Effect of carbonization and multi‐walled carbon nanotubes on polyacrylonitrile short carbon fiber ‐ epoxy composites

The present work deals with the characterization of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) filled and unfilled short carbon fiber reinforced epoxy resin composites. Short carbon fibers (10 mm) were selected at various processing stages such as (i) white color polyacrylonitrile fibers (PAN); (ii) pre‐carbonized carbon fibers (Precarb‐CF); (iii) oxidized carbon fibers (OCF); (iv) fully carbonized carbon fibers (CF‐low); and (v) sized carbon fibers (CF Sized). The investigated composites were characterized by three points bending test, hardness test, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), electrical conductivity test, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that the mechanical and electrical properties of the investigated materials markedly depend on the type of short carbon fibers and on the presence of MWCNTs. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E817–E825, 2018. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers