Apparatus and method for close proximity carbonization of polymeric materials for carbon fiber production

An apparatus to partially carbonize stabilized carbon fiber precursor materials comprising:

• a source of electromagnetic energy of a selected power and frequency;
• a tunable resonant cavity including an antenna structure to localize the electromagnetic energy on the precursor material;
• a dielectric tube disposed within the antenna structure, through which the precursor material passes as a continuous fiber tow in a selected atmosphere at ambient pressure;
• and,
• a system to control the thermal background of the process to increase the permittivity of the precursor material so that the material will absorb the electromagnetic energy.

A method to partially carbonize stabilized carbon fiber precursor materials comprising the steps of:

• providing a source of electromagnetic energy of a selected power and frequency;
• providing a tunable resonant cavity including an antenna structure to localize the electromagnetic energy on the precursor material;
• passing stabilized carbon fiber precursor material through the resonant cavity and through the antenna structure so that the precursor material is exposed to the electromagnetic energy in the selected atmosphere;
• and,
• controlling the thermal background of the process to increase the permittivity of the precursor material so that it will absorb the electromagnetic energy.