Stress analysis and fracture toughness of notched polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based and pitch-based single carbon fibers

Abstract

The stress analysis and fracture toughness of high tensile strength polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based (T1000GB, IMS60, and T300), high modulus PAN-based (M60JB), high modulus pitch-based (K13D), and high ductility pitch-based (XN-05) single carbon fibers were investigated using notched specimens and a focused ion beam. The maximum stress of T1000GB, IMS60, T300, M60JB, K13D, and XN-05 single fibers was calculated as 30.5, 29.4, 25.6, 44.3, 68.6, and 15.5 GPa, respectively. The critical stress intensity factor of T1000GB, IMS60, T300, M60JB, K13D, and XN-05 single carbon fibers was calculated as 1.91, 1.82, 1.67, 3.09, 4.84, and 1.02 MPa m1/2, respectively. The critical energy release rate of T1000GB, IMS60, T300, M60JB, K13D, and XN-05 single carbon fibers was calculated as 478, 502, 763, 3064, 13266, and 237 J/m2, respectively. These results indicate that a linear relationship exists between the fracture toughness (critical stress intensity factor and critical energy release rate) and tensile modulus and maximum stress. The results indicate that the maximum stress is an effective parameter for evaluating the fracture toughness of PAN-based and pitch-based single carbon fibers.