Tensile properties of VGCF reinforced carbon composites

Carbon composites based on vapor grown carbon fibers prepared by a fixed catalyst method were fabricated using a pitch infiltration technique. The composites have both unidirectional and bi-directional fiber reinforcement, and different fiber volume fractions ranging from 25% to 56%. Specimens were prepared from these composites for tensile testing at room temperature, and tensile modulus and strength were determined. The composite modulus was then used to estimate the fiber modulus. (C) 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers.