Quantitative Measurement of Fiber Pull-out by Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy

Abstract

Laser scanning confocal microscopy is demonstrated as a new method to quantitatively determine fiber pull-out length. Fracture surfaces of carbon/carbon composites - polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fibers infiltrated with pyrolytic carbon - are investigated to measure the three-dimensional surface topography and thereby the distribution of fiber pull-out length of carbon fibers.