In 1879, Edison used cellulose fibers, such as bamboo, linen, or cotton yarn, as raw materials to first produce carbon fibers and obtained patents. However, the mechanical properties of the fibers produced at that time were very low, and the process could not be industrialized, which failed to achieve development.
In the early 1950s, due to the development of cutting-edge technologies such as rockets, aerospace, and aviation, there was an urgent need for new materials with high specific strength, specific modulus, and high temperature resistance. In addition, continuous carbon fiber filaments could be produced using precursor fibers as raw materials through heat treatment, which laid the foundation for the industrialization of carbon fibers. Over the past 40 years, carbon fiber has undergone significant technological advancements as follows:
In the early 1950s, the Wright Patterson Air Force Base in the United States successfully produced carbon fibers using adhesive fibers as raw materials. The products were used as ablative materials for rocket nozzles and nose cones, with good results. In 1956, the United Carbide Corporation of the United States successfully produced high modulus adhesive based carbon fibers under the trade name "Thornel-25" and developed stress graphitization technology to improve the strength and modulus of carbon fibers.
In the early 1960s, Akio Fujito of Japan invented a method for producing carbon fibers from polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers and obtained a patent. In 1963, Japan Carbon Corporation and Tokai Electrode Corporation developed polyacrylonitrile based carbon fibers using the patent of Shinto. In 1965, the Japanese carbon company successfully industrialized the production of ordinary polyacrylonitrile based carbon fibers. In 1964, the Royal Aeronautical Research Centre (RAE) in the UK produced high-performance polyacrylonitrile based carbon fibers by applying tension during pre oxidation. Courtaulds, Hercules, and Rolls Royce use RAE technology for industrial production.
In 1965, Japanese scientist Sugaro Otani first produced polyvinyl chloride asphalt based carbon fibers and published a pioneering research report on asphalt based carbon fibers.
In 1969, Japanese carbon companies successfully developed high-performance polyacrylonitrile based carbon fibers. In 1970, Toray Textile Inc. of Japan relied on advanced polyacrylonitrile precursor technology and exchanged carbonization technology with United Carbide Corporation of the United States to develop high-performance polyacrylonitrile based carbon fibers. In 1971, Dongli Company launched high-performance polyacrylonitrile based carbon fiber products (Torayca) on the market. Subsequently, the performance, variety, and yield of the product continued to develop, and it still holds a leading position in the world to this day. Afterwards, Japan's Tobon, Asahi Chemical, Mitsubishi Rayon, and Sumitomo have successively entered the production line of polyacrylonitrile based carbon fibers. (See polyacrylonitrile based carbon fiber)