Carbon/carbon composites prepared by chemical vapour deposition

Abstract

This paper summarizes the results of the authors' work on C C composites prepared by chemical vapour deposition (CVD), using propylene as a source of carbon and various substrates (cellulose carbon, natural graphite, different grades of carbon fibres bonded by phenolic or CVD carbon). The equations relating 1. (i) open porosity P with infiltration rate (− dP/ dt = kP). 2. (ii) apparent density of the composites d app with P ( d app = nP + q). 3. (iii) composite properties Y with d app ( Y = ad app b ) have been confirmed for the systems studied up to the highest composite densities attained. The constants k, n, q, a and b vary with infiltration conditions, nature of the substrate (involving bonding carbon in the skeleton), heat treatment (HT) conditions and geometrical factors. For a given set of conditions, infiltration rate increases with temperature and the partial pressure of propylene, but decreases with residence time. Contrary to the composite properties, the kinetics of infiltration are not influenced by the nature of the substrate, except for the initial stage before the substrate is coated by the CVD carbon, but depends on the shape and size of open pores. The influence of the nature of the carbon used to bond the fibres may be of particular importance for composite properties, the latter being also influenced by the state of the surface of the fibres. Among the geometrical factors, the studied effect of fibre content has been found to strongly influence the infiltration rate, in agreement with predictions, as well as the composite properties. The influence of HT on composite properties can be explained by the resulting structural changes in the substrate and the matrix and by the effect of stress relaxation.