Date Approved
8-22-2024
Embargo Period
8-22-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Department
Chemical Engineering
College
Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering
Advisor
Giuseppe Palmese, Ph.D.
Committee Member 1
Francis Mac Haas, Ph.D.
Committee Member 2
James A. Newell, Ph.D.
Committee Member 3
Daniel B. Knorr, Ph.D.
Committee Member 4
Joseph F. Stanzione III, Ph.D.
Keywords
Carbon; Carbon/Carbon Composite; Carbonization; Fiber Reinforced Composite; Polybenzoxazine; Pyrolysis
Subject(s)
Composite materials; Manufacturing processes
Disciplines
Chemical Engineering | Engineering
Abstract
Carbon/carbon (C/C) composites are valuable for applications requiring structural integrity at high temperatures. However, their widespread use is limited by high manufacturing costs. Monofunctional furan-based benzoxazine resins were identified as promising candidates for enhancing fabrication efficiency due to their low viscosity, high char yield, and high carbon density. A benzoxazine monomer synthesized from furfurylamine, formaldehyde, and benzyl alcohol (Bz-FA-H) exhibits a crosslinking reaction between the furan group and the hydroxymethyl para substituent on the phenol, not found with other monomers. An investigation using blends of monomers containing Bz-FA-H at various concentrations showed that increasing crosslink density resulted in increased bulk carbon density upon carbonization. In fiber-reinforced composites, volume shrinkage of the matrix during carbonization creates an interconnected crack structure that enhances densification efficiency in polymer infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) processing. PIP studies were conducted using composites prepared by resin transfer molding (RTM). Characterization of the void content and its distribution within pyrolyzed samples in conjunction with modeling of the re-infiltration flow was used to understand the densification process better and for process optimization. Based on the findings, a layer-by-layer (LBL) approach was developed for the additive manufacturing of C/C composites, demonstrating the potential for the continuous fabrication of these systems and resulting cost savings.
Recommended Citation
Chauby, Michael, "CHEMISTRY AND PROCESSING OF CARBON/CARBON COMPOSITES FROM FURAN-BASED POLYBENZOXAZINE RESINS" (2024). Theses and Dissertations. 3279.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/3279
