The Effect of Low Power Plasmas on Carbon Fibre Surfaces
Abstract
The effect of a variety of low power plasmas (eg. NH3, air and Ar) on carbon fibre surfaces has been studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A comparison is made been two PAN based fibres (T300-from Amoco, and HMU-from Hercules), a pitch based fibre (P100-Amoco), and single crystal graphite. Grazing angle techniques have been used to probe only the first 12-15 A of the fibre surface and to obtain non- destructive depth information. Plasma treatments were carried out in an insitu plasma treatment cell which was attached to a PHI 5400 X-ray photoelectron spectrometer. This enabled the immediate effects of the plasma to be studied before the treated surface was exposed to air. Air plasma treatments of single crystal graphite and pitch based fibres resulted in the incorporation of alcohol type functionality onto their surfaces, whereas the PAN based fibre surfaces contained both alcohol and carboxyl type groups. The effect of the air plasma on PAN based fibres is very similar to that of electrochemical oxidations in aqueous electrolytes.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA234183
Entities
People
- Carol Jones
- Ernest Sammann