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Effect of low-power plasmas on carbon-fibre surfaces. Technical report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5360212

The effect of a variety of low power plasmas (eg. NH{sub 3}, air and Ar) on carbon fiber surfaces has been studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A comparison is made between two PAN based fibers (T300-from Amoco, and HMU-from Hercules), a pitch based fiber (P100-Amoco), and single crystal graphite. Grazing angle techniques have been used to probe only the first 12-15 A of the fiber surface and to obtain non-destructive depth information. Plasma treatments were carried out in an insitu plasma treatment cell which was attached to a PHI 5400 X-ray photoelectron spectrometer. This enabled the immediate effects of the plasma to be studied before the treated surface was exposed to air. Air plasma treatments of single crystal graphite and pitch based fibers resulted in the incorporation of alcohol type functionality onto their surfaces, whereas the PAN based fiber surfaces contained both alcohol and carboxyl type groups. The effect of the air plasma on PAN based fibers is very similar to that of electrochemical oxidations in aqueous electrolytes.

Research Organization:
National Center for Composite Materials Research, Urbana, IL (United States)
OSTI ID:
5360212
Report Number(s):
AD-A-234183/2/XAB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English