In pursuit of light and a great phone, Apple has decided to
go (back) to aluminum and to use it as a material for the new iPhone 5. As a
result, the smartphone was smooth, very lightweight, having, however, one
problem: it is easy to scratch at the corners.
Regardless of whether the criticism is valid or not, the
complaints of users every day more and more, and the press has dubbed their
problem. Best anodizing could become a good solution, but the Apple in the past
few years secretly working on another option - carbon fiber.
In early 2009, the guru of carbon fiber in the company of
Kevin Kenny Apple filed a patent for enhanced telephone building, which may
consist of composite plastic with strengthening with carbon fiber framework.
This is not surprising, since cyclists can learn to Kenny CEO innovative carbon
bike manufacturer Kestrel.
Light weight and extraordinary strength of carbon fiber
makes it a natural element stiffness for professional bicycle parts, as well as
camera tripods, race cars and airplanes. By itself, a carbon fiber is 3 times
lighter and 4 times stronger than steel.
Why has not produced carbon smartphones?
The reason why carbon fiber is still not commonly used in
most consumer devices often is the price. However, this is too simple an
explanation, given that the price of some phones sometimes comes to $ 1000 -
that is, room for maneuver can spend quite a bit more money on the frame. The
real reason is that the carbon fiber is a number of difficulties in the
manufacture of it phones, tablets and laptops. First among them is a low
melting point, which makes handling difficult and boring carbon without
deformation.
Thus, the carbon fiber is best suited for homogeneous parts
that can be formed by a minimum of connection points, for example, glued pieces
of carbon fiber bicycle frame. In this regard, the back cover is certainly a
great candidate. By the way, already has protective covers for iPhone, which
use a thin sheet of carbon fiber to protect your phone from drops and
scratches.
Unfortunately, the problems are not limited to carbon
difficulty of shaping. He also has a very low thermal conductivity, making it
ideal for items such as tripods for cameras, when they should be used in cold
weather. But in the case of telephones and computers requires, on the contrary,
the heat released by their electronics. That is, carbon-fiber casing, like
plastic, a separate radiator, which eliminates the creation of a closed design,
such as the new Macbook, where cooling is based on the aluminum unibody.
Coincidentally, carbon fiber, like plastic, does not protect
against electromagnetic interference, so that the electronic noise is emitted
into the environment, any phone can be used carbon fiber metal EMI shield,
which will simultaneously serve as a radiator. But this raises another problem
- the metal shield back adds a bit of weight, while the use of carbon fiber is
directed at its reduction.
CFRP opposed to aluminum or steel in many ways. He is
amazingly tough and protects gear from dents or deformation, but only reaches
its limit; it breaks apart and does not bend. Therefore, for such a body should
be applied more technical requirements, rather than to a similar metal versions.
.jpg)
