Effect of lithium-ion intercalation on the tensile properties of carbon fibres for energy storage composites

Carbon fibres can be used as structural electrodes because they have a high tensile properties-to-weight ratio and a graphitic structure which enables lithium-ion intercalation. Carbon fibre specimens were used as electrodes in laboratory cells. It was found that the fibre undergoes an ultimate tensile strength drop and an axial expansion which depend on the measured capacity. The results suggest that a tensile strain develops in the carbon fibre which is pre-stressed in tension and that this pre-stress correlates with the amount of lithiumions intercalated.QC 20150424