What is the method for making carbon filaments?

Making carbon filaments requires obtaining cotton or bamboo fibers, heating these fibers, coiling the fibers and attaching them to wires. This process can take up to several hours to complete. You need bamboo fibers, a tray, an oven, carbon paste, electroplating equipment and contact wires.

1. Obtain the carbon filaments

   Get either bamboo or cotton fibers, or cut thin bamboo strips from larger pieces. Both cotton and bamboo are high in cellulose, which has a high melting point and allows electricity to pass through without melting them. Bamboo filaments generally last for more than 1,200 hours before being damaged by the heat.

2. Heat the filaments

   Place the fibers on a tray in a high-temperature oven. Bake them on high until the filaments become carbonized.

3. Coil the filaments

   Wrap the filaments in a coiling shape. In a light bulb, the filament is positioned in the center with either end attached to a contact wire.

4. Attach the filaments to the contact wires

   Use carbon paste or electroplating equipment to attach the ends of the coiled carbon filament to the contact wires. The contact wires lead down the glass stem to the base of the bulb where they stop at the point of electrical contact.