Originally Posted by
TomD77
Plastic is a homogeneous material whereas the product known as carbon fiber is a composite. The epoxy resin in which the layered sheets of carbon fiber are embedded could be described as plastic but even that is a stretch. So, factually, to refer to carbon fiber as plastic is absolutely incorrect. The manufacturing techniques are totally different too, most plastic parts are injection molded.
It's no more wrong to call it "plastic" than it is "carbon fiber". If you want to be specific you call it CFRP composite.
Carbon fiber reinforced plastic, is "plastic" in the same sense that steel rebar reinforced concrete is "concrete".
But yes, people who refer to CFRP as "plastic" are generally not fans of the material.