X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies of carbon fibre surfaces. I. carbon fibre spectra and the effects of heat treatment

The use of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for the study of carbon fibre surfaces is first discussed in general terms, and then with emphasis on untreated fibre samples heated to 1400°C in vacuo. Preliminary theoretical calculations show that a graphitic environment does have some modifying effect upon expected C 1s binding energy shifts for surface groups when compared with those obtained from other systems. Differences in surface chemistry cause only very small changes in the C 1s region, but these changes are shown to be detectable when appropriate data and data analysis techniques are used. Heat treatment causes loss of some oxide groups from the surface of the fibres and some nitrogen from the bulk of the fibres, although the resulting fibres do contain some CO groupings absent in the original fibres.