Carbon Fiber/Mesophase Pitch Self-Adhesive Prepreg

Abstract

Prepregs of carbon fiber cloth and mesophase pitch catalytically synthesized from naphthalene were prepared by simple procedures. The present mesophase pitch of high fluidity penetrated smoothly into carbon fiber cloth at 300-340°C, leaving very few void. The prepregs after heattreatment at 450°C for 30 min adhered well each other by the carbonization in the laminated form, providing extremely high carbon yield over 97 wt%. The oxidative stabilization at 220°C for 9h completely prevented the melt flow of the pitch in the prepreg during the carbonization, its high reactivity to oxygen being definite. The properties of the mesophase pitch required as a binder for the prepreg of the present form were found to be controllable through the thermal or oxidative condensation of the mesogen molecules.