Carbon (fiber) - Synthesis

Synthesis

Each carbon filament is produced from a precursor polymer. The precursor polymer is commonly rayon, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) or petroleum pitch. For synthetic polymers such as rayon or PAN, the precursor is first spun into filaments, using chemical and mechanical processes to initially align the polymer atoms in a way to enhance the final physical properties of the completed carbon fiber. Precursor compositions and mechanical processes used during spinning may vary among manufacturers. After drawing or spinning, the polymer fibers are then heated to drive off non-carbon atoms (carbonization), producing the final carbon fiber. The carbon fibers may be further treated to improve handling qualities, then wound on to bobbins. Wound bobbins are then used to supply machines that produce carbon fiber threads or yarn.

A common method of manufacture involves heating the spun PAN filaments to approximately 300 °C in air, which breaks many of the hydrogen bonds and oxidizes the material. The oxidized PAN is then placed into a furnace having an inert atmosphere of a gas such as argon, and heated to approximately 2000 °C, which induces graphitization of the material, changing the molecular bond structure. When heated in the correct conditions, these chains bond side-to-side (ladder polymers), forming narrow graphene sheets which eventually merge to form a single, columnar filament. The result is usually 93–95% carbon. Lower-quality fiber can be manufactured using pitch or rayon as the precursor instead of PAN. The carbon can become further enhanced, as high modulus, or high strength carbon, by heat treatment processes. Carbon heated in the range of 1500–2000 °C (carbonization) exhibits the highest tensile strength (820,000 psi, 5,650 MPa or N/mm²), while carbon fiber heated from 2500 to 3000 °C (graphitizing) exhibits a higher modulus of elasticity (77,000,000 psi or 531 GPa or 531 kN/mm²).