Strengthening of carbon fibers by a magnetic field imposed in the stabilization and carbonization process

A magnetic field was imposed on the stabilization and the carbonization processes in the fabrication stage of carbon fibers and the effect of the imposed magnetic field on the mechanical strength of fabricated carbon fibers was studied in the relation with the tension imposed in stabilization process. The tensile strength of carbon fibers obtained by heat-treating at 1773 K increased up to approximately 1 GPa by the imposition of a magnetic field, regardless of the values of the imposed tension. The mechanism of strengthening of carbon fibers due to the imposition of the magnetic field has been discussed in the viewpoint of the decrease of defects.