Composites containing surface treated carbon microfibers
AssigneeHyperion Catalysis International, Inc.
InventorsRobert C. Bening, Thomas J. McCarthy
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Abstract
A method of oxidizing the surface of carbon microfibers that includes contacting the microfibers with an oxidizing agent that includes sulfuric acid and potassium chlorate under reaction conditions sufficient to oxidize the surface. The invention also features a method of decreasing the length of carbon microfibers that includes contacting the microfibers with an oxidizing agent under reaction conditions sufficient to decrease the length.
Claims20
A composite comprising carbon microfibers in a matrix wherein the carbon microfibers have on an outer surface of the carbon microfiber a plurality of oxygen-containing groups or derivatives thereof.
A composite comprising carbon fibrils in a matrix wherein the fibrils have a morphology consisting of tubes that are free of a continuous thermal carbon overcoat and have on an outer surface of the tubes a plurality of oxygen-containing groups or derivatives thereof, wherein the fibrils have a diameter no greater than about 0.1 microns.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.