The development of composite carbon fibres of large diameter?macro fibres

This paper describes the development of a process for manufacturing carbon fibres of larger diameter than those normally available from the “RAE process” [1] or other routes which have so far been described (e.g. the hot-stretching of pitch [2] or cellulose-based [3] fibres). The method consists of impregnating a bundle of carbon fibres or their precursors with resin and after curing, subjecting the composite fibre to a controlled carbonization. The end-product is a thin rod or fibre of carbon-fibre reinforced carbon, which can, in principle, have any desired cross-sectional shape or area [4].