Thermo-electrical properties of randomly oriented carbon/carbon composite

Thermo-electrical properties of randomly oriented carbon/carbon composite

The aim of the work was to investigate the thermo-electrical properties of low cost and rapidly produced randomly oriented carbon/carbon (C/C) composite. The composite body was fabricated by combining the high-pressure hot-pressing (HP) method with the lowpressure impregnation thermosetting carbonization (ITC) method. After the ITC method step selected samples were graphitized at 3000°C. Detailed characterization of the samples’ physical properties and thermal properties, including thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity, specific heat and coefficient of thermal expansion, was carried out. Additionally, direct current (DC) electrical conductivity in both the in-plane and through-plane directions was evaluated. The results indicated that after graphitization the specimens had excellent carbon purity (99.9 %) as compared to that after carbonization (98.1). The results further showed an increasing trend in thermal conductivity with temperature for the carbonized samples and a decreasing trend in thermal conductivity with temperature for graphitized samples. The influence of the thickness of the test specimen on the thermal conductivity was found to be negligible. Further, all of the specimens after graphitization displayed an enormous increase in electrical conductivity (from 190 to 565 and 595 to 1180 S/cm in the through-plane and in-plane directions, respectively).