title: Strengthened PAN-based carbon fibers obtained by slow heating rate carbonization.
abstract: Large efforts have been made over the last 40 years to increase the mechanical strength of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fibers (CFs) using a variety of chemical or physical protocols. In this paper, we report a new method to increase CFs mechanical strength using a slow heating rate during the carbonization process. This new approach increases both the carbon sp(3) bonding and the number of nitrogen atoms with quaternary bonding in the hexagonal carbon network. Theoretical calculations support a crosslinking model promoted by the interstitial carbon atoms located in the graphitic interlayer spaces. The improvement in mechanical performance by a controlled crosslinking between the carbon hexagonal layers of the PAN based CFs is a new concept that can contribute further in the tailoring of CFs performance based on the understanding of their microstructure down to the atomic scale.
authors.affiliation: Carbon Convergence Materials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, San 101 Eunha-ri, Bongdong-eup, Wanju-gun, Jeonbuk 565-905, Korea.|Department of Organic Materials and Fiber Engineering, Chonbuk National University, 567 baeje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 561-756, Korea.
authors.forename: Min-A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Carbon Convergence Materials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, San 101 Eunha-ri, Bongdong-eup, Wanju-gun, Jeonbuk 565-905, Korea.|Department of Nanomaterials Engineering, Korea University of Science and Technology,217 Gajeong-ro, Tuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-350 Korea.
authors.forename: Dawon
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Global Aqua Innovation Center, Shinshu University, 4-17-1 Wakasato, Nagano 380-8553, Japan.|Research Organization for Information Science &Technology, 2-32-3, Kitashinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 140-0001, Japan.
authors.forename: Syogo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tejima
authors.affiliation: Global Aqua Innovation Center, Shinshu University, 4-17-1 Wakasato, Nagano 380-8553, Japan.
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cruz-Silva
authors.affiliation: Carbon Convergence Materials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, San 101 Eunha-ri, Bongdong-eup, Wanju-gun, Jeonbuk 565-905, Korea.|Department of Nanomaterials Engineering, Korea University of Science and Technology,217 Gajeong-ro, Tuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-350 Korea.
authors.forename: Han-Ik
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Joh
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Materials and Fiber Engineering, Chonbuk National University, 567 baeje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 561-756, Korea.
authors.forename: Hwan Chul
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Carbon Convergence Materials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, San 101 Eunha-ri, Bongdong-eup, Wanju-gun, Jeonbuk 565-905, Korea.|Department of Nanomaterials Engineering, Korea University of Science and Technology,217 Gajeong-ro, Tuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-350 Korea.
authors.forename: Sungho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Global Aqua Innovation Center, Shinshu University, 4-17-1 Wakasato, Nagano 380-8553, Japan.|Institute of carbon science and technology, Shinshu University, 4-17-1 Wakasato, Nagano 380-8553, Japan.
authors.forename: Morinobu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Endo
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry*; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D000077482:Carbon Fiber; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry; D006361:Heating; D008422:Materials Testing; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D000077482:Carbon Fiber; C010504:polyacrylonitrile; D002244:Carbon; D006108:Graphite