Synergistic enhancement of thermomechanical properties and oxidation resistance in aligned Co-continuous carbon–ceramic hybrid fibers

Carbon fibers are highly valued for their lightweight characteristics, outstanding mechanical properties, and cost-efficiency. However, their limited oxidation resistance and low thermomechanical stability in hot air impose constraints on their utilization. Here, we present an approach to simultaneously achieve high thermomechanical properties and high-temperature oxidation resistance in carbon-ceramic hybrid fibers featuring a highly aligned co-continuous topological structure through a continuous process. These hybrid fibers exhibit superior mechanical properties compared to pure carbon fibers with the same diameter (20 μm), including a tensile strength of 2.0 ± 0.2 GPa, Young's modulus of 175 ± 34 GPa, and elongation at break of 1.3 ± 0.2%. Moreover, when subjected to thermal exposure under stress loading conditions in air, the ceramic constituents form a protective oxidized ceramic layer that effectively mitigates thermal oxidation and mechanical loading effects at elevated temperatures, surpassing the performance of carbon fibers. Our discovery offers a promising avenue for bridging the performance gap between cost-effective high-strength carbon fibers and expensive SiC counterparts with exceptional oxidation resistance, which can be applied in many fields wherever high thermomechanical loading and oxidation-resistant properties are important.