NOVEL CARBON FIBER-CARBON FILAMENT STRUCTURES

In an attempt to address the problems associated with delamination and fiber pull-out in carbon-fiber reinforced composites, we have used a novel concept which involves the generation of vapor-grown carbon microfibers (carbon filaments) on the sides of parent carbon fibers (this step being accomplished by the use of a suitable catalyst). The mixed structures are produced by impregnation of the parent fiber with selected copper-nickel catalyst precursors, which are subsequently treated in an ethylene-hydrogen environment at 600-degrees-C. The function of the catalyst is to produce carbon filaments possessing well-defined structural characteristics that can form interlocking netoworks with adjacent carbon fiber-filament structures. In this paper we report on fundamental studies for the development of a process to produce these unique preforms.