Abstract:
A PROCESS IS PROVIDED FOR PRODUCING A HEAT-STABILIZED CHAR OR SUBSTRATE FROM ACRYLIC FIBERS WHICH CAN BE CONVERTED INTO HIGH QUALITY CARBON OR GRAPHITE FIBERS. THE FIBERS ARE FIRST TREATED IN A POLYOL SOLUTION CONTAINING A BASIC NITRILE POLYMERIZATION CATALYST FOLLOWED BY AN AIROXIDATION AT TEMPERATURES OF 270*C. AND ABOVE. THE PREOXIDATION TREATMENT DRASTICALLY REDUCES THE TIME NORMALLY REQUIRED FOR EFFECTING THE NECESSARY OXIDATION. THE CARBONIZABLE OR GRAPHITIZABLE SUBSTRATED OBTAINED YIELD CARBON AND GRAPHITE FIBERS OF IMPROVED PROPERTIES.
Abstract:
A PROCESS IS PROVIDED FOR PRODUCING A HEAT-STABILIZED CHAR OR SUBSTRATE FROM ACRYLIC FIBERS WHICH CAN BE CONVERTED INTO HIGH QUALITY CARBON OR GRAPHITE FIBERS. THE PROCESS INVOLVES FIRST TREATING THE FIBERS IN A DIETHANOLAMINE OR TRIETHANOLAMINE SOLUTION FOLLOWED BY AN OXIDATION AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES IN AN OXYGEN CONTAINING ATMOSPHERE. THE PRE-OXIDATION TREATMENT DRASTICALLY REDUCES THE TIME REQUIRED TO EFFECT THE NECESSARY OXIDATION, AND THE HEAT-STABILIZED SUBSTRATE OBTAINED YIELDS CARBON AND/OR GRAPHITE FIBERS OF IMPROVED QUALITY.