COMPRESSIVE PROPERTIES OF SINGLE-FILAMENT CARBON-FIBERS

Compressive properties of mesophase pitch-based carbon fibres (NT-20, NT-40 and NT-60) were measured using the tensile recoil test and the elastica loop test. The NT-40 fibre with a 400 GPa tensile modulus showed a smaller loop compressive yield strain and a larger recoil compressive strength compared to these values obtained from the longitudinal compression test on its unidirectional composites. Further, the recoil compressive strength of this fibre was higher than that of PAN-based carbon fibre with a corresponding modulus. Under the ideal conditions in the tensile recoil test, the strain energy was conserved before and after recoil, and the initial tensile stress and the recoil compressive stress do not coincide when fibre stress-strain behaviour is non-linear, and the non-linearity in compression and in tension is different. The difference between the composite compressive strength and the recoil compressive strength of NT-40 was quantitatively explained by taking account of the fibre compressive stress-strain non-linear relation. The difference between the loop compressive yield strain and the composite compressive strain to failure was also explained by this non-linearity.