Rapid technological advancements across diverse industrial sectors have significantly increased the demand for advanced materials. In particular, within the defense sector, the expansion of operational environments for weapon systems has underscored t...
Rapid technological advancements across diverse industrial sectors have significantly increased the demand for advanced materials. In particular, within the defense sector, the expansion of operational environments for weapon systems has underscored the necessity of developing materials capable of withstanding extreme conditions. This study examined the classification and manufacturing processes of carbon fibers and analyzed how the variations in processing parameters affect the crystalline structure of PAN-based carbon fibers. As a result, an inverse relationship between the tensile strength and tensile modulus in PAN-based carbon fibers was identified. In defense applications, ultra-high-performance carbon fibers can be used as structural materials in systems, such as space and aerospace weapon platforms. Therefore, to secure original technologies and future competitiveness, it is necessary to optimize thermal treatment profiles, such as stabilization, carbonization, and graphitization, tailored to the target properties, and develop microstructural control technologies to minimize internal fiber defects.