Procedure for determining sodium content of carbon fibres by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry

The process of sodium vaporization from carbon fibres has been studied. It has been shown that sodium atoms are present in carbon fibres in three different forms, vaporization of each of which on heating the yarn can be described by a first-order kinetic equation. Coefficients of the kinetic equation have been found. Possible mechanisms of vaporization of sodium from the fibre are discussed.