Microstructure and thermal conductivity of carbon/carbon composites made with different kinds of carbon fibers

The microstructure and surface state of three kinds of polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers (T700, T300 and M40) before and after high temperature treatment were investigated. Also, the pyrocarbon and thermal conductivity of carbon/carbon composites with different carbon fibers as preform were studied. The results show that M40 carbon fiber has the largest crystallite size and the least d002, T300 follows, and T700 the third. With the increase of heat treatment temperature, the surface state and crystal size of carbon fibers change correspondingly. M40 carbon fiber exhibits the best graphitization property, followed by T300 and then T700. The different microstructure and surface state of different carbon fibers lead to the different microstructures of pyrocarbon and then result in the different thermal conductivities of carbon/carbon composites. The carbon/carbon composite with M40 as preform has the best microstructure in pyrocarbon and the highest thermal conductivity.