Physical properties enhancement of carbon fiber obtained from isotropic pitch doped by ultra-long carbon nanotubes

Abstract

• DWCNT-doped isotropic petroleum pitch used successfully for carbon fiber formation • DWCNT doping leads to jump in both thermal and electrical conductivity of fibers • Inner cavities appear in the fibers at DWCNT content close to 1.0 wt. % • Hollow filaments formed at high DWCNT content paving way to hollow fiber technology Carbon fibers (CF) were formed from carbon nanotube-doped isotropic petroleum pitch. Ultra-long (the length of a single filament is more than 10,000 nm) double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNT) were used for doping in concentrations from 0.1 to 1.0 wt. %. The produced CF were investigated both in pristine and graphitized form. Physical properties (electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity coefficient), as well as X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and Raman spectroscopy of obtained DWCNT-doped CF were investigated. The influence of DWCNT concentration on the properties is nonlinear due to the influence on the CF molding mode and heterogeneity of the DWCNT distribution in the filament body. An increase in the DWCNT concentration, on the one hand, causes an enhancement in the thermal conductivity coefficient, and a decrease in the electrical resistivity of the fibers, on the other hand, it leads to local inhomogeneities formation in the material structure («gas bubbles»), as well as distortions of the CF outer surface. An increase in the DWCNT concentration also leads to an increase in CF average diameter and hollow filaments formation. This feature is paving the way to the development of novel technological methods to control CF properties and morphology, especially to feasible hollow CF composites manufacture.