Hybrid Composites Based on Carbon Fiber/Carbon Nanofilament Reinforcement
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Authors
Tehrani, Mehran
Boroujeni, Ayoub Yari
Luhrs, Claudia
Phillips, Jonathan
Al-Haik, Marwan S.
Subjects
carbon fiber
carbon nanofilaments
fiber reinforced composites
mechanical properties
carbon nanofilaments
fiber reinforced composites
mechanical properties
Advisors
Date of Issue
2014
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Abstract
Carbon nanofilament and nanotubes (CNTs) have shown promise for enhancing the mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced composites (FRPs) and imparting multi-functionalities to them. While direct mixing of carbon nanofilaments with the polymer matrix in FRPs has several drawbacks, a high volume of uniform nanofilaments can be directly grown on fiber surfaces prior to composite fabrication. This study demonstrates the ability to create carbon nanofilaments on the surface of carbon fibers employing a synthesis method, graphitic structures by design (GSD), in which carbon structures are grown from fuel mixtures using nickel particles as the catalyst. The synthesis technique is proven feasible to grow nanofilament structures—from ethylene mixtures at 550 °C—on commercial polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fibers. Raman spectroscopy and electron microscopy were employed to characterize the surface-grown carbon species. For comparison purposes, a catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) technique was also utilized to grow multiwall CNTs (MWCNTs) on carbon fiber yarns. The mechanical characterization showed that composites using the GSD-grown carbon nanofilaments outperform those using the CCVD-grown CNTs in terms of stiffness and tensile strength. The results suggest that further optimization of the GSD growth time, patterning and thermal shield coating of the carbon fibers is required to fully materialize the potential benefits of the GSD technique.
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Article
Description
The article of record as published may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ma7064182
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Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
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Funder
This work has been supported by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), Grant No. 10960991, and the National Science Foundation (NSF), awards CMMI-0846589 and CMMI-1200506.
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Citation
Materials, Volume 7, pp. 4182-4195; 2014, doi:10.3390/ma7064182
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This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.