Kim, Min-A Jang, Dawon Tejima, Syogo Cruz-Silva, Rodolfo Joh, Han-Ik Kim, Hwan Chul Lee, Sungho Endo, Morinobu 2024-01-20T04:33:37Z 2024-01-20T04:33:37Z 2021-09-04 2016-03-23 2045-2322 https://pubs.kist.re.kr/handle/201004/124276 Large efforts have been made over the last 40 years to increase the mechanical strength of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fibers (CFs) using a variety of chemical or physical protocols. In this paper, we report a new method to increase CFs mechanical strength using a slow heating rate during the carbonization process. This new approach increases both the carbon sp(3) bonding and the number of nitrogen atoms with quaternary bonding in the hexagonal carbon network. Theoretical calculations support a crosslinking model promoted by the interstitial carbon atoms located in the graphitic interlayer spaces. The improvement in mechanical performance by a controlled crosslinking between the carbon hexagonal layers of the PAN based CFs is a new concept that can contribute further in the tailoring of CFs performance based on the understanding of their microstructure down to the atomic scale. English NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES STABILIZATION GRAPHENE Strengthened PAN-based carbon fibers obtained by slow heating rate carbonization Article 10.1038/srep22988 1 SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v.6 SCIENTIFIC REPORTS 6 scie scopus 000372608500001 2-s2.0-84961618700 Multidisciplinary Sciences Science & Technology - Other Topics Article MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES STABILIZATION GRAPHENE 탄소섬유 polyacrylonitrile XPS chemical structure tensile strength