What Are Carbon Fiber & Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics?
Carbon Fiber Manufacturing Process
Carbon fiber is produced by carbonizing organic fibers at high temperatures.
Mitsubishi Chemical spins fibers (precursors) specially designed for use as
carbon fiber raw materials from two types of raw materials: PAN and pitch.
This precursor is then sintered in a highly controlled environment to produce carbon fiber.
1 PAN-based Raw Materials
-
Acrylonitrile (AN)
Polymerization
- Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)
Spinning
-
Acrylic fiber (PAN fiber)
2 Pitch-based Raw Materials
-
Coal
-
Dry distillation
Coke -
Coal pitch
Refining
- Mesophase establishment
-
Mesophase pitch
Spinning
-
Pitch fiber
Heat stabilization
(200 to 300 ºC, air atmosphere)-
Carbonization/Graphitization
(1000 to 3000 ºC, inert atmosphere) Surface treatment
Sizing
-
PAN-based carbon fiber
-
Pitch-based carbon fiber