Heat durability of carbon fiber reinforced nickel composites

Carbon fiber is a highly heat resistive material in an oxygen free atmosphere. Nickel is also a heat resistive metal and an important element for a superalloy. We can expect an excellent heat durable composite when they are combined. Nickel was electroplated on a carbon yarn to form a monofilament composite. When the high strength fiber was tested, the composite started to lose its strength at 600 degrees C. The deterioration was caused by graphitization of the carbon in the fiber. This is caused by the difference of the graphitization degree between crystallites in a fiber. A high modulus carbon fiber has little difference of the graphitization degree in a fiber. The high modulus fiber did not react when tested and the fiber strength was maintained after heat treatment at 1100 degrees C for 9 h. From the results, the high modulus carbon fiber composite is promising to be durable at a high temperature.