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| LS C&S' research and development center in Gunpo, Gyeonggi Province / Courtesy of LS C&S |
By Baek Byung-yeul
LS Cable & System said Thursday that it has commercialized a telecommunication cable made of carbon fiber, which is lighter and more durable than copper or aluminum.
The company said this was in line with the government's industry transformation plan to foster "next-generation" materials.
In August 2019, President Moon Jae-in announced that the government would foster the industrialization of carbon fiber, which weighs 25 percent that of a commensurate length of steel but is 10 times stronger, and will consequently become a key material in future growth businesses such as hydrogen fuel storage tanks and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
"The company adopted carbon fiber, a next-generation material that the government is fostering strategically, as the shielding material for protecting the cable. Conventionally, copper or aluminum is used as the shield," LS C&S said in a statement.
LS C&S said cables using carbon fibers are at least between 10 percent and 20 percent lighter, but are also at least 30 percent more flexible and durable than conventional cables. If carbon fiber is applied to automotive wires and cables, weight savings of between 20 kilograms and 25 kilograms can be achieved per vehicle, the company added.
"Carbon fiber is only one-fourth the weight of steel but is 10 times stronger and seven times more elastic. It is increasingly replacing steel in areas where low weight and high durability are important, such as aircraft, cars and wind power generators," LS C&S said.
The company has already completed preparation for the mass production of LAN cables, which will be used in smart factories and buildings. It is also trying to apply the new material technology-based products to other industries.
LS C&S expects carbon fiber cables will be widely used in the mobility sector such as electric vehicles, railroads, aircraft, ships and even industrial robots and elevators.
"It's hard to find a case of the commercialization of cables that use carbon fiber anywhere in the world," said Myung Roe-hyun, president and CEO at LS C&S. "We are making efforts to become a game changer through continuous R&D on new materials and eco-friendly products."
