As-spun orientation as an indication of graphitized properties of mesophase-based carbon fiber

A 100% mesophase produced by supercritical fluid extraction was melt-spun into round shaped fibers. The spinning temperature was allowed to vary while all other spinning conditions were held constant. The as-spun preferred orientation of the graphene basal planes with respect to the fiber axis was found to change as a result of a change in the spinning temperature. As-spun fibers that had developed a high degree of preferred orientation after spinning were found to have a high degree of preferred orientation, low d((0002))-spacing, and large crysrallite size after graphitization. Also, as-spun fibers with a high degree of preferred orientation were found to have high modulus and low electrical resistivity after heat treatment. Scanning electron microscopy results indicate that, regardless of spinning temperature, all fiber sets exhibit a radial-folded transverse texture. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.