复合管主要由碳纤维制成，但也含有玻璃和芳纶纤维，与它们所取代的木材、竹子、钢和铝管相比，复合管具有刚度、强度和重量显著减轻。由于在许多应用中，较轻的重量意味着优越的性能，因此正在开发几种允许较轻的热塑性树脂取代环氧树脂的工艺。

COMPOSITE TUBES, MOSTLY OF CARBON BUT ALSO CONTAINING GLASS AND ARAMID FIBERS, OFFER STIFFNESS, STRENGTH, AND DRAMATICALLY LIGHTER WEIGHT COMPARED TO WOOD, BAMBOO, STEEL, AND ALUMINUM TUBES WHICH THEY REPLACED. BECAUSE LIGHTER WEIGHT TRANSLATES TO SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE IN MANY OF THESE APPLICATIONS, SEVERAL PROCESSES WHICH ALLOW LIGHTER THERMOPLASTIC RESINS TO REPLACE EPOXIES ARE BEING DEVELOPED.