Plasma oxidation of carbon fiber precursor

In contrast to conventional oxidation ovens that use molecular oxygen in hot air, plasma oxidation ovens generate highly oxidative reactive species from the air and efficiently deliver those species to the precursor on a large scale. This results in a significantly accelerated oxidative process that is both faster and more efficient. This process is so efficient that it can reduce the processing time by 3X and uses 75% less energy than conventional oxidation ovens. This manufacturing technique, called plasma oxidation, came from joint research between RMX Technologies and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) that was completed in 2015. Basic principles of operation and development history will be presented.