbon fiber, that the filaments were not that tough terms of how much bending it will tolerate. So, I don't know if the weaving idea is workable.

I imagine the temperature being generated will be lower with the greater surface area.

Joe Dunfee

 

[timb]

Can we please get some pictures of this? I too am working on some advanced wicks and would love more clarification as to what you're doing.

 

[protts]

Hi,

Please be careful about CF tow... I have been working with CF for the past 7 years mainly in the automotive department (I used to make body kits, spoilers, wings, bonnets, cannards etc) now I do research on advanced composites mainly dealing with Carbon-carbon or carbon-metal composites in a Government aided agency.

I am not too sure about the dust particles as I take them to be cancerous after long term inhalation but here are a few things to note:

1) most CF tow has got a sizing agent coated to enhance wicking effect of resins. Please burn them out before using it as a wick... mostly at 200 deg Celsius will do.

2) use short wicks. if the the CF tow is forced to make a bend radius it will splinter and there is a high chance of you sucking the splinters into your lungs. that is not good...... Also dont go for high modulus CF tow for wicks, they elasticity/bending range is very limited.

Still I wouldn't recommend using CF as a wick.... CF tends to cause galvanic corrosion to stainless steels and other metals with the proper medium (mainly if submerged in liquids) and even worse with aluminium (happens with air) unless you have a layer of GF surrounding the metal.

Anyway take care!

 

[perlionsmitnick]

I was going to try carbon fiber last week. Got a buddy to cut off some 80mm x 80mm swatches from material he had. Put the 2 pieces in my jeans pocket and a few hours later my leg was itching like crazy. Figured it was the carbon fiber breaking down and the fibers getting lodged in my skin, like fiberglass insulation. That was the point in which I trashed the CF thinking if it can break down that easily, that's not good and could get inhaled into the lungs.