CARBON FIBER AND PROCESS FOR ITS PRODUCTION

摘要

The present invention provides a carbon fiber, made from a precursor fiber of polyethylene having an intrinsic viscosity of about 2 to 30 in decalin, and characterized by a tenacity of greater than about 30 g/d and by a tensile modulus of at least about 2000 g/d (ASTM D 4018). The process for producing this fiber features the steps of stabilizing the polyethylene precursor fiber under a tension sufficient to minimize shrinkage of the fiber without breaking the fiber followed by carbonizing the stabilized polyethylene fiber by heating the fiber in an atmosphere of an inert gas or in vacuum while under a tension sufficient to minimize shrinkage of the fiber and for a time period sufficient to achieve the carbon fiber characterized above. The present invention also provides a graphite fiber produced by heating the carbon fiber of the invention at a temperature of from about 2000 DEG to 3000 DEG in an atmosphere of an inert gas or in a vacuum.