Evaluation of Low Density and Highly Thermal Conductive Carbon Bonded Carbon Fiber Network with Mesophase Pitch as Binder

The carbon bonded carbon fiber network was prepared by using carbon fibers carbonized at 500 degrees C with mesophase pitch as binder. The sample was compared with the one prepared by using carbon fibers carbonized at 1300 degrees C and the one prepared by using phenolic resin as the binder. The carbon yields of binders, microstructure, graphitization degree and crystallite size of samples were characterized and thermal conductivity was obtained for the samples soaked into phase change materials (PCM) to form PCM composites. Results showed that a good "in-plane" bonding effect was formed between the highly aligned graphene layers of binders and graphite fibers. The density of the carbon fiber network after graphitization is 0.317 g.cm(-3), and the in-plane thermal conductivity of its PCM composite is 19.30 W.m(-1).K-1, increased by 80-folds as hhat of pure PCMs.