Carbon Fiber Modified with Carbon Nanotubes and Fullerenes for Fibrous Composite Application

The use of carbon fiber in composite materials is limited due to poor adhesion between the fiber and polymer matrix. Carbon fibers was modified by growing carbon nanotubes on the fibers＇ surface or by coating the fibers with fullerenes. In the case of nanotubes, the modification provides the interfacial contact improvement in the composites. In the case of fullerene, we use fullerene as a ＂defect healer＂ for carbon fiber. The investigation was done with the use of conventional epoxy-based polymer matrix and, also, with the use of alternative matrices based on elastomers such as derivatives of natural rubber. Carbon nanotubes were grown on the carbon fiber surface by chemical vapor deposition with the use of iron catalysts deposited on the fiber surface by different methods. The resulting nanostructured carbon coating was studied by scanning electron microscopy and by Raman spectroscopy. The effect of modifications on mechanical properties of both carbon fibers and composite materials based on these carbon fib