Effect of Post-Heat-Treatment on Various Characteristics of Commercial Pitch-Based Carbon Fibers

Abstract

In this study, commercially available pitch-based carbon fibers of general grade were post-heat-treated using a boxtype high temperature furnace at 1800°C, 2000°C, 2200°C, and 2400°C, respectively. The fundamental characteristics of each heat-treated carbon fibers were investigated in terms of chemical composition, morphology, thermal stability, X-ray diffraction, single filament tensile test, and electrical resistivity. The result showed that the fiber properties were significantly influenced by the post-heat-treatment, indicating the greater effect with increasing treatment temperature. The carbon contents, thermal stability, and tensile properties of the carbon fibers used here were further increased by the post-heat-treatment, whereas the d-spacing between graphene layers and the electrical resistivity were reduced with increasing post-heat-treatment temperature.

Effect of additional heat-treatment temperature on chemical, microstructural, mechanical, and electrical properties of commercial PAN-based carbon fibers

“…In addition, the fiber morphology is developed with a preferred orientation [20]. Yoon et al [21] reported earlier that commercial pitch-based carbon fibers were post-heat-treated at high temperatures, significantly increasing some fundamental characteristics through post-heat-treatment.…”

“…The value increases as the carbonization temperature increases. It was reported that pitch-based carbon fibers with graphitic structures normally exhibit the resistivity of about a few hundred µΩ·cm [1,21]. …”