• Carbon letters
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.67-77
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• 2015

Carbon fibers (CFs) have a unique combination of properties which allow them to be widely used as reinforcing materials in advanced polymer composites. The mechanical properties of CF-reinforced polymer composites are governed mainly by the quality of interfacial adhesion between the CFs and the polymer matrix. Surface treatments of CFs are generally carried out to introduce chemical functional groups on the fiber surfaces, which provide the ability to control the surface characteristics of CFs. In this study, we review recent experimental studies concerning various surface treatment methods for CFs. In addition, direct examples of the preparation and properties of CF-reinforced thermosetting composites are discussed.

• Carbon letters
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.304-310
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• 2010

To manufacture a carbon/carbon composite the coal tar pitch was used as the matrix precursor and the PAN (polyacrylonitrile)-based carbon fiber was used as the reinforcing material to weave 3-directional preform. For pressure carbonization HIP equipment was used to produce a maximum temperature of $1000^{\circ}C$ and a maximum pressure of 100 MPa. The carbonization was induced by altering the dwell temperature between $250^{\circ}C$ and $420^{\circ}C$, which is an ideal temperature for the moderate growth of the mesophase nucleus that forms within the molten pitch during the pressure carbonization process. The application of high pressure during the carbonization process inhibits the mesophase growth and leads to the formation of spherical carbon particles that are approximately 30 nm in size. Most particles were spherical, but some particles were irregularly shaped. The spread of the carbon particles was larger on the surface of the carbon fiber than in the interior of the matrix pocket.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.11-19
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• 2022

This paper presents the effects of high temperature and water absorption on the mechanical behaviors of carbon-aramid fiber composites, specifically their strength, elastic modulus, and fracture. These composites are used in industrial structures because of their high specific strength and toughness. Carbon fiber composites are vulnerable to the impact force of external objects despite their excellent properties. Aramid fibers have high elongation and impact absorption capabilities. Accordingly, a hybrid composite with the complementary properties and capabilities of carbon and aramid fibers is fabricated. However, the exposure of aramid fiber to water or heat typically deteriorates its mechanical properties. In view of this, tensile and flexural tests were conducted on a twill woven carbon-aramid fiber hybrid composite to investigate the effects of high temperature and water absorption. Moreover, a multiscale analysis of the stress behavior of the composite's microstructure was implemented. The results show that the elastic modulus of composites subjected to high temperature and water absorption treatments decreased by approximately 22% and 34%, respectively, compared with that of the composite under normal conditions. The crack behavior of the composites was well identified under the specimen conditions.

• Composites Research
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.197-203
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• 2024

Mechanical, electrical and thermal properties of polymer composites can be improved simultaneously by incorporating carbon fibers (CFs), which are beneficial for improving the mechanical properties, and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), which are advantageous for improving the conductive properties. In this study, MWCNTs were incorporated into carbon long fiber thermoplastic (CLFT), which has excellent mass production processability and excellent mechanical properties, to control electrical and thermal properties. The mechanical and electrical properties of the prepared composites were most significantly influenced by the amount of filler incorporated. On the other hand, the thermal properties were improved due to the formation of a filler network interconnected by the incorporation of MWCNTs. By adjusting the filler amount, filler composition, and filler network structure of MWCNT-incorporated CLFT, the mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties could be controlled.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.149-153
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• 2013

Delamination crack detection is very important for improving the structural reliability of laminated composite structures. This requires real-time delamination detection technologies. For composite laminates that are reinforced with carbon fiber, an electrical potential method uses carbon fiber for reinforcements and sensors at the same time. The use of carbon fiber for sensors does not need to consider the strength reduction of smart structures induced by imbedding sensors into the structures. With carbon fiber reinforced (CF/) epoxy matrix composites, it had been proved that the delamination crack was detected experimentally. In the present study, therefore, similar experiments were conducted to prove the applicability of the method for delamination crack detection of CF/polyetherethereketone matrix composite laminates. Mode I and mode II delamination tests with artificial cracks were conducted, and three point bending tests without artificial cracks were conducted. This study experimentally proves the applicability of the method for detection of delamination cracks. CF/polyetherethereketone material has strong electric resistance anisotropy. For CF/polyetherethereketone matrix composites, a carbon fiber network is constructed, and the network is broken by propagation of delamination cracks. This causes a change in the electric resistance of CF/polyetherethereketone matrix composites. Using three point bending specimens, delamination cracks generated without artificial initial cracks is proved to be detectable using the electric potential method: This method successfully detected delamination cracks.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.367-374
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• 2001

The electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE) of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) composites was investigated using carbon nanofiber fillers prepared by catalytic chemical vapor deposition of various carbon-containing gases over Ni and Ni-Cu catalysts. The electrical conductivity of carbon nanofiber which was regarded as the key property of filler for the application of EMI shielding ranged from 4.2 to 22.4 S/cm at a pressure of 10000 psi. The electrical conductivity of carbon nanofiber/PVDF composites ranged from 0.22 to 2.46 S/cm and the EMI SE of those was in the range of 2∼13 dB. The electrical conductivity of carbon nanofibers increased with the increase in heat treatment temperature and time, while the electrical conductivity of the composites increased rapidly at the initial heat treatment and then approached a certain value with the further increase of heat treatment. The SE of the composites showed a maximum at the medium heat treatment and was proportional to the electrical conductivity of the composites. It was concluded that the specific surface area of carbon nanofibers decreased with the continual heat treatment and the specific surface area of filler was an important factor for the SE of the composites.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.48-51
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• 2002

This paper predicted the thermal conductivity of spun carbon/phenolic composites by the thermal resistance method. This method uses the analogy between the diffusion of heat and electrical charge. To verify the theoretical predictions, the thermal conductivity of spun carbon/phenolic composites was examined experimentally. The reported thermal conductivities of graphite/epoxy composite of a eight harness satin laminate was used of the comparison with the prediction values of the model and it was noticed that a good agreement has been found.

• Carbon letters
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.95-101
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• 2011

To investigate new applications for illite as an additive for carbon-based composites, the composites were prepared with and without illite at different heat-treatment temperatures. The effects of the heat-treatment temperature on the chemical structure, microstructure, and thermal oxidation properties of the resulting composites were studied. As the heat-treatment temperature was increased, silicon carbide SiC formation via carbothermal reduction increased until all the added illite was consumed in the case of the samples heat-treated at $2,300^{\circ}C$. This is attributed to the intimate contact between the $SiO_2$ in the illite and the phenol carbon precursor or the carbon fibers of the preform. Among composites prepared at all temperatures, those with illite addition exhibited fewer pores, voids, and interfacial cracks, resulting in larger bulk densities and lower porosities. A delay of oxidation was not observed in the illite-containing composites prepared at $2,300^{\circ}C$, suggesting that the illite itself absorbed energy for exfoliation or other physical changes. Therefore, if the illite-containing C/C composites can reach a density generally comparable to that of other C/C composites, illite may find application as a filler for C/C composites. However, in this study, the illite-containing C/C composites exhibited low density, even when prepared at a high heat-treatment temperature of $2300^{\circ}C$, although the thermal oxidation of the resulting composites was improved.

• Carbon letters
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2016

In the present study, exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets (xGnP) with different particle sizes were coated onto polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers by a direct coating method. The flexural properties, interlaminar shear strength, and the morphology of the xGnP-coated carbon fiber/phenolic matrix composites were investigated in terms of their longitudinal flexural strength and modulus, interlaminar shear strength, and by optical and scanning electron microscopic observations. The results were compared with a phenolic matrix composite counterpart prepared without xGnP. The flexural properties and interlaminar shear strength of the xGnP-coated carbon fiber/phenolic matrix composites were found to be higher than those of the uncoated composite. The flexural and interlaminar shear strengths were affected by the particle size of the xGnP, while the particle size had no significant effect on the flexural modulus. It seems that the interfacial contacts between the xGnP-coated carbon fibers and the phenolic matrix play a role in enhancing the flexural strength as well as the interlaminar shear strength of the composites.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.458-463
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• 2002

Carbon nanotubes were synthesized at various conditions using Ni-catalytic thermal chemical vapor deposition method and their characteristic properties were investigated by SEM, TEM and Raman spectroscopy. Carbon nanotubes were formed on very fine Ni-catalytic particles. The carbon nanotubes synthesized by thermal decomposition of acetylene at $700^{\circ}C$ had a coiled shape, while those synthesized at $850^{\circ}C$ showed a curved and Y-shape having a bamboo-like morphology. It was found that the carbon nanotube was also made on the fine Ni-catalytic particles formed on the surface of 100~400nm sized large ones after pretreatment with $NH_3$.ber composites show the high dielectric constant and large conduction loss which is increased with anisotropy of fiber arrangement. It is, therefore, proposed that the glass and carbon fiber composites can be used as the impedance transformer (surface layer) and microwave reflector, respectively. By inserting the foam core or honeycomb core (which can be treated as an air layer) between glass and carbon fiber composites, microwave absorption above 10 dB (90% absorbance) in 4-12 GHz can be obtained. The proposed fiber composites laminates with sandwitch structure have high potential as lightweight and high strength microwave absorbers.