High Thermal Conductivity Carbon/Carbon Composites.

Abstract

The objective of this project was to develop a lowcost, high thermal conductivity carbon/carbon composite with a mesophase pitch-based matrix. A low-cost, continuous powder coating process was developed which can produce a flexible pre-impregnated pitch-based towpreg. A combination of a pressure-carbonization technique and heat treatment of the mesophase pitch was utilized to enhance composite properties by increasing the composite density. Three different fibers, T300 PAN-based, P55 pitch-based, and an experimental high thermal conductivity mesophase pitch-based, were incorporated as the filler phase in the composites. The thermal conductivity of the graphitized T300/AR-120 and the P55/AR-120 composites was 80.5 and 135.5 W/m-K, respectively. The composites reinforced with the experimental ribbon fibers exhibited 3-D anisotropy, with a thermal conductivity, transverse to the fibers, of 213.5 W/m-K, higher than that parallel to the fibers, 145 W/m-K. These results indicate that fiber shape can affect matrix properties in carbon/carbon composites. Using finite element methods, a model was developed to predict the effect of specific material variables, such as fiber fraction, fiber structure, matrix structure, fiber/matrix interface, and void fraction, on the thermal conductivity of the composite. p2

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 30, 1995
Accession Number
ADA308235

Entities

People

  • Dan D. Edie

Organizations

  • Clemson University

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Anisotropy
  • Carbon Fibers
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Composite Materials
  • Conductivity
  • Contracts
  • Engineering
  • Fabrication
  • Fibers
  • Finite Element Analysis
  • Heat Treatment
  • Materials
  • Military Research
  • Minority Groups
  • Thermal Conductivity
  • Three Dimensional
  • Transverse

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Reinforced Composite Materials