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Monitoring unidirectional carbon/carbon composite processing by light microscopy
Author(s) -
Casal E.,
Granda M.,
Bermejo J.,
Menéndez R.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of microscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2818
pISSN - 0022-2720
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2818.2001.00773.x
Subject(s) - carbonization , materials science , composite material , polyacrylonitrile , microstructure , porosity , carbon fibers , composite number , reinforced carbon–carbon , coal tar , optical microscope , scanning electron microscope , coal , polymer , chemistry , organic chemistry
Unidirectional carbon/carbon composites were prepared using polyacrylonitrile‐based carbon fibres and a commercial coal‐tar pitch. The preparation includes a three‐sequential‐step process: (i) prepreging, (ii) moulding/pressing, and (iii) carbonization to 1000 °C. The effect of the process parameters including pressure, mould characteristics, and temperature and duration of pressure application on the microstructure of composites was monitored by light microscopy. Results show that the application of a pressure of 1 MPa close to the temperature of pitch solidification produces lower porosity composites. This porosity is significantly reduced when the solidification of the pitch is tempered by the introduction of a soak time of 10 h at the temperature at which pressure is applied.