High performance carbon fibers from very high molecular weight polyacrylonitrile precursors. (May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Morris, E. Ashley; Weisenberger, Matthew C.; Abdallah, Mohamed G.; Vautard, Frederic; Grappe, Hippolyte; Ozcan, Soydan; Paulauskas, Felix L.; Eberle, Cliff; Jackson, Dave; Mecham, Sue J.; Naskar, Amit K.
• Is Part Of: Carbon. Volume 101(2016)
• Page Start: 245
• Page End: 252
• Publication Date: 2016-05
• Subjects: Carbon -- Periodicals; Carbone -- Périodiques; Koolstof; Toepassingen; Electronic journals; 546.681
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2016.01.104
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0008-6223

Abstract

Abstract: Carbon fibers are unique reinforcing agents for lightweight composite materials due to their outstanding mechanical properties and low density. Current technologies are capable of producing carbon fibers with 90–95% of the modulus of perfect graphite (∼1025 GPa). However, these same carbon fibers possess less than 10% of the theoretical carbon fiber strength, estimated to be about 100 GPa. Traditionally, attempts to increase carbon fiber rigidity above a certain level results in lower breaking strength. Therefore, to develop advanced carbon fibers with both very high strength and modulus demands a new manufacturing methodology. Here, we report a method of manufacturing moderate strength, very high modulus carbon fibers from a very high molecular weight (VHMW) polyacrylonitrile (PAN) precursor without the use of nanomaterial additives such as nucleating or structure-templating agents, as have been used by others.