Exploratory experiments in the conversion of plasticized melt spun PAN-based precursors to carbon fibers
✍ Scribed by Dale Grove; P. Desai; A.S. Abhiraman
- Publisher
- Elsevier Science
- Year
- 1988
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 994 KB
- Volume
- 26
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0008-6223
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✦ Synopsis
Current carbon fiber production from acrylic fibers employ wet or dry spun PAN-based precursors that require expensive solvents and costly solvent recovery methods. Recently, it has been discovered that melt spun PAN-based fibers can be prepared by using water as a plasticizer to lower the viscosity and the melting point of PAN. Results from an exploratory investigation into the production of carbon fibers from experimental plasticized melt spun, PAN-based precursors are reported here.
Structural parameters based on X-ray measurements and mechanical properties of these precursors suggest that the morphology of these fibers is similar to that of wet and dry spun PAN-based precursors. However, the precursor fibers have broken filaments as well as surface defects and internal voids, all of which hinder the development of superior properties. This investigation shows, nevertheless, that carbon fibers of reasonable strength, up to an average of 15 cN/dtex (2.5 GNlm'), and modulus, lOgO-1310 cN/dtex (173-214 GN/m*), can be produced from plasticized melt spun PAN-based precursors. Better properties may be achieved if impurities are removed from the plasticized precursor melt, surface flaws are reduced, fiber uniformity is enhanced, and the stabilization and carbonization processes are optimized for the precursors.