Mechanical properties of woodceramics: A porous carbon material

The mechanical properties of woodceramics, which are new porous carbon materials utilizing the natural structure of wood, were investigated. The effects of burning temperature and amount of impregnated phenol resin on Young's modulus, compressive strength and fracture toughness were measured. The fracture morphology was then observed, and simplified mechanical models of the woodceramics were discussed to explain the mechanical properties. The fracture was initiated at the cell walls that were located in vertical direction against the applied stress. The effect of impregnated phenol resin on the Young's modulus and the compressive strength was reasonably explained by a wall-bending model.