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

In this study, commercially available pitch-based carbon fibers of general grade were post-heat-treated using a boxtype high temperature furnace at $1800^{\circ}C$, $2000^{\circ}$, $2200^{\circ}C$, and $2400^{\circ}C$, 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.