| Abstract: | Carbon-fiber-reinforced (CFR) phenolic composites with equivalent mechanical properties and much superior thermal stability to laboratory-prepared and present commercial epoxy analogs have been achieved by reinforcing 35-50 wt % of an amine-catalyzed resole with either the Hercules' Magnamite carbon fabric or the Great Lakes' Varinit carbon fiber/glass cloth hybrid. Improvement of the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of the hybrid-reinforced phenolic laminates was observed with increasing molding pressure and alternate carbon/glass/carbon/glass geometry. Sizings on the carbon fiber do not have any significant effect on the mechanical properties. |
