Researchers at the R&D Center of Lubricating and Protecting Materials of the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a new preparation method of carbon fiber enhanced polybenzimidazole compound material.

The method comprises the following steps that: polybenzimidazole is polymerized in situ onthe surface of the carbon oxide fiber to form carbon fiber containing polybenzimidazole; and the carbon fiber containing polybenzimidazole undergoes hot pressed sintering in a vacuum hot pressed sintering furnace for one-time formation to form the carbon fiber containing polybenzimidazole compound material.

The method has the advantages of overcoming defects of uneven distribution of carbon fiberfilling materials and poor shearing stress between the polybenzimidazole and the carbon fiber filling materials, along with simple and convenient operation, simple equipment and process and the suitability for mass production. The compound material prepared by the method has good mechanical property and wide industrial values and application prospect.

Polybenzimidazole possesses many properties, such as good thermal stability, chemical stability, self-lubrication, low density and excellent high temperature mechanical property. In addition, polybenzimidazole has the highest strength among high polymer plastics, good tensile and compressive strength. These properties have made polybenzimidazole important materials used under harsh conditions.

The researchers have received a Chinese invention patent for the technique on August 31. The patent is ZL 200810150663.6.