Copper coated carbon fiber reinforced plastics for high and ultra high vacuum applications

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that copper-coated carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CuCFRP) can be used for high and ultra-high vacuum applications, offering comparable performance to stainless steel with added benefits like low weight and non-magnetic properties.

Contribution

The paper introduces CuCFRP as a new material for vacuum chambers, showing its suitability and stability over time, and discusses how production processes affect its baking capabilities.

Findings

Achieved vacuum pressures of 2E-8 mbar in test recipients.

Measured a low desorption rate of 1E-11 mbar*liter/s/cm^2.

CuCFRP remains stable over 2 years without degradation.

Abstract

We have used copper-coated carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CuCFRP) for the construction of high and ultra-high vacuum recipients. The vacuum performance is found to be comparable to typical stainless steel used for this purpose. In test recipients we have reached pressures of 2E-8 mbar and measured a desorption rate of 1E-11 mbar*liter/s/cm^2; no degradation over time (2 years) has been found. Suitability for baking has been found to depend on the CFRP production process, presumably on the temperature of the autoclave curing. Together with other unique properties of CuCFRP such as low weight and being nearly non-magnetic, this makes it an ideal material for many high-end vacuum applications.