Evaluation of the Thermal Properties of Kermel and PBO Fibres Available to Purchase

High performance aramid fibers display high tenacity, modulus and temperature resistance under various end-use applications. Since no scientific research papers on the subject of Kermel fibers are found, the thermal degradation properties of Kermel and poly-p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole (PBO) fibres are therefore compared in this paper. When heated to temperatures of 100°C, 200 °C, 300°C, and 400°C for 1.5 hours, the tenacity and extension-to-break properties of PBO and Kermel fibres both decrease with temperature, but the modulus first increases, and then decreases until 300°C. By using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to observe the effect of heat treatment on these fibres, the morphologies of PBO and Kermel fibres exhibit fractures when they are ruptured and fibrils are found in their cores.