Systems and methods for controlling carbon tow width

Abstract

A technique allowing a portion of carbon fiber tow to maintain a rectangular cross sectional shape or to maintain an imparted desired shape, such as a wider shape with a rectangular cross-sectional profile, through a textile loom is disclosed herein.

1 . A portion of a carbon fiber tow comprising:
 a top surface of the carbon fiber tow; and   a bottom surface of the carbon fiber tow, wherein the top surface and the bottom surface are coupled via a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape of bundled carbon fiber filaments oriented in substantially congruent orientation,   a binding agent coupled to at least one of the top surface and the bottom surface of the carbon fiber tow,
 wherein the binding agent is located at several locations along a span of the carbon fiber tow, 
 wherein the binding agent at each location is spaced apart, along the span, from the binding agent at another of the locations and separated by untreated portions of the carbon fiber tow, and 
 wherein the binding agent is configured to maintain the generally rectangular cross-sectional shape of the carbon fiber tow. 
   
     
     
         2 . The portion of  claim 1 , wherein the binding agent spans from a first edge of the carbon fiber tow to an edge opposite the first edge along the top surface and the bottom surface of the carbon fiber tow. 
     
     
         3 . The portion of a carbon fiber tow of  claim 1 , wherein a width of the carbon fiber tow is manipulated prior to application of the binding agent.