SEDL / STP / STP1044-EB / STP24594S

Thermoplastic Coating of Carbon Fibers

Edie, DD
Center for Advanced Engineering Fibers, Clemson University, Clemson, SC

Gantt, BW
BASF Fiber Corporation, Central, SC

Lickfield, GC
Center for Advanced Engineering Fibers, Clemson University, Clemson, SC

Drews, MJ
Center for Advanced Engineering Fibers, Clemson University, Clemson, SC

Ellison, MS
Center for Advanced Engineering Fibers, Clemson University, Clemson, SC

Pages: 12    Published: Jan 1989

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Abstract

A process is being developed which evenly coats individual carbon fibers with thermoplastic polymers. In this novel, continuous coating process, the fiber tow bundle is first spread over a series of convex rollers and then evenly coated with a fine powder of thermoplastic matrix polymer. Next, the fiber is heated internally by passing direct current through the powder coated fiber. The direct current is controlled to allow the carbon fiber temperature to slightly exceed the flow temperature of the matrix polymer. Analysis of the thermoplastic coated carbon fiber tows produced using this continuous process indicates that 30 to 70 vol % fiber prepregs can be obtained.