A research team from the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has recently published findings in Advanced Functional Materials, developing an innovative technology that uses carbon nanofibers to enhance the interfacial bonding strength of carbon fiber composites. Led by ORNL researchers Sumit Gupta and Chris Bowland, this breakthrough promises to provide lighter, stronger structural materials for industries such as automotive and aerospace.

The technology employs electrospinning to spin polyacrylonitrile (PAN) precursors into fibers approximately 200 nm in diameter, forming a special structure on the carbon fiber surface. ORNL researcher Sumit Gupta stated: "We found that the chemical and mechanical synergy of carbon nanofibers significantly enhances interfacial bonding strength, which traditional methods struggle to achieve." Experimental data shows that the composite material's tensile strength increases by 50%, and toughness nearly doubles.

The research team utilized ORNL's advanced characterization facilities, including X-ray scattering and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging, to analyze the interaction mechanisms between fibers and the matrix at the microscale. Chris Bowland noted: "By precisely controlling electrospinning parameters, we can optimize fiber orientation and chemical bonding, building effective stress transfer bridges between heterogeneous materials."

This technology not only improves material performance but may also reduce production costs. By enhancing interfacial bonding, manufacturers can use less carbon fiber or even repurpose short-cut fibers that might otherwise be discarded. The research team has applied for a patent and is seeking industrial partners for technology transfer.

Beyond traditional applications, the technology opens new possibilities for composites. The team is exploring integration with self-sensing materials to develop smart composites capable of real-time structural health monitoring. The research was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science user facilities, with related simulations conducted on ORNL's Frontier supercomputer.