Thermal response of the two-directional high-thermal-conductive carbon fiber reinforced aluminum composites with low interface damage by a vacuum hot pressure diffusion method

Abstract

A two directional high thermal conductive carbon fiber reinforced aluminum matrix composite with low interface damage is prepared by a vacuum hot-pressure diffusion method using the mesophase-pitch-based carbon fiber (CFMP) cloth as fast heat conduction channels. The fiber/matrix interface is composed of an amorphous gradient transition layer between aluminum matrix and CFMP rather than Al4C3 interface phase, thus endowing the continuous heat conduction channels in the composite. The composites deliver the high thermal conductivity of 305.5 W∙m−1∙K−1 in the X (Y) direction and the low volume density of only 2.53 g∙cm−3 when the fiber volume fraction reaches 30 vol%. The high thermal conductivity of the composite is attributed to the highly oriented fast heat transfer effect of the CFMP, the isotropic heat transfer effect of the aluminum matrix and the low-damage CFMP/aluminum interface. This study opens a new avenue to design and select the high thermal conductivity and lightweight thermal management materials for the aerospace field.