Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Begins Mass Production of Wet-Spin T1000-Grade High-Performance Carbon Fiber
Source:China Composites Expo  June 04, 2026
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SHANGHAI - Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Co., Ltd., in collaboration with the Shanghai Research Institute of Petrochemical Technology, has successfully overcome key technical challenges in wet-spin T1000-grade high-performance carbon fiber and achieved mass production. This milestone breakthrough in high-performance carbon fiber positions Sinopec to provide core strategic material support for critical sectors in China, including aerospace, embodied intelligence, and the low-altitude economy.

The newly developed high-performance carbon fiber is a 12K small-tow product, meaning each tow consists of 12,000 individual filaments. With a single filament diameter approximately one-tenth the thickness of a human hair, the fiber delivers outstanding mechanical properties. The tensile strength of a single tow exceeds 6.5 GPa, with a tensile modulus surpassing 300 GPa - equivalent to the strength required to pull a medium-sized truck weighing approximately 10 tons.

This technological breakthrough significantly enriches and refines Sinopec's carbon fiber product portfolio. The mass production of T1000 small-tow carbon fiber strategically complements the company's large-tow carbon fiber capabilities. Sinopec now has the production capacity for nearly 20 models of carbon fiber products across different tow specifications, including 3K, 6K, 12K, 24K, 48K, and 60K. Product performance spans general-purpose to high-performance grades, suitable for a wide range of applications, from aerospace and advanced manufacturing to wind power, transportation, and sports and leisure.

As of the end of 2025, Sinopec has filed 868 patent applications in carbon fiber and its composite materials - ranking first in China and third globally in terms of patent filings. Of these, 417 patents have been granted, and four PCT applications have been completed.

Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical is the first company in China - and the fourth globally - to master core large-tow carbon fiber technology. In October 2022, China's first fully domestic 48K large-tow carbon fiber production line was commissioned at the company's Shanghai facility. In September 2025, the company launched 60K large-tow carbon fiber, filling a gap in the domestic market.

While achieving continuous breakthroughs in large-tow carbon fiber industrialization, the company has also been advancing the development of high-performance small-tow carbon fiber. In April 2023, Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical successfully achieved mass production of 24K carbon fiber. By August 2023, the performance indicators of its high-performance carbon fiber products met the SCF55M1 (T800-grade) standard, completing the full process. In October 2025, the company overcame key challenges in the development and preparation of wet-spin sodium thiocyanate (NaSCN) T800-grade carbon fiber, achieving a proprietary technology breakthrough that fills a global gap.

Since the beginning of this year, through continuous research and equipment optimization, the company has systematically overcome technical bottlenecks such as precursor performance and micro-defect control, successfully realizing mass production of wet-spin T1000-grade high-performance carbon fiber.