A study of the properties of mesophase-pitch-based foam/graphitized carbon black composites

Carbon foam was prepared from mixtures of graphitized carbon black particles and Mitsubishi naphthalene based mesophase pitch, followed by foaming, carbonization and graphitization. The influence of graphitized carbon black content on the properties of carbon foams was investigated in detail. The results have shown that less micro-cracks appeared in the carbon foam through the addition of graphitized carbon black to pitch matrix, which prevented the decrease of the strength. The high specific compressive strength of 9.98 MPa was achieved with an addition of 10 wt.% graphitized carbon black at heat treatment temperature of 2573 K. The thermal conductivity decreased gradually with increasing carbon black loading.