The influence of primary QI on the oxidation behaviour of pitch-based C/C composites Original Research Article

Three unidirectional C/C composites were prepared from PAN-based carbon fibres and three coal-tar pitches obtained from the same parent coal-tar pitch but differing in their primary QI content. The effect of the amount of primary QI present in pitches on the air reactivity of pitch-cokes and C/C composites was studied by thermogravimetric analysis. The oxidation of pitch-cokes was performed at 10°C min−1 up to 1000°C. The air reactivity of C/C composites was assessed from the weight loss curves obtained under isothermal conditions in the temperature range of 500 to 575°C for 4 h. The topography of the oxidized composites was examined by scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that pitch-cokes were more reactive than carbon fibres because the presence of QI particles increased their reactivity. With the increase of primary QI content in the pitches, C/C composites showed a higher percentage of carbon matrix, with a finer optical texture, fewer microcracks and less closed porosity. The air reactivity of the composites was affected by both chemical and physical factors, the extent of oxidation determining which of these exerted the greater influence. At low conversions the reactivity was decided by both QI content and the optical texture of the matrix. At high conversions the porosity of the composite was the determining factor.