electrical

[garrys]

is carbon dust a conductorof electricity

[Clanad]

Many modern aircraft parts are made from carbon fiber material.  Since the carbon fibers don't stretch very well, they are subject to fuzzing or dusting (called broom-strawing).  This becomes a problem since the dust is quite fine, and find its way into electrical motors or other equipment and short them out.  So, yes it is a conductor...

[Tim Baxter]

Yes carbon dust in all its forms is a conductor from carbon brushes on a motor/generator through old fashioned headphones and microphones (even the graphite in pencils) up to the aforementioned carbon fibre.

[Ralph]

I've worked in a few boat yards where we lost computers and other electrical gear on a regular basis because of carbon dust being drawn into the power supply and building up just like normal dust, except conductively so. I had a monitor go bang once with me sitting in front of it, scary.

[badams]

Carbon dust wearing off motor brushes can be a hazard too, as it causes arcing, and could allow the mains to flash-over onto the casing of the motor.  This is one of the reasons why power tools tend to be double-insulated, because otherwise in a flash-over condition, you would be dependant on a good earth to prevent electric shock.

[landie]

Yes it is, it's also a fire hazzard.