Compressional behavior of carbon nanotube reinforced mesophase pitch-based carbon fibers

The tensile-recoil compressional behavior of the carbon nanotube reinforced mesophase pitch (MP)-based composite carbon fibers (CNT-re-MP CFs) was investigated by using Instron and SEM. The CNT-re-MP CFs exhibited improved, or at least equivalent, compressive strength as compared with commercial MP-based carbon fibers. Particularly, when CNT of 0.1 wt% was reinforced, the ratios of recoil compressive strengths to tensile strength of CNT-re-MPCFs were much higher (the difference is at least 10 % or higher) than those for the commercial counterparts and even than those for PAN-based commercial carbon fibers. FESEM micrographs showed somewhat different fractography from that of a typical shear failure as the CNT content increased.