Improving the interlaminar shear strength of carbon fiber-epoxy composites through carbon fiber bromination

The use of bromine to improve the interlaminar shear strength of PAN-based carbon fibers was investigated. Composite test specimens fabicated from brominated T-300 fibers and a MY720 matrix exhibited on average a 30% improvement in ILSS over their pristine counterparts. Mass, electrical resistivity, density, contact angle, and scanning Auger microscopy results suggested a mechanism in which the bromine was covalently bonded to the surface of the fiber, and this resulted in an increased van der Waal's adhesion between fiber and matrix.