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Carbonization Effects on the Biaxial Performance of Carbon Fiber Composites

Maximilian Kroll, Maxime Maghe, Claudia Creighton, Russell Varley, Rostislav Svidler, Lothar Kroll

Abstract


This work represents one of the first attempts to directly link industrially relevant carbonization rates of 50k carbon fiber tows to resulting multiaxial composite performance. Carbonization rates were systematically varied to produce three carbon fiber variants, which were then processed into carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates and tested under biaxial compression-shear loading using a fixed-clamped Iosipescu configuration. While uniaxial tensile properties of the single carbon fibers differed only marginally, biaxial testing of CFRP revealed differences in peak transverse compressive and shear stresses. CFRP reinforced with fibers carbonized at slow and medium rate retained higher biaxial strength compared to the fastest carbonization condition. The failure morphology evolved from predominantly shear-dominated cracking to mixed shear-splitting behavior and finally to splitting-dominated failure with increased carbonization rate. The results provide a basis for application-oriented carbon fiber manufacturing and for defining acceptable carbonization rates toward more efficient production.

Keywords



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DOI: 10.14416/j.asep.2026.07.014

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