Carbon fiber cleaning equipment, carbon fiber post-processing equipment

Abstract

This application relates to the field of carbon fiber technology, specifically a carbon fiber cleaning device and a carbon fiber post-processing equipment. The carbon fiber cleaning device includes a tank, guide rollers, a drive mechanism, and a spray assembly. The guide rollers are mounted on the tank; multiple guide rollers are included; the guide roller located at the tank inlet is the first guide roller; the guide roller is used to transport carbon fibers; the drive mechanism is connected to the guide roller; the spray assembly is mounted above the first guide roller and is used to spray cleaning liquid onto the carbon fibers passing through the first guide roller. The spray assembly can pre-clean the carbon fibers transported by the guide rollers. Furthermore, since the spray assembly is located above the first guide roller at the tank inlet, it can pre-clean the carbon fibers before they enter the cleaning process; this significantly reduces electrolyte residue on the carbon fiber surface, which is beneficial for improving the performance of the carbon fibers and composites. It can greatly reduce the corrosion of the guide rollers by residual electrolyte solution on the carbon fiber surface, thus extending the service life of the guide rollers.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of carbon fiber technology, and more specifically, to a carbon fiber cleaning device and a carbon fiber post-processing equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Carbon fiber possesses advantages such as high tensile modulus and low coefficient of thermal expansion. Leveraging its unique structure and performance advantages, it has gradually become a key raw material in aerospace and spacecraft fields. The development and application of new carbon fiber products, as well as expanding production capacity, are effective means to enhance international competitiveness. It has broad application prospects in modern manufacturing and is hailed as "industrial black gold." Carbon fiber is characterized by high temperature resistance, low temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, and high strength. Its lightweight nature significantly reduces the mass of spacecraft, improving their transport capabilities. It has become a major material for many aerospace components, widely used in fuselages, engines, turbines, and other parts. Therefore, the requirements for improving the performance of carbon fiber are becoming increasingly stringent.

[0003] The post-processing steps in carbon fiber production are one of the important factors affecting the performance of carbon fiber, and have a significant impact on the properties of both the carbon fiber itself and the composite materials.

[0004] Currently, carbon fiber post-processing includes surface treatment and cleaning. After surface treatment, carbon fiber undergoes cleaning. However, even after cleaning, carbon fiber still retains electrolyte residues from the surface treatment, affecting its performance. This is especially true for high-modulus carbon fiber, where conventional cleaning processes still leave significant electrolyte residues, impacting its properties. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a carbon fiber cleaning device and a carbon fiber post-processing equipment.

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a carbon fiber cleaning apparatus, comprising:

[0007] Tank body;

[0008] Guide rollers; guide rollers are mounted on the trough; multiple guide rollers are included; the guide roller located at the inlet of the trough is the first guide roller; the guide rollers are used to transport carbon fibers;

[0009] Drive mechanism; drive mechanism is connected to guide roller; and

[0010] Spray assembly; The spray assembly is installed above the first guide roller and is used to spray cleaning fluid onto the carbon fiber passing through the first guide roller.

[0011] In the above technical solution, by setting up a spray assembly, the spray assembly can pre-clean the carbon fibers conveyed by the guide rollers. Moreover, the spray assembly is located above the first guide roller at the inlet of the tank, allowing for pre-cleaning of the carbon fibers before they enter the cleaning process; this significantly reduces electrolyte residue on the carbon fiber surface, thereby improving the performance of the carbon fibers and composites. Furthermore, this technical solution can greatly reduce the corrosion of the guide rollers by residual electrolyte solution on the carbon fiber surface, extending the service life of the guide rollers.

[0012] In other embodiments of this application, the above-described spray assembly includes a support and a spray pipe;

[0013] The bracket is installed on the tank; the spray pipe is connected to the bracket;

[0014] The spray pipe is located above the first guide roller.

[0015] In other embodiments of this application, the spray pipe is provided with a plurality of holes;

[0016] The liquid outlets of the multiple holes face the first guide roller.

[0017] In other embodiments of this application, the carbon fiber cleaning device further includes a cleaning unit;

[0018] The cleaning unit is mounted on the bracket and abuts against the first guide roller;

[0019] The cleaning section is used to clean the first guide roller.

[0020] In other embodiments of this application, the cleaning part is a cleaning cloth or a cleaning brush.

[0021] In other embodiments of this application, the carbon fiber cleaning apparatus further includes a fiber splitting mechanism;

[0022] The fiber splitting mechanism is connected to the inlet of the tank and is located before the first guide roller; after the carbon fiber is split by the fiber splitting mechanism, it is transferred to the first guide roller.

[0023] In other embodiments of this application, the tank includes a first tank and at least one second tank; a first guide roller is located above the first tank; along the transport direction of the carbon fiber, the at least one second tank is located behind the first tank; the first tank is used to collect the electrolyte-containing spray liquid sprayed from the carbon fiber; the at least one second tank is used to contain the cleaning liquid. In other embodiments of this application, some of the guide rollers are located on a first plane near the bottom of the tank; some of the guide rollers are located on a second plane extending beyond the opening of the tank.

[0024] In other embodiments of this application, each pair of adjacent guide rollers is located on a first plane or a second plane, respectively.

[0025] Secondly, this application provides a carbon fiber post-processing device, including the carbon fiber cleaning device provided in any of the first aspects above. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the carbon fiber cleaning device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0028] Icons: 100-Carbon fiber cleaning device; 110-Tank; 111-Inlet; 112-First tank; 113-Second tank; 120-Guide roller; 121-First guide roller; 130-Drive mechanism; 140-Spray assembly; 141-Support; 142-Spray pipe; 150-Cleaning section; 161-Base; 162-Elastic wire splitter. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0030] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0031] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0032] In the description of the embodiments of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "left", "right", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship that the product of this application is usually placed in, or the orientation or positional relationship that is commonly understood by those skilled in the art. They are only used to facilitate the description of this application and to simplify the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0033] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be interpreted as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0034] In the description of the embodiments of this application, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "set" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0035] Research has revealed that high-modulus carbon fiber products currently require high surface etching to achieve good interfacial properties. Due to the high degree of graphitization and low oxygen-containing groups on the surface of high-modulus products, large surface treatment currents are needed for etching, leading to an increased electrolyte concentration. This results in a significant amount of electrolyte residue on the surface of carbon fibers, especially high-modulus fibers, after the surface treatment process. These residual electrolytes cannot be effectively removed by the cleaning process, remaining on the final product and affecting the overall performance of the carbon fibers, particularly the interfacial properties of high-modulus fibers. Furthermore, this residual electrolyte significantly increases the corrosion of the guide rollers at the cleaning inlet, causing the electroplated layer on the guide roller surface to peel off after half the operating cycle, resulting in fiber scraping.

[0036] Based on the above research, by improving the cleaning process after the surface treatment process, the impact of residual electrolyte on the performance of carbon fiber can be effectively reduced, and the corrosion of equipment by residual electrolyte can be effectively reduced, thus extending the service life of the equipment.

[0037] Please refer to Figure 1 This application provides a carbon fiber cleaning device 100, including: a tank 110, a guide roller 120, a drive mechanism 130, and a spray assembly 140.

[0038] Guide rollers 120 are mounted on the tank 110; multiple guide rollers 120 are included; the guide roller 120 located at the inlet 111 of the tank 110 is the first guide roller 121; the guide roller 120 is used to transport carbon fibers. A drive mechanism 130 is drivenly connected to the guide roller 120; a spray assembly 140 is mounted above the first guide roller 121, and the spray assembly 140 is used to spray cleaning liquid onto the carbon fibers passing through the first guide roller 121.

[0039] Typically, carbon fibers undergo surface treatment before directly entering the cleaning process. However, the surface of the carbon fibers after surface treatment retains electrolyte solution. This is especially true for high-modulus carbon fibers, which often require extensive surface etching, resulting in a high concentration of electrolyte solution remaining on their surface. Directly introducing carbon fibers with this high concentration of electrolyte solution into the cleaning process will cause significant corrosion to the guide rollers at the cleaning inlet, shortening their lifespan. In the above technical solution, a spray assembly 140 is installed to pre-clean the carbon fibers conveyed by the guide rollers 120. Furthermore, the spray assembly 140 is located above the first guide roller 121 at the inlet 111 of the tank 110, allowing for pre-cleaning of the carbon fibers before they enter the cleaning process. This significantly reduces electrolyte residue on the carbon fiber surface, thereby improving the performance of the carbon fibers and composites. Moreover, this technical solution greatly reduces the corrosion of the guide rollers 120 by the residual electrolyte solution on the carbon fiber surface, extending their service life.

[0040] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the spray assembly 140 includes a bracket 141 and a spray pipe 142; the bracket 141 is mounted on the tank 110; the spray pipe 142 is connected to the bracket 141; and the spray pipe 142 is located above the first guide roller 121.

[0041] In the above technical solution, the spray pipe 142 is located above the first guide roller 121, and can spray the carbon fiber while the guide roller 120 is conveying the carbon fiber to clean the carbon fiber; clean away the residue of the previous process on the surface of the carbon fiber, so that when the carbon fiber is cleaned, there is less residue on the surface.

[0042] Reference Figure 1In the illustrated embodiment, the first guide roller 121 is connected to the tank 110 in the width direction via a rotating shaft, and both ends of the first guide roller 121 are connected to the two side walls of the tank 110 in the width direction. The other guide rollers 120 are connected to the tank 110 in the same way as the first guide roller 121. Further, the two ends of the bracket 141 are respectively installed on the side walls of the tank 110 in the width direction and extend upward beyond the upper surface of the first guide roller 121; the spray pipe 142 is arranged along the axial direction of the first guide roller 121; it is spaced at a certain distance from the upper surface of the first guide roller 121, with one end of the spray pipe 142 connected to one end of the bracket 141 and the other end connected to the other end of the bracket 141.

[0043] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the spray pipe 142 is provided with a plurality of holes (not shown in the figure); the liquid outlets of the plurality of holes face the first guide roller 121.

[0044] In the above technical solution, the spray pipe 142 is provided with multiple holes; the outlet of the multiple holes faces the first guide roller 121, so that the cleaning liquid in the spray pipe 142 can be sprayed onto the first guide roller 121. When the first guide roller 121 conveys carbon fibers, the surface of the carbon fibers on the first guide roller 121 can be cleaned well.

[0045] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the carbon fiber cleaning apparatus 100 further includes a cleaning section 150; the cleaning section 150 is mounted on the bracket 141 and abuts against the first guide roller 121. The cleaning section 150 is used to clean the first guide roller 121.

[0046] In the above technical solution, the cleaning unit 150 is installed on the bracket 141 and abuts against the first guide roller 121. It can wipe and clean the first guide roller 121, thereby cleaning the guide roller. When it reaches the end of its service life, it is easy to replace and saves labor.

[0047] Reference Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, one end of the cleaning unit 150 is connected to one end of the bracket 141; the other end of the cleaning unit 150 is connected to the other end of the bracket 141. The cleaning unit 150 is arranged along the axial direction of the first guide roller 121. When the first guide roller 121 rotates, it can be wiped and cleaned.

[0048] The aforementioned cleaning unit 150 is detachably connected to the bracket 141. In use, it can be installed after the carbon fiber transmission is completed to wipe and clean the first guide roller 121.

[0049] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the cleaning part 150 is a cleaning cloth or a cleaning brush.

[0050] For example, in some embodiments of this application, the cleaning part 150 is a cleaning cloth; or in some embodiments of this application, the cleaning part 150 is a cleaning brush, and the material of the cleaning brush can be a flexible material such as a sponge.

[0051] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the trough 110 includes a first trough 112 and at least one second trough 113; a first guide roller 121 is located above the first trough 112; along the transport direction of the carbon fiber ( Figure 1 In the X direction, the at least one second tank 113 is located behind the first tank 112; the first tank 112 is used to collect the spray liquid containing electrolyte sprayed down from the carbon fiber; the at least one second tank 113 is used to contain the cleaning liquid.

[0052] The residue washed off the carbon fiber surface can be recycled into the first tank 112.

[0053] In some embodiments of this application, a drain hole is provided on the first tank 112.

[0054] The cleaning solution containing electrolytes collected in the first tank 112 can be transported to the previous surface treatment process for recycling by connecting a pipe to the drain hole of the first tank 112. This can save resources.

[0055] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the second tank 113 can contain a cleaning solution to further clean the carbon fibers that have been pre-cleaned on the first guide roller 121. This not only effectively improves the cleaning effect but also greatly protects the guide roller 120. The cleaning liquid can be returned to the tank 110 for recycling. Returning the washed water containing electrolyte residue to the acid mixing tank achieves a recycling effect, saving resources. Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, water is selected as the cleaning solution.

[0056] In other optional embodiments of this application, the cleaning fluid described above may also be selected from other applicable cleaning fluids.

[0057] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the carbon fiber cleaning device 100 also includes a fiber splitting mechanism; the fiber splitting mechanism is connected to the inlet 111 of the tank 110 and is located before the first guide roller 121; after the carbon fiber is split by the fiber splitting mechanism, it is transferred to the first guide roller 121.

[0058] In the above technical solution, by setting up a fiber splitting mechanism, the carbon fiber can be split into individual fibers. After the split carbon fiber enters the first guide roller 121, the individual carbon fibers can be sprayed and cleaned more effectively, thus improving the cleaning effect.

[0059] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the wire splitting mechanism includes:

[0060] A base 161 is provided with a plurality of elastic wire splitting rods 162 on its top surface. The plurality of elastic wire splitting rods 162 are distributed along the length of the base 161. Each pair of adjacent elastic wire splitting rods 162 jointly defines a flow channel, and each flow channel is used to arrange a carbon fiber filament.

[0061] In some embodiments of this application, the above-mentioned fiber splitting mechanism may be selected from the fiber splitting device disclosed in Chinese Patent CN 218969444U.

[0062] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, some guide rollers 120 are located on a first plane near the bottom of the second groove 113; some guide rollers 120 are located on a second plane extending beyond the opening of the second groove 113.

[0063] In the above technical solution, some guide rollers 120 are located on a first plane near the bottom of the second tank 113; some guide rollers 120 are located on a second plane extending beyond the opening of the second tank 113, which can press the carbon fiber into the liquid below the liquid surface of the second tank 113 for cleaning, thereby increasing the cleaning time in the second tank 113.

[0064] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, in the second groove 113 region, each pair of adjacent guide rollers 120 are located on the first plane or the second plane, respectively.

[0065] Reference Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, carbon fibers can be conveyed from the first guide roller 121, at which time the carbon fibers are conveyed on the second plane near the opening of the groove, that is, above the second groove 113; then after passing through the first guide roller 121, they are conveyed to the second guide roller 120, at which time the carbon fibers are conveyed on the first plane near the opening of the groove, that is, at the bottom of the second groove 113; that is, the carbon fibers can be conveyed up and down in the second groove 113, which can extend the cleaning time in the second groove 113.

[0066] In other optional embodiments of this application, each pair of adjacent guide rollers 120 is located on either the first plane or the second plane; alternatively, each pair of adjacent groups of guide rollers 120 may be located on either the first plane or the second plane. For example, each group of guide rollers 120 may contain two or more; each pair or more of guide rollers 120 may be located on the first plane; or each pair or more of guide rollers 120 may be located on the second plane.

[0067] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the drive mechanism 130 described above can be a motor, which drives each guide roller 120 to transmit carbon fiber.

[0068] Some embodiments of this application provide a carbon fiber post-processing device, including the carbon fiber cleaning device provided in any of the foregoing embodiments.

[0069] Further optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the aforementioned carbon fiber post-processing equipment includes the carbon fiber cleaning device and surface treatment device provided in the foregoing embodiments. In use, the carbon fiber first undergoes surface treatment in the surface treatment device, and then is transferred from the surface treatment device to the carbon fiber cleaning device 100. It enters the first guide roller 121 from the fiber splitting mechanism of the carbon fiber cleaning device 100, and after pre-cleaning by the spray assembly 140, is transferred to the tank 110 by other guide rollers 120. After pre-cleaning by the spray assembly 140, the pre-cleaning solution contains a large amount of electrolyte, which can be returned to the acid mixing tank of the surface treatment device through a pipeline, facilitating resource conservation and achieving a recycling effect. The cleaning cloth is easy to use and replace, and can be replaced promptly upon reaching its service life, saving time and effort.

[0070] Carbon fibers cleaned by the carbon fiber cleaning device of this application can have reduced residual fiber electrolytes and improved the interfacial properties of carbon fibers, especially the interfacial properties of high modulus carbon fibers with M40J and above.

[0071] The effects of this application are illustrated below with reference to specific embodiments:

[0072] Example 1

[0073] High-modulus carbon fiber M40J with surface treatment was used. Figure 1 The carbon fiber cleaning device shown is used for cleaning.

[0074] Comparative Example 1

[0075] High-modulus carbon fiber M40J with surface treatment was used. Figure 1 The carbon fiber cleaning device shown does not include a pre-cleaning device during cleaning. Figure 1 The spray assembly 140 in the tank allows carbon fiber to be directly fed into the tank for cleaning.

[0076] Experimental Example

[0077] The interlaminar shear strength of the carbon fibers provided in Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 was tested according to GB / T 1450.1-2005 standard. The electrical conductivity of the washed carbon fibers was tested using a DDSJ-319L conductivity meter. The carbon fiber extraction conductivity test method is as follows: (1) The sampling operator should wear gloves to take the sample. The sample mass is about 25g (about 30m of sample). The excess sample is retained. (2) Weigh the sample. Weigh 8g of the sample taken. The error should not exceed 0.080g, i.e., between 7.920-8.080g. (3) Heat and boil. Take a 250ml beaker, put the sample at the bottom of the beaker, and add 170+10ml of deionized water (adding too much water may cause the liquid to boil and splash); place the beaker on an electric multi-functional furnace and set the temperature to 100℃ until boiling. (4) Stirring with a glass rod for 30 minutes after the deionized water boils. Note: If multiple samples are tested simultaneously, the glass rods should not be mixed. If there are not enough glass rods, rinse the glass rods with deionized water before stirring the next sample. (5) Volume adjustment of the leachate: After heating, remove the beaker and let it cool to room temperature. Use a glass rod to remove the sample and squeeze out any residual leachate while wearing gloves. Transfer the leachate from the beaker to a clean 250ml volumetric flask. Rinse the beaker three times with deionized water and transfer the rinsing solution to the volumetric flask. Finally, make up to volume with deionized water. (6) Transfer of the leachate: Transfer the leachate back to the beaker after volume adjustment. (7) Finally, use a conductivity meter to test the conductivity.

[0078] The test results are shown in Table 1.

[0079] Table 1

[0080]

[0081] As can be seen from the experimental results in Table 1 above, the high-modulus carbon fibers cleaned using the carbon fiber cleaning device 100 of this application can significantly improve the lamellar shear strength of the carbon fibers; this indicates that the carbon fiber cleaning device 100 of this application can effectively improve the interfacial properties of carbon fibers, thereby contributing to the improvement of the performance of fiber composites.

[0082] Furthermore, the results in Table 1 above also show that the conductivity of the carbon fiber in this embodiment is better than that in the comparative embodiment, indicating that the solution in this application can effectively improve the conductivity of the carbon fiber.

[0083] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A carbon fiber cleaning device, characterized in that, include: Tank body; Guide rollers; The guide roller is mounted on the trough; the guide roller includes multiple rollers; the guide roller located at the entrance of the trough is the first guide roller; The guide roller is used to transport carbon fibers; Drive mechanism; The drive mechanism is connected to the guide roller; A spraying assembly; the spraying assembly is installed above the first guide roller, and the spraying assembly is used to spray cleaning liquid onto the carbon fiber passing through the first guide roller; as well as Filament splitting mechanism; The fiber splitting mechanism is connected to the inlet of the trough and is located before the first guide roller; after the carbon fiber is split by the fiber splitting mechanism, it is transferred to the first guide roller.

2. The carbon fiber cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spray assembly includes a support frame and spray pipes; The bracket is mounted on the tank; the spray pipe is connected to the bracket; The spray pipe is located above the first guide roller.

3. The carbon fiber cleaning device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The spray pipe is provided with multiple holes; The liquid outlets of the plurality of holes face the first guide roller.

4. The carbon fiber cleaning device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The carbon fiber cleaning device also includes a cleaning unit; The cleaning unit is mounted on the bracket and abuts against the first guide roller; The cleaning section is used to clean the first guide roller.

5. The carbon fiber cleaning device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The cleaning part is a cleaning cloth or a cleaning brush.

6. The carbon fiber cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tank includes a first tank and at least one second tank; The first guide roller is located above the first trough; along the transport direction of the carbon fiber, the at least one second trough is located behind the first trough; The first tank is used to collect the spray liquid sprayed from the carbon fiber; the at least one second tank is used to contain the cleaning liquid.

7. The carbon fiber cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, Some of the guide rollers are located on a first plane near the bottom of the trough; some of the guide rollers are located on a second plane extending beyond the opening of the trough.

8. The carbon fiber cleaning apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, Each pair of adjacent guide rollers is located on either the first plane or the second plane.

9. A carbon fiber post-processing device, characterized in that, Includes the carbon fiber cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1-8.

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