Preparation of conductive carbon-ceramic composites from coal tar pitch and ceramic monoliths

Conductive carbon-ceramic composites have been prepared from coal tar pitch and a ceramic already molded as a monolith having a honeycomb structure. The material has been obtained by subjecting both components to a heat treatment in N-2 to a maximum temperature of either 1073 K or 1273 K. The starting ceramic and the composites have been characterized by scanning electron microscopy, EDX, thermogravimetry and X-ray diffraction. Conductivity measurements and electrochemical behavior have been also carried out. The results obtained reveal that the highest conductivities are obtained in those samples heated to the maximum temperature studied. Stability towards oxygen increases with treatment temperature, reaching the samples treated to 1273 K for 2 hours, a gasification temperature similar to the graphite material studied. Additionally, the composites exhibit a high electrochemical stability that makes these materials very promising to be used as electrodes and/or as electrocatalysts support. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.