Composite carbon fibers
AssigneeHexcel Corporation
InventorMichael E. Yurchenko
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Abstract
Provided is composite carbon fibers in which polymers having an amino containing group are covalently bonded to the surface of the carbon fiber. Aspects are also directed to processes for preparing the composite carbon fibers. Additional aspects are directed to reinforced composites comprising a resin matrix and the composite carbon fibers, and to processes of making such reinforced composites.
Claims23
A composite carbon fiber comprising a carbon fiber having an amino-containing polymer electro-grafted onto a surface thereof via an amino linkage directly from the carbon fiber surface to an amino-containing end group, amino-containing pendant group, amino-containing main group, or combination thereof of the polymer.
A fiber reinforced composite comprising a plurality of carbon fibers, wherein each carbon fiber has an amino-containing polymer electro-grafted onto a surface thereof via an amino-containing end group or amino-containing pendant group of the polymer, and a resin matrix infused into the plurality of carbon fibers, wherein the fiber reinforced composite when cured exhibits an increase in fracture toughness from about 10 to 60% in comparison to an identical fiber reinforced composite with the exception that the surfaces of the plurality of carbon fibers do not include an amine-containing polymer electrografted to the surface of the plurality of carbon fibers.
A method of preparing a composite carbon fiber, the method comprising:
- passing a carbon fiber through a bath comprising an amino-containing polymer, the amino-containing polymer comprising an amino-containing end group or amino-containing pendant group of the polymer;
- applying an electro-potential to the cell;
- and
- electrografting the amine-containing polymer onto the carbon fiber to produce a composite carbon fiber having a polymer electro-grafted onto a surface thereof via a covalent bond directly from the carbon fiber surface to the amino-containing end group or amino-containing pendant group.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.