초록

Graphite fibers are preferably grown by natural gas pyrolysis adjacent a stainless steel surface. Prior to said natural gas pyrolysis, the surface is pretreated by evaporating a ferric nitrate solution to increase the yield of product fibers.

대표청구항 ▼

A process for manufacturing graphite fibers of a type suitable for use as filler in plastic composites, said process comprising treating a growing surface by evaporating an aqueous ferric nitrate solution in contact therewith to deposit thereon an iron oxide residue, positioning the treated growing

A process for manufacturing graphite fibers of a type suitable for use as filler in plastic composites, said process comprising treating a growing surface by evaporating an aqueous ferric nitrate solution in contact therewith to deposit thereon an iron oxide residue, positioning the treated growing surface in a gas flow path such that the treated surface lies downstream from a region of said path wherein gas caused to flow along said path is brought into contact with stainless steel and further such that the treated surface is exposed to gas caused to flow along said path, and and flowing a natural gas stream along said flow path in contact with said stainless steel and thereafter in contact with said growing surface, while heating the gas, stainless steel and growing surface at a temperature sufficient to produce numerous oxide-derived iron-bearing nuclei on said growing surface, to decompose methane in said natural gas adjacent said stainless steel and to react the methane decomposition product with the nuclei to grow graphite fibers.