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  • Method of producing carbon fiber and product thereof
    Patent number: 4526770
    Abstract: A novel process is provided for the formation of improved carbonized fibrous materials with increased modulus of elasticity and strength as well as decreased diameter. Preferably, the precursor material is acrylonitrile, typically copolymerized with a minor amount of an acrylic monomer such as methyl acrylate. Drawing of the polymer fiber during oxidation is effected at an elevated temperature in the presence of a carboxylic acid (other than formic acid), or its anhydride, within the fiber. It is believed that the acid and/or its anhydride which is formed at the oxidizing temperature serves as a plasticizer and reduces the fiber yield stress and increases fiber plasticity so that the fibers may be drawn by as much as 300% or more in the presence of the acid and/or its anhydride during oxidation, thereby providing the desired improvement in increased modulus of elasticity and tensile strength of carbon fibers formed subsequently by carbonization of the oxidized fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1985
    Assignee: Fiber Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger T. Pepper, Daniel C. Nelson, Douglas S. Lewing
  • Composite armor and method
    Patent number: 3977294
    Abstract: A composite laminate material is described comprising a plurality of layers of graphite sheet material coated on at least one side thereof with a ceramic material having a density greater than about 50% of its theoretical density, preferably, up to about 95% or greater theoretical density. The ceramic material constitutes at least 90% of the thickness of the composite laminate. The composite laminate is formed by applying to one or both sides of graphite sheet material a ceramic layer compacted to at least 50% theoretical density. A plurality of layers of the ceramic coated graphite sheets are then stacked and pressure molded by conventional techniques with the various layers being adhered together using a suitable adhesive. The resulting laminate is light weight and thin but has sufficient strength to be used as armor material to protect against projectiles. The laminate material is easily shaped and cut and because of its light weight is especially useful for making body armor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1971
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1976
    Assignee: Fiber Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul F. Jahn
  • High carbon composite
    Patent number: 4777093
    Abstract: A carbonizable body is formed by infusing a plurality of preoxidized (preferably stabilized by known processing to have about 9 to 14 weight percent oxygen) polyacrylonitrile fibers in a polar liquid plasticizer, preferably water, capable of extracting a tarry leachate from the fibers. The infusion of the fibers in the plasticizer is continued for a sufficient time for a substantial amount of leachate to form on the surface of the fibers, and are then consolidated or diffusion-bonded to one another or other fibers, as by orienting the treated fibers in a mold and subjecting them to isostatic pressing at relatively low temperatures and pressure. Further processing of the consolidated fibers with appropriate heat treatment in an inert atmosphere will produce a carbonized bulk product with higher values of Young's modulus for the carbonized material than have been previously achieved at such carbonization temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1988
    Assignee: Fiber Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel C. Nelson, Roger T. Pepper
  • Method of making a structure
    Patent number: 4776995
    Abstract: A carbonizable body is formed by infusing a plurality of preoxidized, preferably stabilized by known processing to have about 9 to 14 weight percent oxygen, polyacrylonitrile fibers in a polar liquid plasticizer, preferably water, capable of extracting a tarry leachate from the fibers. The infusion of the fibers in the plasticizer is continued for a sufficient time for a substantial amount of leachate to form on the surface of the fibers, and are then consolidated or diffusion-bonded to one another or other fibers, as by orienting the treated fibers in a mold and subjecting them to isostatic pressing at relatively low temperatures and pressure. Further processing of the consolidated fibers with appropriate heat treatment in an inert atmosphere will produce a carbonized bulk product with higher values of Young's modulus for the carbonized material than have been previously achieved at such carbonization temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1988
    Assignee: Fiber Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel C. Nelson, Roger T. Pepper
  • Method of preparing metal matrix composite materials using metallo-organic solutions for fiber pre-treatment
    Patent number: 4831707
    Abstract: Glass or ceramic fibers or other fibers such as graphite properly protected by a suitable adherent ceramic or metal coating are immersed in a liquid metallo-organic solution containing a noble metal compound as a primary ingredient, then dried and fired in air or in a slightly oxidizing atmosphere so as to produce a noble metal coating on the fibers. Fibers may be in the form of individual filaments, as a multifilament tow or yarn or as a woven fabric. The fibers coated with a nobel metal are then incorporated into a metal matrix composite material by immersion in a molten bath of the desired matrix metal, placing the fibers in a suitable mold and casting the molten matrix metal around them or placing the fibers between solid sheets of matrix metal and effecting consolidation by diffusion bonding. The coating thickness on the fibers should be at least 0.30 microns and should not exceed 0.50 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1989
    Assignee: Fiber Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Goddard, Richard W. Sexton
  • Method of making a structure from carbonaceous fibers
    Patent number: 4776994
    Abstract: A carbonizable body is formed by infusing a plurality of preoxidized, preferably stabilized by known processing to have about 17 to 30 weight percent oxygen, fibers prepared from pitch, in a non-polar liquid plasticizer, typically quinoline, capable of extracting a tarry leachate from the fibers. The infusion of the fibers in the plasticizer is continued for a sufficient time for a substantial amount of leachate to form on the surface of the fibers. The treated fibers are then consolidated or diffusion-bonded to one another or other fibers, as by orienting the treated fibers in a mold and subjecting them to isostatic pressing at relatively low temperatures and pressure. Further processing of the consolidated fibers with appropriate heat treatment in an inert atmosphere will produce a carbonized bulk product with higher values of Young's modulus for the carbonized material than have been previously achieved at such carbonization temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1988
    Assignee: Fiber Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel C. Nelson, Roger T. Pepper
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