Effect of quasi-carbonization processing parameters on the mechanical properties of quasi-carbon/phenolic composites

Abstract

In this work, quasi-carbon fabrics were produced by quasi-carbonization processes conducted at and below 1200 degrees C. Stabilized polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fabrics and quasi-carbon fabrics were used as reinforcements of phenolic composites with a 50 wt %/50 wt % ratio of the fabric to the phenolic resin. The effect of the quasi-carbonization process on the flexural properties, interfacial strength, and dynamic mechanical properties of quasicarbon/phenolic composites was investigated in terms of the flexural strength and modulus, interlaminar shear strength, and storage modulus. The results were also compared with those of a stabilized PAN fabric/phenolic composite. The flexural, interlaminar, and dynamic mechanical results were quite consistent with one another. On the basis of all the results, the quasi-static and dynamic mechanical properties of quasi-carbon/phenolic composites increased with the applied external tension and heat-treatment temperature increasing and with the heating rate decreasing for the quasi-carbonization process. This study shows that control of the processing parameters strongly influences not only the mechanical properties of quasi-carbon/phenolic composites but also the interlaminar shear strength between the fibers and the matrix resin. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.