Study of novel carbon fiber composite used exfoliated carbon fibers

One of the applications for carbon nanotubes (CNTs), CNT composite has been studied to reinforce of polymer. However, CNTs have not shown enough reinforced effect, because of poor dispersibility of itself and low purification. These characteristics are connected with the lowering mechanical strength in CNTʹs reinforced polymer composite. On the other hand, exfoliated carbon fibers (ExCFs) prepared through electrochemical processing were found to have unique morphology such as nanometer or sub-micrometer sized fibrils and well dispersibility. Fabrication of composite using its ExCFs was investigated. ExCFs changed in nanometer-sized fibrils by using ultrasonication and CNTs dispersed by using ultrasonication were compounded with polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) in situ process through polymerization, and then their mechanical properties were examined. Flexural strength and elasticity of PMMA composite reinforced by ExCFs increased 166 and 171% respectively at addition of only 2.0 wt.% comparison with bulk PMMA. There was no significant aggregation in fracture surface, and homogeneous dispersion of ExCFs throughout the PMMA matrix was recognized. It was better than that of PMMA composite reinforced by CNTs. Homogeneous dispersion might be strongly related to mechanical properties. ExCFs might be expected to be applied to nano-composite instead of CNTs.