This proposal requests funds to permit Dr. Burtrand I. Lee, Department of Ceramic Engineering, Clemson University, to pursue with Dr. Seung Bum Park, Department of Civil Engineering, Chungnam University, Taejon, Korea, for a period of 24 months, a program of research on the development of carbon fiber reinforced cement composites. The objectives of the project are to (1) develop surface modification techniques for carbon fibers, (2) fabricate carbon fiber reinforced cement composites, and (3) understand the fiber/matrix interactions and the effects on mechanical properties of the composites. These objectives will be met by oxidizing the surface of commercially available carbon fibers in various degrees and incorporating the fibers in portland cement paste followed by curing. The cured composites will be characterized for microstructure, mechanical properties, and physical properties as functions of fiber physical and surface characteristics, curing, etc. Cement materials are extremely brittle. Although this brittleness may be modified by fine and coarse aggregate in mortar and concrete, these materials are still very brittle when compared to other common construction materials such as steel and wood. The incorporation of fibers into the cement matrix is the practical solution to the brittleness problem. Fibers of several types - steel, asbestos, glass, and polypropylene - are among those that have been used with success in the past. Carbon fibers are of interest because of the high strength, low specific gravity, and high stiffness they impart to the cement composites. The collaborators will prepare carbon fiber/cement composites and study the effect of pretreatment of the carbon fibers on the properties of the composite. This project is relevant to the objectives of the U.S.-Korea Cooperative Science Program which seeks to increase the level of cooperation between U.S. and Korean scientists and engineers through the exchange of scientific information, ideas, skills, and techniques and through collaboration on problems of mutual benefit. The U.S. and Korean collaborators are highly respected scientists with complementary expertise in the preparation and study of concrete composites. The cost of Korean participation in this project will be borne by the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation (KOSEF)
