Novel isotropic high-density amorphous carbon composites for moderator applications in low-temperature thermal reactors

Making of high-density amorphous carbon composites with substantial thermal and radiation stability is a challenge in itself. Two series of carbon composites were synthesized by making use of novel precursor materials like polyacrylonitrile (PAN) based carbon fibers and carbon black (CB) powder along with phenol formaldehyde resin as binder. The samples were extensively characterized using a large number of characterization techniques. Carbon composites made by this technique are found to retain very high-degree of isotropicity and amorphous nature even when heat-treated at ∼1500 °C and above. Besides, they are found to exhibit excellent thermo-mechanical properties like specific heat, compressive strength and coefficient of thermal expansion. Stock composition was varied to find its effect on the thermo-mechanical properties and isotropicity of the samples.