Abstract
The tensile properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) grown on high tensile strength polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based (T1000GB) carbon fibers have been investigated. The Fe(C_5H5_)_2 (ferrocene) catalyst was applied to the T1000GB fiber bundles using thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) in vacuum. The CNTs were also grown on the carbon fiber surface using thermal CVD. The CNTs grown on carbon fibers were examined using a high resolution scanning electron microscope. Tensile tests of single carbon fibers were performed using a universal testing machine at gauge length of 5 and 25 mm. The statistical scattering of the tensile strength was also evaluated. The results clearly show that grafting of CNTs improves the mechanical properties and the Weibull modulus of high tensile strength PAN-based carbon fibers.
