Production of carbon fibers

Abstract

Abstract APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTIN OF CONTINUOUS LENGHTHS OF CARBON FIBERS OF HIGH STRENGTH AND HIGH YOUNG''S MODULUS FROM FIBERS OF ORGANIC POLYMER MATERIAL. THE APPARATUS COMPRISES A SUPPLY SPOOL FOR THE POLYMER FIBER, BRAKE MEANS FOR THE SUPPLY SPOOL, AND OXIDIZING OVEN INCLUDING MEANS TO SUPPORT AND DRIVE THE FIBER THROUGH THE OVEN AT A PRE-DETERMINED RATE AND TO HOLD THE FIBER TAUT TO CONTROL ITS LENGTH, TAKE-UP MEANS TO COLLECT THE OXIDIZED FIBER FROM THE OVEN, DRIVE MEANS FOR THE TAKE-UP MEANS, A CARBONIZING FURNACE FOR CARBONIZING THE OXIDIZED FIBER, A SUPPLY SPOOL FOR SUPPLYING OXIDIZED FIBER TO THE CARBONIZING FURNACE, AND TAKE-UP MEANS FOR COLLECTING CARBONIZED FIBER FROM THE CARBONIZING FURNACE. A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF THE CARBON FIBER COMPRISES OXIDIZING THE POLYMER FIBER IN THE OXIDIZING ATMOSPHERE OF AN OVEN THROUGH WHICH THE FIBER IS PASSED, HOLDING THE FIBER UNDER TENSION THROUGHOUT THE OXIDIZING STEP SUCH THAT THE FIBERS DO NOT SHRINK, CONTINUING OXIDATION FOR A TIME SUCH THAT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE PENETRATION OF OXYGEN IS ACHIEVED THROUGHOUT THE FIBER, AND CARBONIZING THE OXIDIZED FIBERS BY PASSING THE FIBERS FROM A SUPPLY SPOOL THROUGH A FURNACE IN WHICH THE FIBER IS CARBONIZED IN A NON-OXIDIZING ATMOSPHERE, THE FIBERS BEING PERMITTED TO SHRINK DURING THE CARBONIZATION STEP.

Inventors

• 👤 William George David Carpenter
• 👤 William Johnson
• 👤 Thomas Lloyd
• 👤 Patrick Mcmullen
• 👤 William Watt
• 👤 Potters Hatch

Bibliographic Details