Low-density carbon material modified with pyrolytic carbon Original Research Article

Here we report a physicochemical investigation of low-density carbon materials modified with pyrolytic carbon (PC). Exfoliated graphite (EG) obtained by nitrate expandable graphite thermal destruction was pressed into low-density graphite materials (LDGMs) with densities of 0.045–0.50 g/cm3 and saturated with PC by impact CVI technique. LDGM infiltration with PC leads to sample weight and density growth. The amount of deposited PC strictly depends on synthesis conditions. The maximum surface and volume deposition of PC occurred for samples with density of 0.05 g/cm3. XRD, Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy revealed that the deposited PC is of smooth laminar (SL) type. Composite thermal conductivity is about 2–3.5 Wt/m K.