Formation of aromatic thermoplastic and carbon-fiber prepreg by electrochemical processes

Thesis/Dissertation · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5398709

Li, Hong

A new technique was developed and demonstrated for combining carbon fibers with aromatic thermoplastic matrices to form a high-quality towpreg. The developed technique utilizes an in-situ electrochemical process (Electrochemical polymerization - ECP) to create the entire polymer matrix surrounding the fiber array by direct polymerization of monomer. Poly-paraxylylene (PPX) and derivatives are successfully polymerized in-situ on carbon fiber surfaces through ECP. A PPX/carbon-fiber towpreg with 40 vol % of matrix is achieved in a fairly short reaction time with a high polymer-coating efficiency. Vapor deposition polymerization (VDP) was also studied. PPX and carbon-fiber towpreg were made successfully by this process. A comparison between ECP and VDP was conducted. A study on electrochemical oxidation (ECO) of carbon fibers was also performed. The ECO treatment may be suitable for carbon fibers incorporated in composites with high-temperature curing resins and thermoplastic matrices.

• Research Organization: Georgia Inst. of Tech., Atlanta, GA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5398709
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360601* -- Other Materials-- Preparation & Manufacture
360604 -- Materials-- Corrosion
Erosion
& Degradation
AROMATICS
CARBON FIBERS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
FABRICATION
FIBERS
MATERIALS
MATRIX MATERIALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
OXIDATION
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLASTICS
POLYMERIZATION
POLYMERS
RESINS
SYNTHETIC MATERIALS
THERMOPLASTICS