Thermophysical Properties of Carbon-Carbon Materials Based on Graphite Foam

Abstract

Laser flashing and thermal analysis are used to determine thermal conductivity and linear thermal expansion coefficient of low density carbon-carbon materials based on two types of graphite foam differing in degree of graphite matrix defectiveness, and pyrocarbon. It is shown that density after compaction and not the ratio of carbon components has the main effect on thermal conductivity. Carbon-carbon material based on electrochemical graphite foam has low values of thermal conductivity λ = 0.5 – 2.0 W/(m·K) over a wide temperature range (30 – 900°C), whereas for specimens based on traditional graphite foam low values of λ are only typical at high temperature.